[AT] Burn-outs like you've never seen 'em!

[charlie hill]

Good to hear from you Tom.
I had the same information but was too busy/lazy or both to type it all. 
grins.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Tom
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 2:02 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Burn-outs like you've never seen 'em!

Been a while...

I think a fuller explanation of the speed issue is required:

I the early 30s Allis Chalmers were promoting low pressure rubber tyres and
encountering resistance. Then:

"The tractor division realized that it would have to do something 
spectacular to break down resistance to and build public accept­ance for air 
tires.. Because most tractors were unable to go more than five miles an 
hour, W. Elzey Brown of the advertising depart­ment thought of speed racing. 
Special high speed gears were installed in stock models of the Model "U" 
tractor, and the first public speed test was made at the State Fair race 
track at West Allis on June 18, 1933. Frank Brisko, a famous local driver 
who had recently competed in the Memorial Day classic at the Indianapolis 
Speedway, was the star in the auto races. The spectators could hardly 
believe their eyes when an Allis-Chalmers tractor, which had been plowing in 
the infield of the race track, was unhooked from the plow, turned over to 
Frank Brisko and then driven against time at 35.4 miles per hour. The effect 
was sensational. During the remainder of the summer, similar tractor races 
were
advertised as attractions at many state fairs. The high point in this series 
of demonstrations occurred at Dallas, Texas, on September 17, 1933, when 
Barney Oldfield, the veteran automobile racer, drove a Model "U" air-tired 
tractor over a measured mile course at 64.28 miles an hour. The first man to 
drive an automobile at more than 60 miles an hour had also become the first 
man to drive a tractor at more than a mile a minute. Because this event was 
sanctioned by the American Automobile Association and timed by its 
officials, it became an official A. A. A. record. In 1933 alone, more than 
one million people saw these tractor races, and they were, in fact, repeated 
by popular demand for several years. With such famous drivers as Barney 
Oldfield, Lou Meyer, Floyd Roberts and Ab Jenkins, the tractor races were 
given top billing at many fairs."

                     "An Industrial Heritage" Walter E Peterson, Allis 
Chalmers Corporation, 1975

Tom

--- On Thu, 15/11/12, charlie hill <charliehill at embarqmail.com> wrote:

From: charlie hill <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] Burn-outs like you've never seen 'em!
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Date: Thursday, 15, November, 2012, 12:37 AM

Barney Oldfield's record run was 64 mph.  Set in Sept. of 1933 on a
specially prepared AC U.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Chuck Bealke
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 1:57 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Burn-outs like you've never seen 'em!

Thanks, Mattias.

This guys turning his plowing machine into a racer reminded me of:
1) Barney Oldfield's AC tractor (perhaps slower than the Terror)
promotion gig
http://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/articles/barney-oldfield-sets-tractor-record
and
2) Lamborghini unsuccessfully suggesting his tractor transmission to
Enzo Ferrari
http://www.pixcom.dk/Lamborghini/story.htm   .

Age test:  Would you like to drive the Terror?

And Ralph, thanks for the Roosty video link.  Am getting to recognize
parts of your path across the fields and am guessing that bull is a Red
Poll.


  _|___\  __
  |_____/      \  ~ Chuck Bealke, Dallas
  (  )       \__  /
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