May 13
Broke the Stanley steam "Rocket" speed record set in 1906
Not a Doble but steam related and very cool. Being sold next month by Bonhams. Jim Crank is the author of the Doble book FYI.
https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/32353/preview-lot/6130036/1977-steamin-demon-steam-streamliner-chassis-no-sd-1/
In the early 70's the world's Land Speed Record for steam -powered vehicles was 127.656mph. It was over 70 years old, having been set by "The Rocket", a product of the Stanley Motor Carriage Company, the latest of several companies organized by the Stanley brothers, F.E. and F.O. "The Rocket" set its record on the tidal sands of Ormond Beach, Florida in 1906 and was, at the time, the absolute top speed record for self-propelled vehicles. "The Rocket" returned to Ormond Beach in 1907. With the same driver, Fred Marriott, behind the steering wheel it crashed at over 150mph destroying both "The Rocket" and Fred Marriott.
Interest in steam cars faded rapidly as the practicality of gasoline cars increased and the record set by "The Rocket" stood for over 70 years. It stood because it was ignored, at least until rising again in the 1960's with newfound interest in steam propulsion spurred by emissions reduction, then by a gasoline shortage. One of its earliest and most effective proponents was Bill Lear, serial inventor and entrepreneur. Lear's trail of inventions and innovations started with radios (Magnavox), expanded to aviation (practical jet aircraft autopilot and the famed Learjet) and branched off into stereo tape (the Lear Jet 8-track cassette player). Bill Lear, it seems, never met a problem he didn't think he could solve.
Although Lear proposed an exotic "deltic" layout multi-cylinder steam engined race car for Indianapolis it never appeared. More importantly, Lear proposed a steam-powered urban bus with ingenious steam generation and a tiny, 60,000rpm turbine that made over 200hp. Prototyped and demonstrated, the Lear Steam Bus project stalled over fuel economy and cost considerations and the company wound down. The concept and components, however, remained and the bus power system components were purchased by Jim Crank. It became the basis for the 1977 Steamin' Demon Streamliner.
https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/32353/preview-lot/6130036/1977-steamin-demon-steam-streamliner-chassis-no-sd-1/
In the early 70's the world's Land Speed Record for steam -powered vehicles was 127.656mph. It was over 70 years old, having been set by "The Rocket", a product of the Stanley Motor Carriage Company, the latest of several companies organized by the Stanley brothers, F.E. and F.O. "The Rocket" set its record on the tidal sands of Ormond Beach, Florida in 1906 and was, at the time, the absolute top speed record for self-propelled vehicles. "The Rocket" returned to Ormond Beach in 1907. With the same driver, Fred Marriott, behind the steering wheel it crashed at over 150mph destroying both "The Rocket" and Fred Marriott.
Interest in steam cars faded rapidly as the practicality of gasoline cars increased and the record set by "The Rocket" stood for over 70 years. It stood because it was ignored, at least until rising again in the 1960's with newfound interest in steam propulsion spurred by emissions reduction, then by a gasoline shortage. One of its earliest and most effective proponents was Bill Lear, serial inventor and entrepreneur. Lear's trail of inventions and innovations started with radios (Magnavox), expanded to aviation (practical jet aircraft autopilot and the famed Learjet) and branched off into stereo tape (the Lear Jet 8-track cassette player). Bill Lear, it seems, never met a problem he didn't think he could solve.
Although Lear proposed an exotic "deltic" layout multi-cylinder steam engined race car for Indianapolis it never appeared. More importantly, Lear proposed a steam-powered urban bus with ingenious steam generation and a tiny, 60,000rpm turbine that made over 200hp. Prototyped and demonstrated, the Lear Steam Bus project stalled over fuel economy and cost considerations and the company wound down. The concept and components, however, remained and the bus power system components were purchased by Jim Crank. It became the basis for the 1977 Steamin' Demon Streamliner.
