# 1000 mph land speed record attempt **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** suspension\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 8:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024 "2014-03-03T08:24:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/1 "2014-03-03T08:24:55Z")
> **[Driven to Set a Record: Zero to 60, Plus 940](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/sports/autoracing/driven-to-set-a-land-speed-record-zero-to-60-plus-940.html?hpw&rref=sports)** > > Bloodhound, a car powered by jet and rocket engines, is part of a $70 million plan to reach 1,000 m.p.h. and shatter the land speed record, continuing a tradition of British zeal and risk. Wow. Hope he survives the attempt. How do you make wheels and suspension and steering that go 1000 mph on packed dirt? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/2 "2014-03-03T09:27:35Z")
Hopefully the driver will be in some type of detacheable capsule that is parachute equipped just in case that thing goes airborne; which in my opinion is more than likely. Hope it succeeds and there’s no way on Earth I’d want to pilot that thing. It just seems to me at that speed the tiniest imperfection in the surface or wind gust would send it flying. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/3 "2014-03-03T09:39:09Z")
If it goes airborne there’s no way to eject safely at that speed and low altitude, it’s game over. The article says they’ve done supercomputer analysis, presumably computational fluid dynamics, which should be quite accurate, to design the body shape correctly so it doesn’t go airborne. The problem is, the way to prevent takeoff is to generate some downforce, but at that speed the downforce can get so strong that it overstresses the front wheel/suspension, so it’s a delicate balance. You need enough downforce but not too much. But no way I’d want to be driving, either. I wonder if there’s even any steering at all. At that speed even a slight deviation from a straight line could ruin your day. ---
**Author:** ![252525](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/a88e57/32.png) [@252525](https://community.cartalk.com/u/252525)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/4 "2014-03-03T09:39:50Z")
what is really interesting in this story is the fact that the first vehicle set a speed record had an electric motor. Other interesting bit of an information is about using an ICE in this set up just to act as a “fuel pump”. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/5 "2014-03-03T09:48:57Z")
Yes, interesting use of a V8 engine. And I guess the rocket engine they mention is a “takeoff” booster to get the vehicle up to speed while the jet engine is spooling up. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/6 "2014-03-03T09:56:08Z")
The wheels are solid aluminum. If you click on “The Car” there is a lot of information about the hardware. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/7 "2014-03-03T09:59:56Z")
What I was wondering about with the capsule scenario is whether it could be designed along the lines of the Martin-Baker ejection seats or certain jet aircraft of the past such as the B-70 which used an escape pod. Granted, any pod would have to be rocketed to a much higher altitude. There have been several 0 altitude ejections at the Air Force base near me although forward speed was not an issue. Human reaction time being what it is and considering the speed on the ground, I wonder why they just don’t use robotics. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/8 "2014-03-03T10:08:42Z")
The site said that there would be no ejection capsule. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/9 "2014-03-03T10:10:42Z")
If the thing goes airborne it’s immediately out of control and probably upside down, so even a zero altitude ejection system would probably have little chance. Do you mean robotics for steering? I agree there must be some sort of computer guidance. I don’t see how a human could keep it straight at that speed. Edit: just found this about the steering: [http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/project/car/controls/steering](http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/project/car/controls/steering) Wow. It’s purely driver-controlled with a 30:1 steering ratio. That’s insane. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/10 "2014-03-03T10:46:50Z")
I wish them the best of luck and hope they succeed but I can’t help but remain a bit dubious about the run. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/11 "2014-03-03T17:51:08Z")
I don’t see it with “maximum downward forces” but enough to stabilize the craft without destroying the under carriage. Ground speeds of 1000 mph will in my opinion be in name ony as the craft will “fly” while being in comtact with the ground. I think of it as a plane that is taxiing very fast with flight surfaces being constantly managed. The reason IMO, there has been no one else attempt it is they have never answered this question to their satisfaction…why ? I can think of more efficient ways to “kill yourself”. IMHO, it’s a huge waste of human resources. ---
**Author:** ![kmccune](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/kmccune/32/1237_2.png) [@kmccune](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kmccune)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/12 "2014-03-03T18:35:27Z")
Anything at that speed would have to be aerodynamic,its probaly doable-but imagine the forces involved at that speed-Kevin ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/13 "2014-03-03T20:00:23Z")
Tainted record. It’s a plane without wings. All LSR should be wheel driven vehicles. Jet engines are fine if they turn gears which turn drive wheels. End of discussion ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/14 "2014-03-03T20:02:49Z")
In my drag racing days…I hit a little over 160mph in my friend’s dragster. My heart felt like it was coming out of my chest when I crossed the finish line. I went back to the ET class after that one run. At 1,000mph…no thanks. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/15 "2014-03-03T21:16:01Z")
I hope they succeed. Being a bit “long in the tooth”, I remember when the Arfons brothers were setting land world speed records in the low hundreds with their series of Green Monster cars using a 16 cylinder Allison aircraft engine. There are some road legal cars now that can go faster than their early records. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/16 "2014-03-03T21:40:42Z")
I like @Cavell’s remarks. . At least with a bicycle, you have to pedal your own bike. You can’t wait till a breeze comes up down wind and open your jacket or strap on a jet pack. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/17 "2014-03-03T21:40:51Z")
@Cavell They have different categories. Thus far in the wheel-driven category, no one has yet beaten Donald Campbell’s Bluebird CN7, which did 403mph in 1964. Realistically, they probably never will. Once you get going that fast, it’s pretty hard to get an ICE to make you go faster. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/18 "2014-03-03T21:51:55Z")
Theoretically, it might be possible to make a wheel-driven car go faster by using a gas turbine with a shaft output, such as used by turboprop planes, helicopters, and even the M-1 Abrams tank. But I guess there’s no point if someone’s going 1000 mph in a jet-powered “car.” ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/19 "2014-03-03T21:52:28Z")
Driven wheels. End of story. A rocket sled is one thing. I bet a monkey could pilot that. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024/20 "2014-03-03T21:57:41Z")
@the same mountainbike , your mention of old aircraft engines reminded me of this recent story of a 1920’s land speed record car that used a 12 cylinder Liberty aircraft engine. It was built by a Welshman who died when the car flipped over. The car was recently resurrected: > **[At Retromobile in Paris, Early Record-Setters Roar Again](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/automobiles/collectibles/at-retromobile-in-paris-early-record-setters-roar-again.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry544%23%2FCar+speed+record&_r=0)** > > A car that set a land-speed record and was restored after a crash that killed its driver in 1927 makes a noisy appearance at a classic-car exhibition in Paris. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1000-mph-land-speed-record-attempt/84024.md?page=2)