Let's see McLaren or Ferrari go after the piston-engine wheel-driven record

Then we'll find out how good they really are.

... Yeah! And then, after that, we ask if Boeing can make a paper airplane to break the 'Longest flight by paper airplane' record!

Great idea, Franklin... Any more?

Franklin,

You're obviously fixated by straightline speed.
I don't think there are many people that don't believe that top flight organisations such as McLaren, Ferrari, Penske, Lola, Reynard, etc could quite easily build landspeed record machines, but these companies what is the point.

Even Richard Noble and his pilot Fl Lt Green (?) have gained little financial benefit in exceeding 700mph.

No how about a mile straight; standing start, get to end turn round and come back.
Thats a fair compromise.
I'd put my money on a Minardi beating any hotrod or drag star, let alone McLaren.

IanC
Ps Still who would care, its a pointless excercise!

McLaren were going to have a crack at the World Land Speed Record, but dipped out as they feared it would infringe on their F1 program. Looks like, unlike some, McLaren know where the challenge is the greatest...

Beginning with the construction of the first 400 mph piston engine car in 1937-38 (John Cobb's Railton), only five piston engine cars have ever clocked 400 mph. Only two of those five (Summers brothers Goldenrod and Al Teague's car) set an over 400 mph record. The best one-way mile speed of 425 mph was clocked by Goldenrod in 1965 and then again by Al Teague in 1991. Goldenrod remains the only normally aspirated car to ever clock 400 mph.

Originally posted by Franklin
Beginning with the construction of the first 400 mph piston engine car in 1937-38 (John Cobb's Railton), only five piston engine cars have ever clocked 400 mph. Only two of those five (Summers brothers Goldenrod and Al Teague's car) set an over 400 mph record. The best one-way mile speed of 425 mph was clocked by Goldenrod in 1965 and then again by Al Teague in 1991. Goldenrod remains the only normally aspirated car to ever clock 400 mph.

And Cobb's Railton was actually a racing car first. It ran at Brooklands. Also if you re-read your post it suggest that Cobb achieved 400 mph. What did it achieve?

However, I fail to see your point Franklin, because in the case of Goldenrod, it certainly can't turn a corner and as has been stated nobody is that interested in going fast in a straight line.

It really is time for you to accept that just planting your foot and going flat out into the distance doesn't turn on most of the world. I have every respect for the abilities of those who make these cars in their back yards but I question why?

Its boring.
Its expensive (relatively).
And it brings absolutely nothing to the development of the motor car in general.

I fully expect you to respond Mr F but remember. Its the posting not the poster.

Other than the name Railton, the Railton that Cobb ran at Brooklands had nothing to do with the Railton streamliner that Cobb drove at Bonneville since they were entirely separate cars.

Of course land speed cars have nothing to do with the rest of motorsports. Land speed cars were being wind tunnel tested by the late twenties. The first car to use disk brakes was George Eyston´s Thunderbolt in 1937. Cars such as Goldenrod were running sophisticated air scoops decades before these features ever showed up in F1.

Does that mean that McLaren will soon introduce a jet engine ?

Frank : If they did, it would be a lot higher than it is now, but WHO CARES ???????????????????????????????