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FLATFIRE and RON MAIN - tops 300 mph
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The FlatFire project is the brainchild of Chatsworth, California based steel contractor turned record breaker, Ron Main. At 60 Ron considers himself to be a recycled teenager and his engine an antique - but hold on that cannot be so! Although, Ford ended its flathead engine production around 45 years ago, when the overhead valve became popular, it just goes to show what can be achieved with a rethink of an old design and some modern technology to boost performance. Look at what Burt Munro did with his Indian Scout.
The Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, provides the ideal proving ground for Ron's objective to one day break the 300 mile per hour barrier. On a beautiful day and ideal driving (salt surface) conditions, Ron recorded the best run of 302.203 mph in a long list of record achievements, raising the record for a Flathead engine to a 296 mph average. Even on this best run FlatFire was still accelerating past the timing lights.
The Flathead, introduced as Ford's first V8 in 1932, is considered an "old tech" relic at best in modern racing circles. A 50's rock-and-roll fanatic with a passion for period films, Main's 1946 cast-iron engine block produces a whopping 700 plus horsepower and runs in Blown Fuel Streamliner Class. The "overnight success" took only 14-years to realize in the hand crafted streamliner.
Ron says: "We broke 300, what I consider to be the sound barrier for the Ford flathead," remarked driver Main, "The car handled like a boulevard cruiser and it was still pulling hard when I shut it off. Most people may find it hard to believe that the payoff is nothing more than a tiny piece of paper with a few numbers printed on it, but for me it represents a lifetime achievement and without my dedicated crew it never would have happened." Nice one Ron and very many congratulations from Bluebird Marine Systems.
The Flatfire Racing Team:
Owner/Driver: Ron Main
Certified Land Speed Records:
FlatFire Specs:
Engine:
301 cubic inch Vortech supercharged 1946 Ford flathead block
Drive Train:
Jerico air shifted 5-speed transmission
Chassis/Body:
Carbon Fiber body designed by Aerosmith Engineering
Sponsors:
LINKS:
Flatfire
Appearance Schedule http://www.peterrenn.clara.net/l.s.r.html (http://www.peterrenn.clara.net/l.s.r.html) Autoracing speed records (http://dmoz.org/Sports/Motorsports/Auto_Racing/Speed_Records/) Landspeed record history (http://phyvax.ir.miami.edu:8001/curtright/lsr_history.html)
ARTICLES:
Flatfire
Appearance Schedule
Contact Email: flatfire@flatfire.com
The blue bird legend lives on. The classic lines of the stunning BE3 electric racing car were inspired by Reid Railton and his designs for the Napier Lion and Rolls Royce engined Blue Bird LSR cars in the 1930s. The Blueplanet BE3 features instant battery recharging using the patent Bluebird™ cartridge exchange system under license from BMS. This high performance WLSR car is also solar assisted. She is designed for speeds in excess of 350mph across a flying mile using clean electricity. It is unlikely that a member of the Campbell family will pilot her, where so many good Formula 1 and Formula E drivers have more competition skills. Imagine the spectacle of this beautiful vehicle speeding across the salt at Bonneville, or flying past on the sand on the Daytona or Pendine beaches. The BE3 is available for event hire, drive-by and the like on 6 months notice, or 3 months notice at increased cost.
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This
website is Copyright © 2014 Bluebird Marine Systems
Limited.
The names Bluebird™,
Blueplanet BE3™, Ecostar DC50™
and the blue bird in flight
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