Topic: Land Speed Racing Pinto

[Mike Modified]

Land Speed Racing (LSR) is not just done on the Bonneville Salt Flats, but on the El Mirage dry lake in Southern California, and on “abandoned” airfields in Texas & North Carolina.  LSR is not just about the ultimate top speed; it has myriad classes based on body type and engine size or type including blown or unblown.

Engine classes are based on size ranging from K (30.99 cid or lower) to AA (501.00 cid and larger).  Some body styles can be run with vintage engines, such as the Ford flathead.

A Pinto could run as a Production coupe (stock appearing), a Gas coupe (some modifications allowed), an Altered coupe (many more modifications allowed), or Competition Coupe (even more modifications allowed and more required). 

The picture below is from about 1980.  It is the flathead-powered Altered Coupe Pinto of McCain & Houtz, which set the El Mirage record of 148.020 mph at the November meet of 1981.  That record still stands.  McCain & Houtz are still racing flathead V-8s, but much faster now, although not in a Pinto.



The picture was taken by Robert W.P. “Stainless” Steele (who has held/holds a number of 200+ mph records) and was originally posted on www.landracing.com.   It is posted here with his gracious permission.

600x400 pixel version: http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee171/4-BarrelMike/Pinto/?action=view&current=150bonnevillesmaller.jpg
~1500x1000 version: http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee171/4-BarrelMike/Pinto/150Bonneville.jpg

Mike

[Srt]

great post mike.

the salt is GREAT.  any body that's never been there (or to el mirage) you're missing some great racing.

truly amateur 100% cool stuff

[75bobcatv6]

I used to go wind sailing on the el mirage dry lake bed with my best friend and his family. youd see us driving out there in a 1939 dodge brothers truck =) one in the bed one on a trailer. one of them could hit 100mph with the winds

[Mike Modified]

I''ve yet to get to El Mirage, but one day soon.

As I read your reply, I''m thinking "A wind-driven Pinto???  100 mph???  Come on!  I may have been born in the dark, but it wasn''t yesterday!"   :lol: 

Then the true picture emerges, I get it.

They often have to shut down the racing because of the (cross) wind.  They usually get back in line for an extra run with a TAIL wind. :amazed:

Mike

[75bobcatv6]

yeah not a pinto lol. though that woulda been pretty cool. =) Both were hand built windrails. most fun ive ever had with out a motor attached to wheels

[Srt]

when i was a kid somewhere around 10-12 years old my dad would take us out there after he got home from work on a friday evening.

arriving at the turnoff onto the old dirt/sand road, we would laugh (quietly) our a$$es off at him getting SOOOO mad at himself for having come so close to getting stuck in the soft stuff!

then once on the lake bed we''d be tooling along at 60 or 70  in our old ''60 country squire and he''d turn off the headlights and scare the shizod out of all of us kids (there were 5 of us) while he was laughing his head off!!!

i always remember watching the wind sailors up on two wheels with a full sail

[75bobcatv6]

ahh good memories eh ?

[Srt]

ahh good memories eh ?

without a doubt...real good memories