There is hope for the future...

Tman -

You are most certainly correct!

I actually intended to mention Jim Burkdoll's involvement with the BYU streamliner in my original post ... but (as you know) I like to include pics with my HAMB posts (to better illustrate my "point") … and at the time, didn’t have access to any of my Burkdoll LSR vehicle pics.

I was looking through my Bonneville photo albums tonight and found these 3 (circa '80s) photos of Burkdoll 'liners on the salt:

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... and here's some pics of Burkdoll family LSR vehicles culled from the Internet:

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Also of note is that Jim & his son BJ (i.e., “Autobody Express") have played a big role in the design, development, & building of the bodies used on many LSR cars ... including the Nish Motorsports record-setting #998 'liner!

 

As shown in the YouTube video (in Jive-Bomber's Blog) and mentioned by Rich Venza (in post #19), in 2010, BYU's "Electric Blue" Class 1 Electric Streamliner was going ~182 MPH when it rolled.


NOTE: The current Class 2 Electric Streamliner record is 213.084 MPH ... set in 1997 by (the late) Ed Rannberg in his "Lightning Rod" 'liner:

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... and the current Class 3 Electric Streamliner record is 314.958 MPH ... set in 2004 by Roger Schroer in OHIO STATE's "Buckeye Bullet" 'liner:

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Thanks as always for fleshing the story out Harms!

 

I was helping BJ a bit at Speedweek with the S-10. We were pitted next to the BYU car. There were quite a few students there in the pit. It was the first time I saw anyone playing catch-football on the salt. From what I saw, less than a handfull of the students were really gearheads. The others were just looked happy to get school credit for going to the salt, and were more interested in kissing their girlfriends and playing ball... Durring the meet in Sept, there were only that same small gear-head group crewing the car.

Take nothing away from the people involved. That is a great accomplishment, and a long time comming. Hope for the Hotrod future? Not so much from what I saw.

 

I was about to protest that I am young, but then it hit me that I'll be thirty next year and have a third kid on the way.

Nevertheless, I do feel a bit vindicated to hear some acknowledgement from the cognoscenti that alternative energy and hot rodding aren't mortal enemies. I've been saying for years that if we could just infiltrate the greens, we could preserve the old car hobby, and promote high-performance alternative-energy vehicles.

-Dave

 

Found this one the other day while researching streamlined shapes for our LSR project.

http://ecomodder.com/

 

In 1994 this proof of concept EV1 set the EV record at 183mph at the Firestone test track in Ft. Stockton,TX. Later the motors were supplied to Notre Dame and IUPUI for the Formula Lightning racing series for universities.

 

Chris,

Talking to BJ last a few weeks ago about the whole situation was pretty sketchy. Items the engineers overlooked who had never stepped foot into a racecar made for a hairy situation for Jim.
Some of those photos showing BJ and BO "strapping" Jim into the car are actually them calming him down from hyperventilating. He was scared to death of that that car through the first few renditions until the Burkdoll crew demanded changes for safety sake and this is a seasoned professional that has gone well over 300 MPH many many times.
Once those changes were made including an actual FULL electrical kill switch Jim refused to shoe the car. They then went after BJ to do it and he said no too unless they made the same changes.


Not knocking the accomplishment, but it's interesting how the negatives seem to be left out of the overwhelmingly positive write up of the BYU article.

N8

 

Kinda gives new meaning to, "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

 

My daughter is three, already points at t-buckets and says "model T, daddy, model T!"

 

On April 29 1899, the fastest car on earth was electrically powered.

http://www.speedace.info/jamais.htm

So as far as development from that day on, combustion engines are still ahread...

 

I'll buy an electric car when they figure out the water into hydrogen/oxygen thing. Not physically do-able. Can't make energy for free.

 

I don't see the connection. Did someone claim electric vehicles are exempt from the laws of thermodynamics?

-Dave

 

Do you mean my post?

I thought it would be cool to include some historical perspective, thats all.


It shows that a electricly powered LSR vehicle is nothing new.

In fact, it was the fastest there was, once.

( even if they are lagging far behind, now...)


And I think its awesome that a new generation of Hot Rodders is getting involved...

 

No, I meant this one:

Your post was relevant, because you're right, this isn't the first battery-electric race car.

-Dave

 

I hope the kid that gets my 34 sedan delivery junks the flathead and installs a solar powered blaster that melts the competition off the line.
I have to find a worthy young guy that will take this thing and keep the tradition alive, whether fossil or solar power I care not.
Just a true young motor head that wants to experience the fun and hanging out with others.
Most of the kids like import stuff; but I will find someone and give them a great gift.
Cool liner though and cudos to the Prof.