Goldenrod

Goldenrod is a purpose-built American streamliner land-speed racing car associated with brothers Bob "Butch" Summers and Bill Summers of Ontario, California. Unlike a conventional production automobile, it was engineered specifically for high-speed runs over a measured course and became one of the most important wheel-driven record cars of the twentieth century. Bob Summers drove Goldenrod to a 409.277 mph (658.667 km/h) flying-mile record on November 12, 1965. The achievement established the car as the fastest wheel-driven vehicle in its record category and gave it a place in the history of American land-speed racing. The car evolved from an earlier layout in which four engines were arranged in two side-by-side rows. That arrangement created difficulties in achieving the desired speed and packaging efficiency. Fuel specialist and racing-equipment inventor Tony Capanna of Wilcap suggested placing the engines in a single line and enclosing them in a streamlined body. Capanna also directed the Summers brothers toward aerodynamic assistance from Walter Korff, a Lockheed engineer. The resulting form was refined through testing in Caltech's 10-foot wind tunnel. Its reported drag coefficient was 0.1165, with a frontal area of approximately 8.53 square feet, figures that illustrate the emphasis placed on aerodynamic efficiency. Goldenrod used four fuel-injected Chrysler Hemi engines mounted inline. Together they produced an estimated 2,400 horsepower. The vehicle was naturally aspirated rather than supercharged, an engineering distinction that later mattered when comparing its record with faster cars using different configurations. A scale model of the proposed streamliner was shown to Hot Rod managing editor Dick Wells in August 1964, before the car completed its record-setting development. The 1965 run was made in a wheel-driven record class created amid controversy surrounding the classification of the Spirit of America. Goldenrod's official FIA record remained in place for more than four decades. Al Teague's supercharged Hemi-powered Spirit of '76 exceeded Goldenrod's speed in 1991, but the increase was insufficient under the applicable rules to replace the official record immediately. The record was later superseded by the Burklands' 411 Streamliner in 2008, while Goldenrod's naturally aspirated class record lasted until Charles Nearburg's Spirit of Rett surpassed it in 2010. For many years Goldenrod toured venues across the United States. It made its first appearance outside the country at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2000, where it was displayed with other land-speed-record cars. The surviving Summers brother, Bill, attended that appearance. Bob Summers died in 1992, and Bill Summers died on May 12, 2011. The Henry Ford acquired Goldenrod in 2002. A restoration supported in part by the U.S. government's Save America's Treasures program returned the car to exhibition condition. The work involved former Hot Rod editor John Baechtel of Landspeed Restorations and Mike Cook of Cook Motorsports, together with other contributors. The car was on display at The Henry Ford by September 2006 and remains a museum artifact rather than a commercial automobile. Its significance rests on the combination of record-setting performance, advanced streamlining, multi-engine packaging, and its role in the development of American land-speed racing.

Goldenrod was developed in Southern California by the Summers brothers, Bob and Bill, as a specialized vehicle for wheel-driven land-speed competition. The project initially used four engines arranged in two side-by-side rows, but the brothers struggled to reach their target performance. Tony Capanna, a fuel specialist and racing-equipment pioneer associated with Wilcap, proposed a radical reconfiguration: place all four engines in a single longitudinal line and surround them with a streamlined body. He also recommended aerodynamic consultation with Walter Korff, a Lockheed engineer. The revised concept was refined with testing in Caltech's 10-foot wind tunnel. The resulting body achieved a very low reported drag coefficient of 0.1165 and a frontal area of about 8.53 square feet. A scale model was presented to Hot Rod managing editor Dick Wells in August 1964, providing an early public indication of the proposed machine. Goldenrod ultimately used four fuel-injected Chrysler Hemi engines in line, generating approximately 2,400 horsepower. On November 12, 1965, Bob Summers drove Goldenrod to 409.277 mph over the flying mile. The run secured the wheel-driven land-speed record in the relevant FIA class, a category whose definition had been shaped by controversy over the Spirit of America. Goldenrod's record stood for decades. Al Teague's Spirit of '76 went faster in 1991, but its improvement did not meet the rule threshold required for immediate official replacement. The Burklands' 411 Streamliner established a new official record in 2008. Goldenrod nevertheless retained a naturally aspirated class distinction until Charles Nearburg's Spirit of Rett exceeded it in 2010. After its competitive career, Goldenrod toured extensively in the United States. In 2000 it traveled abroad for the first time, appearing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with other historic record cars. Bill Summers attended the event; Bob had died in 1992. The Henry Ford acquired Goldenrod in 2002 and restored it with support from the Save America's Treasures initiative. John Baechtel of Landspeed Restorations and Mike Cook of Cook Motorsports led the restoration effort, which included contributions from other supporters. The restored car was being exhibited by September 2006. Bill Summers died on May 12, 2011, leaving Goldenrod preserved primarily as a museum and engineering-history artifact.

• 2010

  Naturally aspirated class record surpassed

  [1]Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Charles Nearburg's Spirit of Rett reached 414.316 mph, ending Goldenrod's comparable class record.

• 2008

  Official record superseded

  [1]Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org

  The Burklands' 411 Streamliner set a new official record at 415.896 mph.

• 2002

  Acquired by The Henry Ford

  [1]Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org

  The Henry Ford purchased Goldenrod and arranged for its restoration.

• 2000

  First overseas exhibition

  [1]Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Goldenrod appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom.

• 1991

  Record unofficially exceeded

  [1]Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Al Teague's Spirit of '76 recorded a higher speed, but did not meet the rule requirement for an immediate official record change.

• 1965

  Wheel-driven record established

  [1]Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org

  Bob Summers drove Goldenrod to 409.277 mph over the flying mile on November 12.

• 1964

  Streamliner concept publicly previewed

  [1]Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org

  A scale model of the proposed Goldenrod was shown to Hot Rod managing editor Dick Wells in August during the vehicle's development.

A record-setting American land-speed racing vehicle whose identity is built around aerodynamic engineering, multi-engine power, and historic wheel-driven speed performance.

• Land-speed racing streamliner

  Goldenrod

  A purpose-built American record car with a highly streamlined body, four fuel-injected Chrysler Hemi engines arranged inline, and an estimated combined output of 2,400 horsepower. Its aerodynamic development included Caltech wind-tunnel testing. Goldenrod was designed for wheel-driven land-speed competition rather than road use and is now preserved as a historic vehicle at The Henry Ford.

• 2002

  Transfer to The Henry FordM&A

  Background

  After years of touring, Goldenrod moved from private ownership into a museum collection.

  Action taken

  The Henry Ford acquired the car and arranged a restoration supported partly through Save America's Treasures.

  Aftermath

  Goldenrod became a preserved exhibition object documenting American land-speed engineering.

  Source

• Adoption of the inline-engine streamlined configurationStrategy

  Background

  The Summers brothers were having difficulty achieving their target speed with four engines arranged in two side-by-side rows.

  Action taken

  Following Tony Capanna's advice, the project adopted four engines mounted in line within a streamlined body and used specialist aerodynamic input and wind-tunnel testing.

  Aftermath

  The configuration produced the Goldenrod form that later set the 1965 wheel-driven land-speed record.

  Source

1. 1Goldenrod (car)en.wikipedia.org