British team attempt land speed record

The Angelic Bulldog is expected to take the Outright Motorcycle Land Speed Record back to Britain, and should comfortably reach 350mph.

It’s being built by a mixture of professionals and school students. The plan came from teacher Gabriel Uttley after his students took a bored-out Suzuki GSX-R1100 to the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2000. Businessman and ex-drag racer Ron Holland has donated one of only two v8 Puma engines in existence. The motor is a 2676cc V8, with two Yamaha FJ1200 cylinder heads. Two motors were built by Puma Engineering, and the other one is fitted to Holland’s own drag bike. Ironically, Puma was started by Holland’s former mechanic.

Uttley’s team is now waiting for the streamlines to be built by top steel fabricators, the Wragg brothers. The chassis design is being worked on by a parent of one of the students.

However, money is running out, and the team still needs:

Centre-hub steering set-up, 2 parachutes (1 large, 1 small), 1 firesuit, boots, gloves, 4 LSR tyres- 2 front, 2 rear, fibreglass for bodywork, trailer/transporter for the bike, fire control system and a glider tow hook for testing.

Holland, who’s been financing the project, fears his funds won’t stretch far enough, and the Angelic Bulldog team are appealing to MCN readers who can help with the ‘want list’ or donate cash to bring the record back to Britain for the first time since 1990.

To help Angelic Bulldog, contact ron.holland@topbizguru.com, or steve.noble@publicitymatters.com, or phone 01275342734.

To learn more, see MCN April 16. Comment on this story on the News message board by clicking on the link on the right.