I just received word from Chip that we’ve officially set the World Record for fastest wood powered car in the new Beaver XR7! The official speed is 47.74271 MPH and the record was set at 13:50:02 at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Look for some video and pictures soon.

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I am not sure where to begin?  In the coming days I will chronicle my alternative energy adventure.  I would like to start by thanking our sponsors who for some reason knew we could do it.  The Mother Earth News, Casella Waste Systems, Allegheny Pellet Corp, Terrafix Geo-synthetics and Larson Design Group.  Setting the land speed record for solid organic fuel I hope can draw interest to a promising future for sustainability and energy independence.

Long days of hard work and design have finally come together in the transformation of ideas and concepts.   Everyone involved were very dedicated and helpful.  I would like to personally thank Randy, Lisa, Jay and Russel Nicholson for thier help and support.  I also would like to dedicate this record to Larry’s late dad, whom past away just weeks before and how he will be missed by everyone.  I also would like to thank our sponsors for thier monetary support, for without them this would not be possible.  I will be leaving for the Salt Flats this weekend with my two youngest boys to set the land speed record, God Speed, I will need it.  Updates to follow.

After some pressure testing and some temporary connections we test fired the reactor.  All system where stable and the flare lit at about forty five seconds.  Everyone was smiling and the sound on the start up flare filled the shop.  After some further testing of the after cooler and filter we shut it down and started the final preparations for the motor connection.  Only seven days before the car ships out to the Salt Flats so we are putting in a few extra hours to pull it all together.  Updates soon, feel free to post any questions or comments.

The design team worked all weekend on the old Cougar.  Pulled the trunk lid for modification, Randy is an expert at running the plasma torch and makes it look easy like pen to paper.  He also is an expert at fabrication and it was all Randy when it came to designing the mounts for the after coolers. His son Russel has been a great help he is a “get it done” kinda guy.  We managed to agree on some aspects of the car after some debate, Larry and I seldom see things the same which makes for a great design team.  We should have a good test fire tomorrow I will post a video.  If you have any question about gasification feel free to post a comment.