NECESSARY ACCESSORY
September 25, 2022
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
SHELBY G.T.350SR
The minute you get in, turn the key, and get into gear, you know you’re in a living, fire-breathing machine, and it’s beyond doubt one of the most exciting and easiest-driving cars that I ever handled,” said Carroll Shelby in his 1965 book “The Cobra Story.”
DUPONT DEUCE
For many of us, the culmination of money and time spent on our street rods comes through experiences with our friends, whether it’s at the corner drive-in on the weekend or at a national event with thousands of people. It’s there we can share stories, laughs and the fruits of our labors, namely, the cars that bring us together in celebration of history, creativity and realized possibilities.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Ford fans will willingly tell you that the Mustang is the No. 1 muscle car built in America, but its style, affordability and performance has earned this popularity title all by itself. The 2005 Mustang GT is a prime example of Ford’s success, and it seems to only be evolving to an even higher level of popularity today. Some say the Mustang was getting long in the tooth and was becoming boring in recent years, but believe it or not, Ford addressed it just at the right time with its new retro-style pony. Maybe the Mustang was evolving too far away from its muscle car roots and Ford decided to bring it back to tighten its focus; then again, perhaps it was just a coincidence of timing.
Spotlighter
Bonneville: The Final Frontier
America’s Last Untamed Race Track
Bonneville is that final frontier, a place where a man or a woman with a better idea isn’t punished with a bunch of extra weight or politically ruled out of racing. It’s a place where a person with a better idea gets in the record book until someone with a better idea takes it away. It’s that simple, and it’s speed racing at its purest.
Author
Tim Gavern
Words & Photography
Why You Just Have to Go to Bonneville
If you’ve never been…quit your job, get a divorce, sell your dog. Sell your dog? Well, do whatever it takes, because you just gotta go and experience Bonneville at least once. There are no payouts, no big sponsors, just a bunch of old-school racers trying to go fast on the salt flats of Bonneville. And it’s not easy racing these days—it’s hard to set a record. The speeds are huge and it would take a lot of work and some dumb luck to beat some of them. But this doesn’t seem to matter to the competitors—they just build their cars and give it a shot.
A Banner Year on the Salt
2004 was a banner year for Bonneville. The salt was good, and the long course was 7 miles. There were 442 entries: 328 cars and 114 bikes, including 68 class changes. There were 156 records set: 89 cars and 67 bikes.
The Spirit of Bonneville
Bonneville is that final frontier, a place where a man or a woman with a better idea isn’t punished with a bunch of extra weight or politically ruled out of racing. It’s a place where a person with a better idea gets in the record book until someone with a better idea takes it away. It’s that simple, and it’s speed racing at its purest. You need to be there, so check it out.
*A Note for the Knuckleheads
Driving on wet salt is a serious and growing problem.
When the flats are wet or flooded, the salt crust becomes fragile and easily destroyed. Beneath it lies thick mud that will trap your vehicle—and the damage you cause can take years to heal, if it ever does.
This kind of carelessness ruins Bonneville for everyone.
It threatens racing, recreation, and the future of events on the salt. There are no excuses—if it’s wet, stay off.
You may also be held financially liable for any damage caused or for the cost of vehicle recovery efforts.
Check conditions before you go.
Travel and camp only on durable surfaces. Protect the salt flats, or risk losing access for everyone. For more info, CLICK HERE to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats Special Recreation Management Area’s website.
