The Ford Barn

updraught · 06-28-2023, 03:47 AM

Donald Campbell attempted to set a world a land speed record on Lake Eyre in 1964, but got washed out.

Apparently, Bonneville salt flats were too short for him and too lumpy or something.
A film about the local preparation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cruT46lzPr8

However, it worked on the second go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqvpcX4HoCg

A few cartoons at the time.
https://primotipo.files.wordpress.co...11/image11.jpg
https://primotipo.files.wordpress.co...11/image16.jpg

The late Jeff Carter was the official photographer and took this classic shot.
https://primotipo.files.wordpress.co...11/image12.jpg

Synchro909 · 06-28-2023, 06:24 AM

I've only watched the first one so far. Those subtitles are hilarious!

CWPASADENA · 07-03-2023, 11:02 PM

Very good,

Thanks

nkaminar · 07-05-2023, 08:10 AM

Great footage, especially the first video (film). Thanks.

Bob Bidonde · 07-05-2023, 08:46 AM

Thanks for sharing the films.

updraught · 07-06-2023, 03:24 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

He then went to Western Australia on the last day of the same year and set a water speed record.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiXsI0Ol7Vk&t=300s
I like the way the locals fired into the air to scare the ducks.

A couple of years later he died in it in the UK.
Australian Ken Warby has held the water speed record for 45 years because everyone else who has attempted to break it has died trying.

Synchro909 · 07-06-2023, 06:24 AM

I think it is pretty cool how that boat lifts out of the water. The calculations have to spot on or it would lift too far and flip and we've all seen what happens then.

David in San Antonio · 07-06-2023, 02:53 PM

I had a land speed record book as a lad. Arranged consecutively it had one page per LSR record holder with color drawings. The last section was several pages long covering the Proteus Bluebird which had not yet run! It had a fold-out drawing and if I remember correctly, a cutaway drawing as well. That car was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, looking like a jet fighter fuselage on wheels. The one thing missing from the artwork was a person to show scale. Now that I’ve seen the video I realize those tires were what, 4 or 5 feet in diameter! And the tail fin ended way off the ground. Much bigger scale than I’d imagined.
By the way if you are a vintage LSR fan, there is a wonderful collection of the old monster cars at the National Motoring Museum at Beaulieu (inexplicably pronounced “Bewly”) located in an estate once owned by Lord Montagu. It’s in Hampshire, outside London. I visited it in 1980 while vacationing in London. Lacking a car, I took the Underground to a bus which was styled like a 1950’s American car with huge chrome spears running down the sides. The bus dropped us off by the side of a lake. The final leg of the journey was by an narrow gauge (like from a garden or amusement park) electric “train” thingie with a big electric motor poking out of the wooden coachwork. Looked like it was out of Thomas Edison’s notebook. The fellow operating the trolley (train? tram?) was on the other side of the lake, sitting in a little wooden hut. If I remember correctly there was some electric doorbell setup to signal when it was about to leave. I don’t know if Health and Safety (Britain’s OSHA) has shut it down. I hope not.

06-28-2023, 03:47 AM	#1
updraught Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 1,971	OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback Donald Campbell attempted to set a world a land speed record on Lake Eyre in 1964, but got washed out. Apparently, Bonneville salt flats were too short for him and too lumpy or something. A film about the local preparation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cruT46lzPr8 However, it worked on the second go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqvpcX4HoCg A few cartoons at the time. https://primotipo.files.wordpress.co...11/image11.jpg https://primotipo.files.wordpress.co...11/image16.jpg The late Jeff Carter was the official photographer and took this classic shot. https://primotipo.files.wordpress.co...11/image12.jpg

06-28-2023, 06:24 AM	#2
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback I've only watched the first one so far. Those subtitles are hilarious! __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

07-03-2023, 11:02 PM	#3
CWPASADENA Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: PASADENA, CA Posts: 1,885	Re: OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback Very good, Thanks

07-05-2023, 08:10 AM	#4
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,897	Re: OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback Great footage, especially the first video (film). Thanks. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

07-05-2023, 08:46 AM	#5
Bob Bidonde Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 3,470	Re: OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback Thanks for sharing the films. __________________ Bob Bidonde

07-06-2023, 03:24 AM	#6
updraught Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 1,971	Re: OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) He then went to Western Australia on the last day of the same year and set a water speed record. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiXsI0Ol7Vk&t=300s I like the way the locals fired into the air to scare the ducks. A couple of years later he died in it in the UK. Australian Ken Warby has held the water speed record for 45 years because everyone else who has attempted to break it has died trying.

07-06-2023, 06:24 AM	#7
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback I think it is pretty cool how that boat lifts out of the water. The calculations have to spot on or it would lift too far and flip and we've all seen what happens then. __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

07-06-2023, 02:53 PM	#8
David in San Antonio Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 222	Re: OT: old film of record attempt in the Outback I had a land speed record book as a lad. Arranged consecutively it had one page per LSR record holder with color drawings. The last section was several pages long covering the Proteus Bluebird which had not yet run! It had a fold-out drawing and if I remember correctly, a cutaway drawing as well. That car was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, looking like a jet fighter fuselage on wheels. The one thing missing from the artwork was a person to show scale. Now that I’ve seen the video I realize those tires were what, 4 or 5 feet in diameter! And the tail fin ended way off the ground. Much bigger scale than I’d imagined. By the way if you are a vintage LSR fan, there is a wonderful collection of the old monster cars at the National Motoring Museum at Beaulieu (inexplicably pronounced “Bewly”) located in an estate once owned by Lord Montagu. It’s in Hampshire, outside London. I visited it in 1980 while vacationing in London. Lacking a car, I took the Underground to a bus which was styled like a 1950’s American car with huge chrome spears running down the sides. The bus dropped us off by the side of a lake. The final leg of the journey was by an narrow gauge (like from a garden or amusement park) electric “train” thingie with a big electric motor poking out of the wooden coachwork. Looked like it was out of Thomas Edison’s notebook. The fellow operating the trolley (train? tram?) was on the other side of the lake, sitting in a little wooden hut. If I remember correctly there was some electric doorbell setup to signal when it was about to leave. I don’t know if Health and Safety (Britain’s OSHA) has shut it down. I hope not. __________________ David in San Antonio 1930 ('31?) Deluxe "Wretched Roadster" Restored 1957 Alamo A’s Club