My 1928 FORD AV8 Roadster

Posted on July 13, 2018January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

13 Jul

Well, Hot Rods really are never finished, you just continue to wrench, change looks and idea’s etc and thats what I love about Hot Rodding, My 1928 Ford Roadster is no Show ride, it is no super high Dollar Performance machine, nor is it a trailer Queen either.

What it is, well- To me anyways, is a Nostalgic styled AV8 Hot Rod that you would of seen on the streets on Southern California back in the late 1940’s.

It is something I really have a passion for since I was a Teenager. lucky for me I had a Three Window Coupe in the UK but my Dream was a Roadster and to have one in California, so dreams do come true and wanted to share my little Model A machine with you.

This is a real Henry Ford Body and Chassis, and the stance I have as you see it here is right on the money, have a look at many Vintage pics and you may see a late 1940’s Roadster similar to mine, I wanted to keep the Side Aprons on, these are the step covers that your fenders bolt to. Below is Jack Mickleson’s Roadster in about 1942. I think it was the last dry lake run before World War 2 was underway, I believe Don Francisco owns it but have yet to see if this Roadster survived.

Back in the day, the Hot Rodders would drive to the Dry lakes such as Harpers, Muroc or the famous El Mirage and then strip the fenders and head lights off as well as the windshield and then see how fast they could run on them dried out lake beds.

This is how she is right now, still may change a few little things and then fine tune all the time, I am hoping to eventually Louvre the front hood and the rear Rumble Seat lid.

I used a Genuine 1932 Grill and Shell and fitted the Model A Hood to it with Old style belts, then used one of Limeworks Stainless Steel dropped headlight bars with stock Model A Lights.

Shorty shocks up the front soak up as much as possible, dropped I-Beam front axle sits this front end just how I want it , I then made a Spreader bar to complete the Nostalgia going.

Not as powerful as the locomotives behind me but eventually I shall build a Hopped up Flathead for this Jalopy, right now it has a 1939 24 stud mill with Edelbrock Heads.

I shall be shortening the exhaust pipes, I did have the original Bumpers on there when the exhaust set up was made, but shall cut them back and may make a Nerf Bar for the rear.

She is sat on a set of Kelsey Hayes wire Rims with Vintage style Firestone 16 inch tall tires and it is fun to drive, she tracks a little on the freeway but thats the feel I wanted.

I have a chopped Stainless Steel windshield, another common touch that was done in the day and of course sit lower now else my head would sit up too high. LOL

it is always fun to take out, this place isnt that far from me and wanted to try and take some decent pic’s, im no pro at this but I am really happy at how these came out.

She runs stock pistons but New and right now a stock cam, later I hop to build a little growler motor that has an Isky Cam, just to get me out of trouble if I need it.

Plenty of old freight train and shunting lines around where we live and whats great is to think about 70 Years ago, this was full of Dairies, fruit trees and Flathead Motors.

Sadly, more common than not, all you will see these days is Graffiti, personally not a fan of it at all, but as it was close to the color of the Roadster, I thought a photo Opportunity awaits.

One hauls freight and the other hauls Arse!!! LOL!

Sat patiently awaiting me to jump in and stamp the right pedal and head back home, so much Hot Rod History in and around where we live in La Mirada.

A great ride and more to do, I have a Columbia 2 speed rear end for it, but have to send it away to get Bullet Proofed, not cheap but that will give me a good overdrive.

Long way to go as I would like to have Oxblood Leather interior, but for now this old Naugahyde will suffice as leather is not cheap.

Hot Rods and Trains have always gone together like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Hot Rods use to try and race the train if there was a good straight away.

VHRA Vintage Hot Rod Association of which I joined in the 90’s back in the UK, huge part of my life to be honest and going so strong there today.

I shall always keep this Roadster, I drempt about one as a kid and here I am 5400 miles away and living that dream , totally amazes me sometimes and have to pinch myself.

I have always liked vintage stuff, be it Hot Rods, Motorcycles, Juke Boxes, Chris Craft Boats, Spitfires, Hurricanes, Thunderbolts to Dakota’s, Vintage is in my blood I guess.

Hope you like my little 1928 AV8 Roadster? I really have fun with this and enjoy the experience of feeling what a traditional Hot Rod feels like to drive and work on.

Maybe some of you can relate? As I have spoken to a few people that have Motorcycles and Hot Rods, it is a fun and to me, a therapeutic Hobby.

I will still be working on this for many years but enjoying what i do, some things work and then sometimes they dont but, mechanical parts are great to work on.

I shall be selling Hot Rod parts and Apparel so will be revamping the website a little, stay tuned to the site if you want to see what I do to this Model A Roadster of mine.

Thanks for reading my Blog today, I enjoy doing it and people often email me to say that they like looking at what I am up to out here in La Mirada.

Let me know if you have a cool ride, love to see what you are creating and of course having fun in these days, I always have a smile on my face driving the Roadster, sometimes bugs too.

Have a great weekend and enjoy life to its fullest.

BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS SPEED WEEK

Posted on July 6, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

06 Jul

Ever since I was a teenager, I was intrigued with the American Hot Rod, I loved the Country, the Lifestyle and the possibilities you could achieve with hard work and, determination.

Back in the UK I even had a Hot Rod, a 1932 Three Window Coupe, chopped and channeled, this Hot Rod was a Nostalgic style that reflected what I was into.

Then in 1997 I left the shores of the British Isles, jumping on a Big Silver Bird to the other side of the world and landed in Australia, another Hot Rod Country that really loves mechanical machines and anything that moves on 2 and four wheels.

I built a 58 Work truck and had a 29 Roadster that I was finishing, but things in life happen and had to sell both but sure was a cool look.

In Melbourne I worked for Norm Hardinge of Aussie desert Cooler, helping him with the manufacture of Radiators for many Hot Rod and Customs cars, this took me all over Victoria and NSW and never was there a sad time, they are big Hot Rodders and the only way of topping that was to move to the United States of America, the Land I dreamed of living in from Middle school.

Feb 2000 I arrived in Southern California and 17 years later here I am and love it, I now own a period style 1928 Model A Roadster, complete with a 1939 Flathead V8, just a little 221ci Mill thats fun for me and hope to add rare speed equipment later on.

Well, in 2000 I was lucky enough to head to Muroc Dry lakes with a bunch of Hot Rodding Buddies and was fortunate enough to drive Drew Pietsch’s ’28-’29 Dodge Roadster around this famous dry lake, where even the Space shuttle would land if it was too windy in Florida.

So, coming up in August is Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats, a place that I have only dreamed about going to and watching all sorts of Hot Rods and Motorcycles giving their all to try and acquire a record of speed over a timed area. And as it will be my 55th Birthday, My Girlfriend Jennifer Sun is taking us out there to experience the life, racing on the salt.

Obviously I am spectating but who knows, the bug may catch me and I will have a go on a bike or car if I can get enough sponsors, always a cool thing to try.

So, I am so looking forward to that and if ANY of you are attending and see a Sun Burnt Limey walking around with a Gorgeous Hawaiian Girlfriend, then that’s will be me, come and say hello.

on July 16th SUNDAY at: El Mirage Dry Lake 20471 Mountain View Rd Adelanto, CA

I will Also be at El Mirage next weekend and riding my Red Royal Enfield about ,if ya fancy a little blap on it let me know, so if ya around, just let me know as I will be there early in the morning on Sunday, until the evening about 5pm and will be heading home. it is a superb place to spectate and watch the racing, as well as being able to get close to the start line and watch them go, I love it, some speeds in excess of 200 MPH too.

Drop me a text on 714-598-8392 if ya gonna be up there, I shall have an easy up and generator and a couple of chairs as I like to park half track and watch the bikes and Hot Rods run, then jump on the Motorcycle and go to other parts of the track. So i can see the Start and the finish and see them flat out.

Here is a little bit of History for you, but I am sure that you are familiar with it. I hope you enjoy this little Blog I have created today.

– This was filmed in September, 1932 at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Ab Jenkins is testing the new, 1932 Pierce Arrow 462 cubic inch V-12 in a 24-hour endurance run. His average speed was 112.91 mph.

For years the Bonneville Salt Flats was the home to land speed record attempts but these were for elite drivers like Sir Malcolm Campbell. After World War Two, Hot Rodders wanted to test their metal on the salt but officials balked at allowing these people they saw as Juvenile Delinquents defile their Salt Flats.

Silent 8mm but great footage none the less.

Hot Rods in New Zealand

Posted on March 9, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

09 Mar

I have been into Hot Rods for Many many years, I stopped counting after the 3rd decade and, being a Brit, I dreamed of living in the Great USA and having my Own Roadster and eventually take a drive on the Dry lake at El Mirage.

I grew up in London, then moved as part of the London Overspill to the East coast of Great britain, and from there, I got the American bug- we lived close to the American Air bases, IE, Mildenhall, Lakenheath, Bentwaters etc, the village that we lived in (Rougham) had an old WW2 Runway, complete with control tower and Nissan huts etc, this was where they originally had 3 runways and this is where the:

47th Bombardment Group (Light)

322nd Bombardment Group (Medium)

94th bombardment Group (Heavy)

All took off from on their dangerous missions and many never returning, I learned to ride a motorcycle on the 94th Bombardment runway and it is still there today.

We attended many Air shows over them years on the USAAF bases and I loved the whole Americanism that was there, it was a little part of the USA right where we lived, one of the Airman at the show gave me a magazine to read and it was a copy of Hot Rod.

It was a Black and White magazine from 1951 and the guy stood next to his Model A Roadster looked a little like me. That was it, I was hooked and loved Everything American.

I still have that magazine and now I am living my dream, I am here in Southern California, where Hot Rodding was Born and I now own a 1928 Model A Roadster complete with Flathead V8.

In the UK in the 1980’s I had a Right Hand drive, Chopped and channeled 1932 Three Window Couple and that was my own little piece of California everyday, even driving for the first year with no floor and having snow or ice pour into the coupe whilst driving to work was a fun experience for me.

I am not the Odd one out here, people all over the globe Love the Nostalgia that an old car gives you and you cannot get much further away than New Zealand, these guys know their stuff and have the bug like me, but this time, the Whole family are gear heads.

I love it, so- today i wanted to share a little into what makes us tick and this video pretty much sums it up.

Enjoy your day.

Hot Rods are part of my Life too !

Posted on March 4, 2016January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

04 Mar

OK- many people think that I am only into Motorcycles, and I can understand that, as I have been building Cafe Racers here in California in the last 14 years, but- since I was a youngster, I had the Car bug big time.

I grew up near to many American Air force bases and that’s where I got my first influences from of cool old American cars, I loved everything about the cars, the country and the lifestyle as well as the passion for Hot Rods.

Then, I had my first Hot Rod, a 1932 Deuce Coupe, it was Chopped and channeled and was a Right Hand drive Model, this Deuce meant so much to me and I felt like I was living in the U.S.A. with that ride.

I wish I had kept it now, as we all do when we look back at things we have had.

This was my ONLY form of transport and I drive it in all weather, I didn’t have a floor in it for a year, the snow and rain used to blast up inside the Coupe, until I lost a couple of cassette tapes and then my keys jumped out of the ignition as I was driving back from work and that’s when I decided it was time for a floor.

This used to be so much fun blasting about Brighton and I traveled all over the UK in my 3 window and some super fun memories that’s for sure.

I was a lot thinner back then, maybe from pushing the damn thing when the battery dies or I ran out of gas as my gas meter did not work.

I drove up to Hemsby for the traditional Rock n Roll weekender and then visited some old school mates and friends in that area, it was such a blast to drive, loud old and bumpy but that’s an old traditional Hot Rod in the 1980’s in Britain for poor working class folk like me.

The I-Beam axle was a 4 inch drop and shorty shocks, made sure you didn’t fall asleep at the wheel when ever you drove this Coupe.

Watch ya head, this coupe was chopped and channeled and with a 4 inch windshield, not much vision, plus when it rained you couldn’t see anything, and- to get me through the yearly MOT test, you have to have a windshield wiper, so- I took a complete motor and wiper arm off a Volvo Headlight and fitted it indie the coupe, it was perfect.

Such fun times and glad I actually took some photographs, else they would just be my own views in my head.

We were all a close knit community and had so much fun at Rock N roll weekenders, especially on the beach etc.

How about this shot, many many moons ago with my First car, a 1961 Low line Ford Consul, with a 4 banger and a 3 on the tree, I drove the lug nuts off this machine.

Oh dear- what was I thinking? But this was my 1959 Ford Zephyr that I 2 door-ed and made some mad steel fins on the car, this had Candy Red and white tuck n Roll too, I was in a crazy zone when I did this.

This was me in 1997 when I moved to Australia, and I bought a 195 XP For Falcon, very similar the the American Ranchero, this was a cool ride, they call them Ute’s out there but it was a fun ride that I played about with and really liked that car.

I used to pain the old race style numbers on the doors of my rides back then, I still do on the bikes I build sometimes, this time I painted the car flat black in my mates driveway and then fitted pin line whites and then fitted a cool set of MOON discs.

But I get restless and have to keep trying things out on this machine.

I cant leave anything alone for too long, this time I scalloped the car and pin lined it, as well as fitting a steel sun-visor.

I fitted a Black Tarp on the back and later on I located some fender skirts for it too. Then I painted the Coop Devil on the back and added more scallops!

But I will always love tinkering with stuff, just the way my Brother and I was bought up, not really had a happy child hood but kept busy.

I started to get into this Roadster when I moved to Australia from the UK in 1997 and then continued over here in the states as I shipped the body over, the photo above is me in New South wales, I was patching the side of the Roadster body as it was completely shot with old bullet holes, but- I wanted the same thickness steel and the contour, so used a 1940 Ford truck door to use and it worked out so well.

Above, Anthony Castaneda of the Infamous Shifters gave me his old Dodge Dash Board and I spent the next few days cutting my old gas tank and fitting this set up, I was so stoked to have accomplished this and loved the way the dashboard flowed, similar to the 1936 Ford versions.

I used a Belgian Flat head in the end and this was a great motor, I love the sound of side valve motors, a very unique sound of their very own.

Jeez, this was a while ago, i was wearing a watch, who wears watches any more?

I chose a eggshell Blue and a Flat white firewall as it reminded me of the Al Sharp Coupe.

I also had My 1958 F150 short bed painted by Anthony Castaneda in his old shop (RIP mate) I stayed up and hand painted the logo and lettering getting ready for me to go with the shifters to Paso Robles back then.

I will have to look to see if I have any more photos of this 29 Roadster of mine, I loved that car but had to sell it when everyone moved out to go forward in their lives and I knew I would have another later on.

I had so much fun building this in the garage at home in Southern California and sure wished I still had this Roadster.

Days of old but soon I will be getting back into another 1929 Roadster that I located in Indiana and My Girlfriend Jennifer Bought for me,I am looking forward to driving it with her in the following months.

This was a fun build and now resides in the land of the rising sun, sure hope to see photos of it as I sold it to a very cool friend of mine Ken Sakata.

I now have this 29 Roadster at my shop, needs a ton of work but- I will get there eventually, once I have located all the parts I need.

I have a super amount of work to do to this little A-Bone but it will be worth it and cannot wait until I can get onto El Mirage and of course one day at Bonneville Salt Flats.

I am not sure what color it will be but I will be running a Flathead, not the 4 Banger that’s in it right now.

My plan is to locate a cool Vintage dash board, be it a 36 ford, Chrysler, Pontiac or Caddy etc and have a unique look to it with cool Gauges.

I will be running a 1932 Truck grille, so that will all change but will still use original chassis etc and Kelsey wire wheels of course.

I have an original Moredrop axle for the front but will need 1940 Ford Hydraulic brakes all around too. And below, I was so fortunate to locate this Original plaque that used to be on the guys Roadster back in the day, a nice bit of history right there.

I will be using old plates as well to capture the spirit of the style that I am into and hope that this will make people smile once completed.

This will be a cool build but maybe a year before I am halfway there I believe, hard to do on a low budget.

But stay tuned, as i will up date when I get more parts together etc.

Pendine Sands Hot Rod Beach Time Trials 2015

Posted on July 9, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

09 Jul

I Many of you know me as the Cafe Racer guy, but- I am also a crazy Hot Rodder and have owned a 31 5 window A Bone, I had a 1932 3 Window Coupe and when I moved here to the States in 2000 I built a 1929 Model A on B rails.

But fast Forward to 2015 and they have the Time trials at Pendine Sands in Wales and boy what a turn out, over 100 Hot Rods and such warmth and Camaraderie, it will be hard to beat that anywhere around the globe, so below is just a sample of what went on via peoples photos.

I love the Traditional old style Hot Rod and hope to have another again soon.

But, Pendine sands back in the UK is a great piece of historical History that not many people know about.

So Below is a bunch of photos from people that made the 2015 Pendine Sands meet and boy are there some corkers there, you can feel the friendly atmosphere and sure wished I could of attended.

All shot on Canon 6D bodies and wide open Sigma 24mm and 50mm F1.4 Art Series and Canon 135mm F2 L lenses.

Post processing in Lightroom with VCSO filters.

— with Shaun Veness.

I cannot tell you how cool this is to see, I am 5000 miles away and this is such a great sight to set my mince pies on, look at all them cool rides.

Check out Harley Peters and his 4 Banger Roadster, built from scratch in 18 months and driven all the way there and back for the first time.

Just look at the great shots here, you cannot put a Date here as it is so Nostalgic, I love these photos as it really captures the era and the fun.

Just look at the beach dead flat and the view of all them Hot Rods is breath taking, someday I shall get home again to see this for myself.

Cruising along and listening to the V8’s, Flatties and 4 bangers must of been something to behold this weekend as you look through your Hallock windshield.

Be it a Convertible, A Speedster, a Roadster pick up or a 5 window Coupe, everyone was enjoying this great occasion.

How about this shot, A pick up, Tudor, 5 window coupe and Roadster, all henry’s finest on the sands.

Hot rods as far as the eye can see as they Blap along the Sands in formation, what a sight and what a sound I bet?

From Jalopy’s to Cal Customs, these machines were all enjoying their little bit of freedom together in one place.

Great Cloud formations shows it must of got a little windy at times and maybe some H2O but who would care as this was Hot Rod heaven.

below, this photo could of been taken right out of Hot Rod magazine back in the day, a Brilliant shot that’s for certain.

So many great rides and people here in Wales for this meet and boy were there some superb examples of the Hobby I still have such a passion for.

How cool is this shot Below, Looks Like a McCullough Blower set up with that awesome intake poking out of the Hoot, pure Hot Rodding.

Turtle Deck T Roadster sits on the beach I wonder what ed Iskendarian would think if he saw these photos, I will hopefully show these to him.

Gow Job- this is the old style that you never get to see very often and love the whole concept of this Roadster, Love the Hood sides.

I love this Right Hand drive Brit Roadster and the commercial lights, real Hot Rodding at its best, super job matey!

Cabriolet Looked wicked with old continental kit for front fenders, an old Hot Rod trick back in the day and Lakester style Headers too!

Dick Mann would be proud of this machine, altered gow job in all its glory.

I love seeing Girls in Hot Rods and this is a great shot, angled windshield as this Small Block gets it down the beach in no time.

I love the Wish bones and the Exhaust existing through the 32 rails.

Having owned a belly Tank this was such a cool sight to see and where many drop tanks ended up after the war.

Flag start- just how it used to be, nice shot here.

Really great old style photo with this geezer in all the cool Nostalgic gear, a really cool shot this.

BRAAAAAAPPP!!! I love this Three Window shot.

With hardly any vision in this chopped and channeled 5 Window this is how many Hot Rodders did it in the day.

Another Classic photo that could be in Hop Up or Hot Rod magazine, just a timeless shot.

Two of my mates below, 61 is Tim Sparks and behind is 74 Harley peters, they must of had a ball driving all the way here and back home too.

Going full tilt with no cops chasing you.

Love this 5 Window High Boy, doing what they did back in the day and, loving it I bet!

Talk about getting right into it, such a great photo of this fella giving it the beans as he leans into the Roadster.

This should be titled “The element of Speed”

So nice to see a few steel Pick ups out there too, something for everyone, but- I love them all.

Look at this 5 window, what a great stance, sheer determination as he changed gear mid track.

Just so many good rides out here and enjoyment for anyone that was lucky enough to witness this Classic Occasion in Wales.

I am sure everybody who drove on the beach will never forget this day as I don’t think I will looking at these great photos.

Below my mate Martin gives his A-Bone a good ringing out, he has owned this car for many years and love seeing this photo.

Roadster Pick up looks great as it Bimbles down the Beach in search of a fast time.

Super shot of the Closed cab and flatty powered, stepping on the loud pedal.

My Buddy Tin Sparks in his Navy Blue Roadster giving it a bit of welly down the straight away. Ive known him 3 decades.

1930 A Bone 5 window looks cool on the power.

This looks fast even standing still, so many cool machines here.

I call this the Buckland Special, they turn out awesome machines if you ever need one to be built.

Lovely unchopped Three Window Blapping along, love the Louvres.

I have spent a lot of time looking at these photos and love everything about it, what a great turn out too.

Ballsy move to take this Wickedly chopped 5 Window Custom out for a blap along the sand!

Hot Rodding at its very roots is right here in the shot, such a Nostalgic Photo and stoked he got the picture, I really dig this.

Love the A-Bone, giving it hell and just like they did over on the dry lakes at El Mirage back in the day! Brilliant A-V8 Roadster.

Just Spoilt for choice on all these shots, so glad he could capture the moment for those who couldn’t make the trip to Wales.

You have to love it all here at Pendine, and I know this event is only going to get bigger.

Super cool 5 Window A Bone on deuce Rails and nicely put together as well, the Rods all look really well built and I take my hat off to you all!

California Plated A-Bone looked great on the beach.

Gripping the Banjo Wheel as they get ready to flag start the time trial, and sure looks like fun to me.

This photo is right out of 1948 and could be at El Mirage or Harper’s dry lake, what a fantastic photograph!

The tirtle deck T reminds of my mate “Sinus” from the Shifters and another awesome shot.

One of the Sidewinders club members looking happy as he sits on the infamous Time trials beach at Pendine Sands.

Feels like I am reading early Hot Rod magazine with these shots and hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

On the Pedal hard as the A-Bone goes for his Goal on the flats of Pendine beach!

Well how about this Roadster? Fully fendered and gunning for a good time!

Sitting low to be more stream lined and a Classic photo here.

So cool to have a flag girl and we shall do it here at El Mirage one of these days as i hope to build another roadster.

OK- Enough of me Blubbering on, just scroll down to see some super cool Photos and video’s, great event and hope to get there one day.

Below: Harley Peters in his 4 Banger that he built himself testament to the younger lot who are into the Lifestyle, great job Harley.

The images are so Nostalgic and even though i was not there, it sure felt like i was, I am attaching all sorts of photos from other people that were there, that way you get to see everything about this Classic Event that one day i hope to visit and take to the beach and listen to the Flatheads roar!

Below – Harley Peters started his build 18 months ago with a Chassis and now is driving all over the place and made his maiden Voyage to Pendine.

here is Harley at Buckland where all the cool rides are now created back home in the UK.

Harley Peters and his hand built 4 Banger Roadster is really an superb Effort and ran like a top.

Big Matt Bolt sits in his machine and enjoys the fruits of his labor at this great beach meet at Pendine Sands.

Johnny Best and Tim Sparks Chew the fat.

FINALLY- A great shot of my mate Harley Peters, he built this A- Bone 4 Banger himself in Eighteen months and this was its maiden Voyage.

And it ran like a proverbial Top- Great Job mate.

Here is a bit I borrowed from the VHRA http://www.vhra.co.uk/VHRA/News/Entries/2015/7/7_Pendine_Speeds_2015.html

Here we have a Few Videos.

Below is some History and information you may like to know.

In the early 1900s the sands were used as a venue for car and motor cycle races. From 1922 the annual Welsh TT motor cycle event was held at Pendine Sands. The firm flat surface of the beach created a race track that was straighter and smoother than many major roads of the time. Motor Cycle magazine described the sands as “The finest natural speedway imaginable”.

In the 1920s it became clear that roads and race tracks were no longer adequate venues for attempts on the world land speed record. As record breaking speeds approached 150 mph (240 km/h), the requirements for acceleration to top speed before the measured mile and safe braking distance afterwards meant that a smooth, flat, straight surface of at least 5 miles (8.0 km) in length was needed. The first person to use Pendine Sands for a world land speed record attempt was Malcolm Campbell. On September 25, 1924 he set a world land speed record of 146.16 mph (235.22 km/h) on Pendine Sands in his Sunbeam 350HP car Blue Bird.

Four other record breaking runs were made on Pendine Sands between 1924 and 1927; two more by Campbell, and two by Welshman J. G. Parry-Thomas in his car Babs. The 150 mph (240 km/h) barrier was decisively broken, and Campbell raised the record to 174.22 mph (280.38 km/h) in February 1927 with his second Blue Bird.

On March 3, 1927 Parry-Thomas attempted to beat Campbell’s record. On his final run while travelling at about 170 mph (270 km/h) the exposed drive chain broke and partially decapitated him; Babs went out of control and rolled over. Parry-Thomas was the first driver to be killed during a world land speed record attempt. This was the final world land speed record attempt made at Pendine Sands.

Parry-Thomas’ car Babs was buried in the sand dunes near the village of Pendine. In 1969 Owen Wyn Owen, an engineering lecturer from Bangor Technical College, sought and received permission to excavate Babs. Over the next 15 years he restored the car, which is now housed in the Museum of Speed in Pendine village.

In 1933 Amy Johnson and her husband, Jim Mollison, took off from Pendine Sands in De Havilland DH.84 Dragon G-ACCV ‘Seafarer’ to fly non-stop to New York. Blown off course, they landed down-wind in the dark at Bridgeport, Connecticut after flying for 39 hours over a distance of 3,300 miles at an average speed of 85 mph, overshot, and were both seriously injured in the crash.

During the Second World War the Ministry of Defence acquired Pendine Sands and used it as a firing range. The beach is still owned by the Ministry of Defence; prominent signs warn of the dangers of unexploded munitions and public access is restricted. Monday to Friday part of the beach is closed off because of MOD operations.

In June 2000 Don Wales, grandson of Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell, set the United Kingdom electric land speed record at Pendine Sands in Bluebird Electric 2, achieving a speed of 137 mph (220 km/h).

Top Gear filmed a review as part of the fifth episode of their fourth season, and returned to film a second review for the first episode of the fifth season. Scrapheap Challenge used the beach as the venue for the challenge in Season 10, Episode 1, aired in 2008.

Today Pendine Sands is sometimes used as a stage in rally car events, although spectator access is limited for safety reasons. It is also a popular venue for kite buggying and homebuilt hovercraft.

Between 9 July 2004 and May 2010 all vehicles were banned from using Pendine due to safety concerns, however since May 2010 cars have again been allowed access.

Records Set at Pendine Sands

Date	Location	Driver	Driver Country	Vehicle	Power	Speed over 1 Km	Speed over 1 Mile	Comments
September 25, 1924	Pendine Sands, Wales	Sir Malcolm Campbell	Great Britain	350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird V-12	IC	146.15 mph (235.21 km/h)	146.16 mph (235.22 km/h)
July 21, 1925	Pendine Sands, Wales	Sir Malcolm Campbell	Great Britain	350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird V-12	IC	150.86 mph (242.79 km/h)	150.76 mph (242.62 km/h)	First person ever officially to go over, and set record in excess of 150 mph
April 27, 1926	Pendine Sands, Wales	J. G. Parry-Thomas	Great Britain	Higham-Thomas Special Babs 45 degree V-12	IC	169.29 mph (272.45 km/h)	168.07 mph (270.48 km/h)
April 28, 1926	Pendine Sands, Wales	J. G. Parry-Thomas	Great Britain	Higham-Thomas Special Babs 45 degree V-12	IC	171.01 mph (273.60 km/h)	170.62 mph (274.59 km/h)
February 4, 1927	Pendine Sands, Wales	Sir Malcolm Campbell	Great Britain	Campbell Napier Blue Bird Napier W-12 Cylinder	IC	174.88 mph (281.44 km/h)	174.22 mph (280.38 km/h)	Last record set in Europe

Records Set at Pendine Sands

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