Setting the Land Speed Record
Currently, no one has set a speed record in the B/DT class, making it an open class. The rules say that Bill will need to reach a threshold speed of 130 MPH and then better that speed in order to qualify for a record. Bill wants people to know that his Land Speed project is certainly not an attempt to unseat the mighty Banks organization. The racer is based on a stock-bodied truck that is powered by a nearly stock engine. Understandably, it will not be the fastest vehicle on the salt; however, he estimates being able to reach a respectable speed of around 148 MPH during the first trip to Bonneville as a contestant. In the future, the Heath team plans to make additional modifications in order to attempt to go faster and faster. Someday - someday soon, and not another 30 years from now - the members of the team hope to crack the 190 MPH barrier with this same 6.5L vehicle.
As the work intensifies to a frenetic - but still good-natured - pace in the run up to this August's Speed Week, Bill and the rest of the team are looking forward to being able to enjoy the racer after the event. The Heath racer is a street-legal vehicle. The team could drive it to Bonneville, race it and drive back home - if they were so inclined.
Bill, with the excitement of a man who is finally seeing a 30-year old dream take shape, comments, "This is a real, apple pie and baseball, you-coulda-bought-it-yourself diesel pickup. One that uses the engine it came new with."
So much effort has gone into building a show-quality vehicle, no one actually likes the idea of taking chances with it on the highway to Wendover. If they did, this land speed racer would get better mileage than many diesels on the road. Bill estimates that on the shorter trips that they do take with it, "our racer will deliver in excess of 27 MPG." He promises to keep us posted on this claim.
Finally, so that everyone who wants to can participate in the trip with us, a video will be produced of a record run, if it comes. A camera will be mounted in the center of the driver's compartment, looking forward down the center line of the truck, across the hood and down course. In the foreground you will be able to read large, digital speedometer, tachometer, boost, pyro, intake air temp and EGT gauges. Viewers will be able to go for a ride in the world's fastest, stock-bodied 6.5 Chevy pickup.
As the work intensifies to a frenetic - but still good-natured - pace in the run up to this August's Speed Week, Bill and the rest of the team are looking forward to being able to enjoy the racer after the event. The Heath racer is a street-legal vehicle. The team could drive it to Bonneville, race it and drive back home - if they were so inclined.
Bill, with the excitement of a man who is finally seeing a 30-year old dream take shape, comments, "This is a real, apple pie and baseball, you-coulda-bought-it-yourself diesel pickup. One that uses the engine it came new with."
So much effort has gone into building a show-quality vehicle, no one actually likes the idea of taking chances with it on the highway to Wendover. If they did, this land speed racer would get better mileage than many diesels on the road. Bill estimates that on the shorter trips that they do take with it, "our racer will deliver in excess of 27 MPG." He promises to keep us posted on this claim.
Finally, so that everyone who wants to can participate in the trip with us, a video will be produced of a record run, if it comes. A camera will be mounted in the center of the driver's compartment, looking forward down the center line of the truck, across the hood and down course. In the foreground you will be able to read large, digital speedometer, tachometer, boost, pyro, intake air temp and EGT gauges. Viewers will be able to go for a ride in the world's fastest, stock-bodied 6.5 Chevy pickup.
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