Front Engine Bonneville Streamliner - Update 12-24
Nov 19, 2021 10:51:52 GMT -8
Chris K. Hale, checkeredflagdetails, and 2 more like this
Post by Bernard Kron on Nov 19, 2021 10:51:52 GMT -8
Six years ago I built a curbside model of an early 50’s Bonneville streamliner, similar to the famous SoCal streamliner which was the first car to go over 200 mph (209+) at Bonneville in 1950. Considering it was powered by a single flathead Mercury V8 this is remarkable. It’ a testament to its small size and excellent aerodynamics.
That model was based on the Hawk Bonneville Streamliner 1/32 scale rubber band wind-up toys which were later purchased and re-released by Testors under the Easy Builder name. There were four “different” versions depending on where the driver was positioned and the size and shape of the engine cover. This was accomplished by varying a single plastic piece, the strip running down the center of the car, the 4 kits being otherwise identical.
The 4 Testors EasyBuilder Kits
The instructions for the Bonnie Buggy version with the driver in the center of the body and single rear engine.
Obviously these models were simple to the extreme but they can actually look quite realistic once you switch them to 1/25th scale tires and add some historically correct details and graphics. Here is the model I built in 2015:
For Version number 2 I’ve decided to build front engine version inspired by the Hills-Davis City of Burbank streamliner which broke the pre-war Class C land speed record set by Auto Union on September 13th, 1952 with a speed of 229.77 MPH. It was powered by a single unsupercharged flathead Mercury motor with C-T Automotive OHV heads.
September 13th, 1952 – World Record!
For this version I plan to add engine and cockpit detail which were missing from the 2015 version. I haven’t decided whether to run twin small-block injected Chevys or a sing small-block Chevy with a Potvin blower.
Here is the work I’ve done so far. I started with the Turbo Go version of the Hawk toy cars, a version based on LSR cars run before and after WWII by Donald Campbell. The canopy is set all the way forward leaving room for the huge aero engine in the back. I reversed the center strip to place the driver at the back and reshaped the headrest area and the rear bodywork. At the front I extended the bodywork downward to eliminate the lift that the shape of the original Hawk body would have certainly created. I also have built a belly pan which will support the engine, chassis and cockpit detail.
Thanx for lookin’,
B.
Comparison of the original Hawk Turbo GO with front mounted cockpit and revised bodywork with rear cockpit and re-profiled aerodynamics:
Various views of the initial conversion. The white plastic is the modified area, the yellow from the Hawk toy car.:
That model was based on the Hawk Bonneville Streamliner 1/32 scale rubber band wind-up toys which were later purchased and re-released by Testors under the Easy Builder name. There were four “different” versions depending on where the driver was positioned and the size and shape of the engine cover. This was accomplished by varying a single plastic piece, the strip running down the center of the car, the 4 kits being otherwise identical.
The 4 Testors EasyBuilder Kits
The instructions for the Bonnie Buggy version with the driver in the center of the body and single rear engine.
Obviously these models were simple to the extreme but they can actually look quite realistic once you switch them to 1/25th scale tires and add some historically correct details and graphics. Here is the model I built in 2015:
For Version number 2 I’ve decided to build front engine version inspired by the Hills-Davis City of Burbank streamliner which broke the pre-war Class C land speed record set by Auto Union on September 13th, 1952 with a speed of 229.77 MPH. It was powered by a single unsupercharged flathead Mercury motor with C-T Automotive OHV heads.
September 13th, 1952 – World Record!
For this version I plan to add engine and cockpit detail which were missing from the 2015 version. I haven’t decided whether to run twin small-block injected Chevys or a sing small-block Chevy with a Potvin blower.
Here is the work I’ve done so far. I started with the Turbo Go version of the Hawk toy cars, a version based on LSR cars run before and after WWII by Donald Campbell. The canopy is set all the way forward leaving room for the huge aero engine in the back. I reversed the center strip to place the driver at the back and reshaped the headrest area and the rear bodywork. At the front I extended the bodywork downward to eliminate the lift that the shape of the original Hawk body would have certainly created. I also have built a belly pan which will support the engine, chassis and cockpit detail.
Thanx for lookin’,
B.
Comparison of the original Hawk Turbo GO with front mounted cockpit and revised bodywork with rear cockpit and re-profiled aerodynamics:
Various views of the initial conversion. The white plastic is the modified area, the yellow from the Hawk toy car.:
