Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville ride of John Fitch

In 1955, he won the Mille Miglia, a race around Italy on normal roads. The local drivers often know much of the route, from daily familiarity. He, an American - made 0 mistakes and won. He did this in a bone-stock 300 SL, right out of the showroom (though doubtless very carefully checked and tweaked.)

Also in '55: it was 'his' 300 SLR, at the infamous Le Mans incineration of dozens of spectators (via burning magnesium alloys {ugh}) ... as an Austin Healy-S (driven by.. Lance Macklin? IIRC) cut off the SLR and it ended up topping the crowd barrier at grandstand area. Fitch wasn't driving it, then. And that's another story.

It seems he's been a physicist (unclear if by academia or proclivity; haven't googled yet) - spent some time just Thinking about 'acceleration' hence deceleration: thus, came up with the now ubiquitous water-filled barrels in all countries, seen in pyramid formation at exits and in front of other immovable objects near high-speed roads... Smart about simple solutions, saving thousands, eh?

This rather slow paced flic is about an effort to bump a Bonneville class record up to >170 mph. No big deal for someone once accustomed to passing on roads at >150 mph - at night, in the fog, rain etc. (as he mentioned, at one point.) The '50s won't be back for a rerun. No more Mille Miglias, ever.

Some decent views of Bonneville and some modern contenders. (But, as with The World's Fastest Indian .. nary a Vincent to be beheld. Bummer.)
Won't divulge the details. But.. at 87, on No 'medications' - and still 'designing things', and with an understanding wife who never bugs him about his weird pastimes:

We all have something to shoot for, in the coming Geriatric Twilight Sweepstakes / the First 100 yo tyro sky-diver? gnarly skateboarder? iPod with-only-Bach? / (Pachinko Grandmistress?)

Alas, the Search at KQED is Beastware-grade - they have no blurb.
[link|http://www.szwedo.com/gullwing.htm|http://www.szwedo.com/gullwing.htm] has the story.
Seems this was gleaned by KQED, rebroadcast 7/6 at 4 am - no idea if it will make other PBS rounds.


Ashton
brief rides in a 300SL, early '60s: Steers like a truck - under the ton. (No Power Steering) Produced a mere 9 years post WW-II, as in ... "We're Baack!"
I saw a SLR in the museum at Stuttgart. Pure takistomotophile Essence. Surely it is still there!