History The Tragic Tale of the 'City of Salt Lake'...

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

The Tragic Tale of the 'City of Salt Lake'...

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I may be wrong here, but there were some posts years back that the car was being re-created. I believe it was a relative of Athol Graham...

 

Not re-created....the original is being restored by his son.

 

Here's an article I located...bittersweet.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700052628/Family-finds-pride-in-fathers-speed-quest.html?pg=all

 

I guess the restoration is complete!

 

The photo above was without the engine. An Allison was installed just recently.
"Butch" Graham, Athol's son is a house painter in SLC and owns the car.

 

To read the complete story, get the book:
"A Man and His Dream" by Harvey Shapiro
A 200 page book with tons of details of the man, the car, the family and the start of the restoration by "Butch".
Butch was nice enough in 2010 to push the car out into the open so I could photograph it without the clutter of the "Speed Week" pits.

 

Is the plan to run it on the salt again ?

 

no

 

Ok, I suppose that's understandable considering what happened.
I would be tempted to run it myself. Just for the experience.

 

I think I'd be trying to get that 400mph that the car was built for... but what do I know, my Dad's still alive...

 

I'd just fire it up and make a low speed pass. I know it's not that simple but very tempting. Of course there are likely family members not too excited about that possibility.

 

Nice story, Jive-bomber.
Real dedication from the son to go thru this building of the car.

 

Finding and financing that Allison must've been an expensive proposition given their scarcity in today's market. A beautiful restoration indeed!

 

Thank you for posting the story. With all due respect for everyone involved, what condition was the car in before the restoration. Bob

 

Good read, thanks. That guy must have been one hell of a mechanic.
Thanks for the pics Mazooma1.

 

Cool guy, cool story, and cool car.....

 

Lotta respect and dedication there...can only imagine the state the car was in after tumbling and rolling that far.
I call that grim determination. Salute, Butch.

 

Very poignant story, particularly in that the son has rebuilt the car.

Wonder why the restoration has a much higher canopy profile?

 

Part of me is impressed with the drive and determination it takes to pursue something like that.

The other part of me thinks that anyone with a wife and four kids needs to leave that land speed stuff alone.

Very sad...

 

Wow... what a mess. Have to admire his son for rebuilding it. thanks for posting this story.

 

Now that you mention it, it does seem that way.
Looking at the pictures of the crashed car I'd say that it was as much of a recreation as it was a restoration.
There wasn't much left to restore.

 

With an understanding and respect for the way things were done in that period, that did not have shit for a rollbar / rollcage compared to what the rules require on the salt today. No way it would be allowed to make a pass, much less a speed record pass.

 

A great but sad part of Bonneville history.

 

After seeing this picture, there's no way that the son rebuilt it. It's a replica.

 

A tragedy is an appropriate title;
We all have dreams of accomplishing something special or great. This man attempted to grab a record, It's what most Hot Rodders dream of if they've been bitten by the 'Speed Bug". IMHO I feel that he did just as he wanted to do, attempt to set a record. The fact that the mag destroyed itself at speed became a factor in his passing.
I applaud his son for creating a visual reference of what changed his families life and can only say thank you to Jive Bomber, Chaz and Mazooma for posting a story and pix as this is Bonneville history.

 

The son restored the car. It sat in Athol widows garage, when she sold that business the car ended up in Vegas. A deal was done and the son got it back. Interestingly he has no memory of his dad.