Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

[Darren N.]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Was Fuji Hakayito the stunt coordinator? Because it sure as hell seems like something Super Dave would do! ;D

That guy is damn lucky to have survived. I used to cross the St. Lawrence daily, I never realized there was faster way across: sure beats sitting in traffic.

[yogreasygramma]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

I'm a sucker for sunroof coupes... LOL...

Did anyone ever figure out why the chute opened so early on, and why the car broke apart? Was it because the chute opened early? Did he retire after this jump?

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

I think the car broke apart because it was made of balsa wood and chewing gum. Honestly the litle canard wings and other pieces were comedic looking.

Someone may have done the math with the necessary launch speed and ramp height/angle, but they hired a local vocational school to build the car...ha!

Here's some more info on the Ken Carter, the guy who was supposed to make the jump before he got snaked out of it be Kenny Powers.

http://stuntdriver1.com/history/Ken-Carter.html

Brian

[malc]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

"He was lucky, he broke his back, he?s done that seven times before"

He was?nt getting the message then was he ?

[chryco63]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Wow, I have this on a VHS that was released in the '80s, with a collection of other manic stunts. I had totally forgotten about this!

[jetter]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Well I helped build this car back in 1976. It had an aluminum monoque chassis with a 10g inner cage. It had 3 peroxide rockets 1-10,000lb main engine and 2-1,000 lb guide rockets . There were to be 2 pilot chutes to keep the car straight . All this stuff was to be actuated manualy. He broke his back on the bottom of the ramp at the transition point so he couldn't do all the things needed to make a good jump. The car was to land on the other side with parachutes not a ramp. if you could see the engineering put into this vehicle it was remarkable. The 80's was a hotbed of stunt related shows. The same people who did the rocket stunts with cars in the movies were involved with this lincoln. Ken Carter was the driving force and the driver who was to do the stunt. At the last minute he was over ruled by the other investors and replaced by another stunt driver who knew nothing about this car. BTW the car was doing better than 300 at the bottom of the ramp. ///J.T.///

[Freiburger]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Awesome, and thanks for joining!

Why did they start with a Lincoln?

Also, I think I'll question the 300 mph statement...how would the car stay on the ground?

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Holy moly!
Thanks for joining up first off and once you have the chance to get after DFs questions I have about 6,000 myself.

Ok, I'm going to cheat, did you guys consult with any of the drag race guys running the rocket cars when building the Lincoln like Sammy Miller?

If you were involved with this deal, I'm guessing you were involved with other awesome stuff as well.

Cool and thanks again for being here!

Brian

[jetter]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

The car was built at RaceCar Engineering in Alsip Illinois. The shop was owned by Tom Daniels and Steve Ostrowski. We used to campaign the Damn Yankee funnycar driven by Ron Odonnel. I was one of the apprentice chassis builders. If i remember correctly the rockets were built by Dick Keller. He built most of the early rockets used in racecars. The main rocket is on a slight down angle (same as in a jetcar or anything useing thrust)that is what holds it to the ground. The body was a chioice made by Ken Carter just to be diffrent. Right after that car I started working for Romeo Palamides Racecars in Chicago and was the crewchief for several jet cars that Roger Gustin drove. I also helped build several rocket cars in that time period with RaceCar Engineering. ///J.T.///

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

How was working for Romeo? I've heard many stories about the man. He sure seemed to be a character that some really liked and some really didn't.

Who's rockets did you help in constructing?

Sorry to pester you with questions! Thanks again for joining up and becoming part of this thing!

Brian

[jetter]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

I remember the name of the funny car we built called Moon shot. It had a 6000 pound thrust engine in it. There was a dragster too but I was young and the memory isn't what it used to be. LOL Romeo wasn't too bad unless you were a customer. I do have some killer stories tho. I was like his adopted son . DON'T HATE ME FOR THAT!!! LOL He was the craftsman we all heard about and I learned the old ways of building cars. He was very set in his ways (bullheaded). LOL He was going to be my best man but he passed before my wedding. ///J.T.///

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Sorry to hear of the best man deal.
I'd never hate anyone for working with a guy like Romeo, love him or hate him. You were at ground zero for lots of neat stuff and I'm guessing some heart break as well.

If it's an off limits subject, tell me to clam the F up, but did you know Russell Mendez?

Brian

[jetter]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Name is familiar but doesn't ring the bell. Wait didn't he have something to do with the Jack Mc Clure rocket go kart. Last I seen of that kart Hayden Proffit and his son Brad had it. Jack McClure went something like 4.70 @314 in that stupid thing at US 30 I was there. He shut it off then it did 3 spins before he got it straight. He used the profit money to buy a shrimp boat in fla and retire. LOL true story ///J.T.///

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

Mendez was the guy who was killed at the 1975 Winternationals in the Free Spirit rocket dragster.
In talking to some guys from the era, I have heard that those rocket dragsters weighed like 1,000lbs or less. That make sense or is it fantasy land?

The Moon Shot funny car was a Charger body right? I'm trying to remember or find who drove it, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that it was a Mopar body on the chassis.

I have see still photos and some grainey video of the Captain Jack as his act predates me (born in 1980).

For those of you who don't know what Jetter is talking about here's the kart. It was lterally a gokart frame with a little body on it that went sub 6 second in the quarter mile at well over 200mph





This was balls to a titanic level!

Brian

[AllenK]

Re: Video of the Week: The Hot Rod Lincoln Jump

I would personally like to hear more of Jetter's stories!

What a great era that was. Rocket powered karts today? No way!