We just lost another pioneer. Craig Breedlove Dies - World Land Speed Record Legend Piloted 'Spirit of America'

[Crusty Trucker]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/craig-breedlove-dies-world-land-speed-record-legend-piloted-spirit-of-america/ar-AA19w6IG?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

Edited April 6, 2023 by Crusty Trucker (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

I was reading about his record runs when I was in middle school. Already being interested in automotive history, I understood that history was being made then.

An incredible life! I think well lived.

[alsancle]

He built the "Spirit of America" in his dad's garage.   I always thought that was the coolest thing.

 

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2018/10/19/craig-breedlove-spirit-of-america-land-speed-record

 

 

[31nash880]

Never heard of him building in dad's garage. Sorry to hear of our loss. 

[1937hd45]

Dad used to take me to NYC for the Automobile Show back when things like that mattered, got to see both Spirit of America LSR cars, always amazed me that cars that large got into the lobby. Still have my issue of Hot Rod with his car on the cover.

[Walt G]

Bob, I too would attend the Auto Show each year in NYC and recall seeing those cars as well . This was when the Auto Show was at the NY Coliseum on the west side of Columbus Circle at the SW corner of Central Park, I still have the show programs that we bought. That location now has another building since the Coliseum saw little activity after the Auto Show was moved to the new convention Center on the Hudson River.

Interesting that where the Coliseum building stood ( it is gone now) back in the 1930s it was the location of the Franklin dealership for Manhattan - Pase Franklin. The Cadillac dealership for Manhattan also had a place there along with its service department . Charles Lindbergh would get his Franklin speedster serviced at that Franklin dealership .

[60FlatTop]

And The Beach Boys did a good job memorializing him.

 

 

 

Spirit of America Lyrics

[Chorus]
Spirit of America
Spirit of America
Spirit of America

[Verse 1]
The Bonneville salt flats had seen some strange things
But the strangest thing yet was a jet without wings
Once as a jet, it played in the stars
But now on the ground it's the king of our cars

 

 

[Chorus]
Spirit of America
Spirit of America
Spirit of America
Spirit of America

[Verse 2]
An airplane, an auto, now famous worldwide
The Spirit of America, the name on the side
The man who would drive her, Craig Breed love by name
A daring young man played a dangerous game

[Chorus]
Spirit of America
Spirit of America
Spirit of America
Spirit of America

[Verse 3]
With a J-47, a jet for his power
Craig Breed love had averaged four-o-seven per hour
Both man and machine had given fair warn
They'd set a new record on that warm August morn

[Chorus]
Spirit of America
Spirit of America
Spirit of America
Spirit of America

Edited April 6, 2023 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[Gunsmoke]

Geez Walt G, you seem to know everything about cars of the past, can you tell me who owned my 1931 Chrysler CD8 Roadster (Canadian serial #9820125) prior to 1952 (I have it traced back that far)!! On the topic itself, remember reading about Breedlove's passion about speed records back 40/50 years ago, one of a very small group of record chasers. May he RIP.

[Walt G]

I wish I could help you with the history of your CD8 roadster! If it was sold in the NY metropolitan  area I may have some information as to the dealership but other parts of the world are not here in my collection.

What I do know and comment on - I hate to have to look something up twice, try to at least recall what the publication is/was that I saw it in and my memory is still fairly good, sometimes, mostly , maybe, so I can find the reference again in the period material.

I don't want to stray off topic so will end this here .

[JamesR]

Craig Breedlove was one of those iconic automotive figures from when I was a little kid in the 1960's and an older kid in the '70's. I'm very sorry to hear of his passing. I didn't realize that Beach Boys song was about him and his jet powered car. Thanks for that info, as I'm a big Beach Boys fan. According to Wiki, he also got a '68 AMX up to over 200 mph (though his official run was 189.) Many condolences to his family.

[JamesR]

9 hours ago, alsancle said:

He built the "Spirit of America" in his dad's garage.   I always thought that was the coolest thing.

 

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2018/10/19/craig-breedlove-spirit-of-america-land-speed-record

 

 

Thanks for the great photo. I know little about this kind of stuff, but I'm seeing nothing that resembles steering linkage for the front wheel. How are these things steered?

Edited April 6, 2023 by JamesR (see edit history)

[CHuDWah]

3 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

And The Beach Boys did a good job memorializing him...

 

4 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Craig Breedlove was one of those iconic automotive figures from when I was a little kid in the 1960's and an older kid in the '70's. I'm very sorry to hear of his passing. I didn't realize that Beach Boys song was about him and his jet powered car. Thanks for that info, as I'm a big Beach Boys fan. According to Wiki, he also got a '68 AMX up to over 200 mph (though his official run was 189.) Many condolences to his family.

 

Spirit of America also was on the Little Deuce Coupe album.  I pretty much wore out that vinyl.

 

 

[wayne sheldon]

2 hours ago, JamesR said:

but I'm seeing nothing that resembles steering linkage for the front wheel. How are these things steered?

Very slowly versus distance I would imagine?

 

Was it Breedlove that went through a barn with a jet powered car one time when the braking chute failed? I remember seeing the film and photos on the evening news when I was in high school? As I recall, the driver was not hurt, and the car suffered only minor damage blowing through a wall of the barn at about a hundred miles per hour!

 

As always, my condolences also to his personal friends and family. He was truly a special human being.

[STEVE POLLARD]

[Studemax]

9 hours ago, JamesR said:

Thanks for the great photo. I know little about this kind of stuff, but I'm seeing nothing that resembles steering linkage for the front wheel. How are these things steered?

Steering was from above, and only corrected about 4 degrees. At 600 MPH you don't want to turn the wheel very much.

[Studemax]

6 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

Was it Breedlove that went through a barn with a jet powered car one time when the braking chute failed? I

There are no barns on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He went over a dike.

[1937hd45]

He set a lot of records with the Cobra Coupe, now in the Simeone Collection in Philadelphia. 

[keiser31]

So much respect for Craig Breedlove as a kid when I first took a photo of his huge Spirit of America beast! He instilled the need for speed in me.

[Ed Luddy]

Someone who was a giant to me. I read all the stories about Bonneville and the land speed records. It was like a different world to me as a kid in Canada.

He was a larger than life person back in the 60's.