Fastest Car In The World: The 1906 Stanley Steamer Rocket - A Canoe Bodied Record Smasher
About this episode
The 1906 Stanley Steamer Rocket, a remarkable steam-powered car, shattered speed records on Ormond Beach, achieving 127.66 mph. This episode dives into the fascinating story of the Stanley brothers, their innovative steam technology, and the unique canoe-bodied design that made the Rocket a record-breaking machine. Listeners will learn about the early days of automotive racing, the challenges faced by steam cars, and the legacy of the Stanley brothers, whose achievements in engineering and speed set the stage for future automotive advancements.
This is the story of the fastest car in the world in 1906. The first car to exceed 120mph and a machine that destroyed the most decorated field of automotive competition ever assembled to that point in history...and it ran on steam.
The accomplishments of this short lived racing marvel are huge in the history of the automobile. The speed record it set stood as the outright automotive land speed record for four years. I
t held the steam powered speed record for 103 years. Yes, 103 years.
This is a historical exploration of the history of the Stanley Brothers, their car company, their adventures with steam, and ultimately their conquering of the world's land speed record with a car that used a body and frame made by a canoe company.
A story of early automotive history, Yankee ingenuity, and plain guts, there are elements of tragedy and triumph you will never see coming.
Toyota A90
"them is that they didn't miss out on the headlines. Fifteen cars came to Ormond in 1904. Among them a Packard, a Stevens-Durier, a local mobile, a 90 horsepower Mercedes, a wild Christie Frontwheel Driver, a 70 horsepower Peerless and the 120 horsepower Winton Bullet II driven by Barney"
Chrysler New Yorker
"...rd set in 1899 by Stanley but then a week later a New Yorker named Austin Hoy took his Stanley up to the top o..."
A-Class A250
"a 90 horsepower Thomas, 110 horsepower Mercedes, 110 horsepower Fiat and on and on and on. There were also 15 to 20 horsepower Stanley's, the 50 horsepower rocket and a 250 horsepower Vanderbilt Spooner which unfortunately or maybe fortunately for the other racers did not compete."
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