Sunbeam Landspeed Record Broken!!

[gvickery]

STOC received this news this morning - 17th September:

Today, Dr Mayf (aka, Larry Mayfield) of Pahrump, Nevada has driven his Sunbeam (…shall we say…”modified” Series V Alpine) to a speed of 204.912 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, during the World of Speed event, Sept 16, 2010 to finally beat the 203.792 mph speed that Sir Henry Segrave ran in 1927 as the land speed record on the sands of Daytona Beach in his Sunbeam and becoming the first person to travel at more than 200 mph.
Larry/DrMayf has been working for this day since he bought a rust bucket Alpine from a neighbour when he was working in Huntsville, AL in late summer of 1997. Needless to say he and his lovely wife/best friend/crew chief/co-owner/and many other titles and hats, Cathy are ecstatic.

I must add, he was only running to pass the 1927 Land Speed Record and become the World’s Fastest Sunbeam, and he’s done it!!!

His website: http://www.mayfco.com/msports.htm
His email: drmayf@mayfco.com
A nice background article: http://teae.org/worlds-fastest-sunbeam-wannabie/

All the Best,
Chuck C (FunbeamChuck)


After the Successful Run - L-R: Dale (Neighbor who has crewed for Mayf for years), Mayf & Cathy.





Mayf with winning Time Sheet.




Winning Time Sheet – Note “Last Mile” Time is one that counts. “Terminal Speed” time of 210.729 lets him know he could possibly beat the record of 213.176 as shown on the sheet as he was still accelerating after he went through the 5th mile timing trap. He said he was fishtailing from the 4th through the 5th mile so bad (he indicated a couple of feet each way) he had one hand steering and the other on the parachute handle… was going to let the ‘chute straighten him out if it got worse….




Mayf and a spectator as we waited (3 hrs) in line to run.




The last seconds on the starting line before the run.




In car, waiting at starting line for the last car in front to go.




Starter (in blue/white stripe shirt) giving final safety checks before the run and talking with Dale about the intentions of the run.




Message sent to 'Mayf'
Hi Chuck

Please pass on our congratulations and admiration of this astounding achievement by Mayf!!

Graham Vickery
For and on behalf of
Sunbeam Tiger Owners Club (UK)

[gtsmrt]

Well done Doc... I would have loved to see the run. 50 years on and still competitive .

[martin172]

Sterling effort!!!! Well done Sir.

Thanks for the pics Graham.

To be honest, the car isn't modified externally as much as I thought it would be, which is great to see.
Often, you can't tell what a car used to be, but there's no doubt there.

I'm loving the headllights. I wonder if a set could be made in perspex?

[Tomaselli]

he was only running to pass the 1927 Land Speed Record and become the World’s Fastest Sunbeam

I am somewhat dissapointed to hear that, I had always imagined that the record was held in the UK with Dean at the Mansfield Circuit!

Joking apart.........that is an fantastic effort by Dr Mayf, sheer determination and balls of steel from the driver me thinks.

Would love to know what was under the "hood" gotta be something more than an Alpine with a Holbay engine and with a silhouette body, maybe not (?) By the way, nice colour for a Sunbeam

Must admit, Bonneville Salts is one place on my list to "do"

[martin172]

he was only running to pass the 1927 Land Speed Record and become the World’s Fastest Sunbeam

I am somewhat dissapointed to hear that, I had always imagined that the record was held in the UK with Dean at the Mansfield Circuit!

Joking apart.........that is an fantastic effort by Dr Mayf, sheer determination and balls of steel from the driver me thinks.

Would love to know what was under the "hood" gotta be something more than an Alpine with a Holbay engine and with a silhouette body, maybe not (?) By the way, nice colour for a Sunbeam

Must admit, Bonneville Salts is one place on my list to "do"

Engine
DSS 306 block, ARP 1/2 inch head studs: Short block rebuild completed
AFR 205 cc Aluminum Heads (SS 2.02I/1.60E) (Not purchased yet)
DSS Crank (Crank is .02 under rods, .01 under mains, chamfered oil holes) (Installed)
Ford FRPP Motorsport F303 Cam (installed)
Ford Hydraulic Roller Lifters (installed), Comp Cams Stainless Steel Roller Rockers (not purchased yet)
Ford SEFI with EEC -IV (A9P ECM) with tweecer and data logging, laptop control
Ford Rods, ARP rod bolts (installed)
DSS 8.5:1 forged pistons (installed)
Balanced (completed)
High Vol Melling Oil Pump (installed)
Dual Garrett T03 Turbochargers (Comp .60 trim, Exhaust 0.63 A/R), 15psig - 22psig (available)
Speed Pro damper (installed)
Custom headers for turbo (fabricated, available)
Canton Pan and Windage Tray, modified for turbo oil return (installed)
DSS Main Girdle and Windage Tray (installed)
Ford Dist with TFI (installed)
Edlebrock Torker II Modified for EFI (completed, looks pretty good!)
Home grown Turbo Boost Control (available)

They were expecting 650 hp at sea level.