Gravity Car World Record
Donation protected
Hello friends,
For those who don't know me, I'm Greg Green and I'm an addict. I'm addicted to speed.
I've always been "a car guy". I've drag raced at a fairly serious level. I've autocrossed competitively at the Divisional level. I've crew chiefed on professional road race teams and I've built completely custom motorcycles shown at the World Championships of Custom Bike Building.
When a video of 'Speed with Guy Martin' surfaced
Gravity Racer Video
and was sent around the office, a few of us expressed interest and, naturally, I said "Let's do it!".
Here's the idea: Ever heard of Soap box Derby cars?
Turns out there is a serious bunch of loonies who are pursuing going fast with only the aid of gravity. We plan on re-setting the Guinness world record for a gravity powered car.
The Guinness record currently stands at 85.6mph and was set in 2014. "Fast Donne" Schoettler has gone as fast as 101.3mph and holds the World Gravity Speed Association record. We don't know if we'll be able to best 101mph, but we will top 85mph for the Guinness record.
The technical details. We plan to set this record the hard way. No streamliner bodies. No closed wheel, closed canopy bodies. Old school for us. We plan to purchase a mini replica 1934 Ford roadster body and stretching it slightly to accomodate the flattest lying down position of the driver. We are using the famous Mariani Bonneville roadster as inspiration.
We are also holding to the WGSA rules to make the record all the more meaningful.
LIMITED 200 OP (open wheel)
Car and Driver max. weight - 440lbs
Max. overall length - 9ft
Must be open wheel
Any outer hub cap allowed.
The donations will be used to fund the purchase of raw materials- the fiberglass body, structural steel tubing for the chassis/roll cage, raw material to machine the wheels and various other components, brakes, tires, etc. as well as fund safety services, permitting and the costs associated with adjudicating the record.
The record will be set on a very new, glass smooth roadway on the Big Island of Hawaii. The road makes its way down toward the ocean from the slopes of Mauna Kea.
The road is over 9 miles long and has very gentle curves (it's nearly straight!) and varies between 6% and 12% grade at the optimum spots. Winds are normally to our backs further helping the cause. We'll start at 5500ft elevation and have over 3000ft of descent to use.
We will be filming the process along the way and will release a professionally edited production on VIMEO absolutely free for everyone. Those who contribute will be gratefully acknowledged in the production.
When the goal of setting a world record is attained, the gravity car will be sold at auction and the proceeds donated to the Akamai Workforce Initiative.
Akamai Workforce Initiative
If we reach $3000 we will provide all those who contribute at least $50 a super cool t-shirt of a design yet to be approved.
We will keep everyone updated with Instagram and Facebook posts without spoiling the video.
Join a team setting a world record and help us GO FAST!
For those who don't know me, I'm Greg Green and I'm an addict. I'm addicted to speed.
I've always been "a car guy". I've drag raced at a fairly serious level. I've autocrossed competitively at the Divisional level. I've crew chiefed on professional road race teams and I've built completely custom motorcycles shown at the World Championships of Custom Bike Building.
When a video of 'Speed with Guy Martin' surfaced
Gravity Racer Video
and was sent around the office, a few of us expressed interest and, naturally, I said "Let's do it!".
Here's the idea: Ever heard of Soap box Derby cars?
Turns out there is a serious bunch of loonies who are pursuing going fast with only the aid of gravity. We plan on re-setting the Guinness world record for a gravity powered car.
The Guinness record currently stands at 85.6mph and was set in 2014. "Fast Donne" Schoettler has gone as fast as 101.3mph and holds the World Gravity Speed Association record. We don't know if we'll be able to best 101mph, but we will top 85mph for the Guinness record.
The technical details. We plan to set this record the hard way. No streamliner bodies. No closed wheel, closed canopy bodies. Old school for us. We plan to purchase a mini replica 1934 Ford roadster body and stretching it slightly to accomodate the flattest lying down position of the driver. We are using the famous Mariani Bonneville roadster as inspiration.
We are also holding to the WGSA rules to make the record all the more meaningful.
LIMITED 200 OP (open wheel)
Car and Driver max. weight - 440lbs
Max. overall length - 9ft
Must be open wheel
Any outer hub cap allowed.
The donations will be used to fund the purchase of raw materials- the fiberglass body, structural steel tubing for the chassis/roll cage, raw material to machine the wheels and various other components, brakes, tires, etc. as well as fund safety services, permitting and the costs associated with adjudicating the record.
The record will be set on a very new, glass smooth roadway on the Big Island of Hawaii. The road makes its way down toward the ocean from the slopes of Mauna Kea.
The road is over 9 miles long and has very gentle curves (it's nearly straight!) and varies between 6% and 12% grade at the optimum spots. Winds are normally to our backs further helping the cause. We'll start at 5500ft elevation and have over 3000ft of descent to use.
We will be filming the process along the way and will release a professionally edited production on VIMEO absolutely free for everyone. Those who contribute will be gratefully acknowledged in the production.
When the goal of setting a world record is attained, the gravity car will be sold at auction and the proceeds donated to the Akamai Workforce Initiative.
Akamai Workforce Initiative
If we reach $3000 we will provide all those who contribute at least $50 a super cool t-shirt of a design yet to be approved.
We will keep everyone updated with Instagram and Facebook posts without spoiling the video.
Join a team setting a world record and help us GO FAST!
Organizer
Greg Green
Organizer
Waimea/Kamuela CDP, HI