MICKEY THOMPSON’S RECORD BEATER SELLS

RATHER CHEAP for 5,000hp and 772km/h capability.

The world’s fastest piston powered vehicle – Mickey Thompsons Challenger 2 Streamliner has sold for US$561,000 (AU$813,000) at the most recent Mecum Kissimmee auction.

Designed by the legendary Mickey Thompson in collaboration with Kar Kraft (who also built Allan Moffat’s Mustang) in 1968, Challenger 2 was driven to a record setting speed of 722km/h at the Bonneville Salt Flats by Thompson’s son Danny, 50 years later in August 2018.

In 1960, Mickey Thompson became the first American to break the 400 MPH barrier, piloting his Challenger 1 streamliner to 406.60 MPH (654 km/h) at Bonneville.

After its completion in 1968 Thompson tested Challenger 2 and achieved 643km/h before the course flooded, putting an end to another record attempt.

In early 1988 Mickey and his son Danny pulled the car from storage with plans for another record attempt, but on March 16, 1988, Mickey and his wife, Trudy, were murdered and Danny placed Challenger 2 and all his father’s racing memorabilia into storage for over 25 years.

Then over the past seven years Challenger 2 was restored, retrofitted and updated by Danny at his Huntington Beach, California, workshop in preparation for a tilt at the record. Finally on the 50th anniversary of the original run, Danny took the wraps off the restored Challenger 2.

The two original Ford 427 SOHC engines have been replaced with twin Brad Anderson 500 CI dry-block, Hemi V-8s, each driving one set of wheels. Horsepower was considerably increased from 1,800 to 5,000.

The August 12, 2018, 722km/h record run by Danny Thompson in the resurrected Challenger 2 closed the circle on a 50-year quest to return the Thompson family name to the top of the Bonneville record books.