Date: Fri, 02 Dec 2005 14:01:56 -0800
To: mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx
From: "Larry R. Daum" <mramc@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE:Flatheads & Land speed records
RE:Flatheads & Land speed records
My 2 cents into the fire for what it's worth
Flatheads
There was an effort some 12 or 15 years ago to run a Nash nine bearing
straight Eight engine flat head from the 1930's at the Salt flats. As I
recall I believe Fred Carrillo of Carrillo Rods and cranks was behind the
effort. There was a magazine article and write up in the Nash club
magazine I can probably find.I believe the engine ran in some kind of
streamliner. I'm not that familiar with the salt flat racing and it's been
a good deal of time ago. There seems to be some kind of 8 cylinder flat
head class/record for the salt flat runs there and the nine main bearings
engine looked good from an certain standpoint.
Fastest AMC
The fastest AMC I am aware of was the AMC Indy car. An attempt was made
when the Texas World speed way was new in 1980 or so for an oval track
record for the fastest stock block Indy/Cart type car. The AMC Indy car
ran 209 MPH on an oval track at he Texas speed way for some length of
time. I'm not sure that this was an over all record for stock block type
engines in Indy cars. The V-6 Buicks that ran Indy
for time were also very but never seemed to hold together much like the
AMC Indy V-8 unfortunately. There was a mention of the AMC Indy effort in
I believe Mechanix Illustrated of the time I have some where in box or
plastic crate that will turn up some day.
I must ad to this fastest AMC discussion that we are talking apples &
oranges and pears here. The salt flat type racing up and back timed runs
is very different from the oval track type runs and also different from
what Zamisch did with his great white car on a straight timed road course.
I have to give Zamisch his kudos for this as a private effort with out a
boat load of money backing him that his effort took a lot luck, guts and
some skill. !97 MPH is nothing to ignore and could have gone badly as
several Silver State runs did. It would be interesting
to see what Zamisch's great white engine would do in a fly weight type
Indy car or a salt flat type streamliner. thanks, LRDaum mramc@xxxxxxxxxxx
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