“What we need is a full-size model to show people …”. So went the conversation a couple of months ago when this year’s programme of events was planned out. Thoughts went back to the early days of ThrustSSC - my very first involvement with that project was at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1995, where we had the embryonic car, but above all, a full sized nose section that people could see and touch and go “Wow!” at. It’s not until you see it for real that you think, this is something really special.
BLOODHOUND SSC Supply Chain Manager Conor La Grue had this feeling earlier this week when he went to the Isle of Wight to see how the “Show Car”, as it is now called, is getting on. His email to the rest of the team began “I had certain expectations of what the car forms would look like in full scale - what I wasn't prepared for - was for it to be stop you in your tracks, drop dead beautiful - the pictures don't do it justice - it really is stunning!”.
The Show Car was commissioned in April 2009 to be ready for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the first week of July. Mike Horne, who did so much of the bodywork on ThrustSSC, and more recently on the British Steam Car, was asked to build it in a very challenging timescale. The concept was that the car, as well as being the “Show Car” could also be used as an educational tool. It will be made in three sections, and can be split in half lengthways, making six parts in all. That way, it will be easily transportable and we can just take what we need depending on where we are going.
There is still lots to do – the pictures below were taken in Mike Horne’s workshop on 21st May and show the bucks taking shape, from which moulds will be made for the final panels. Then everything needs to be assembled, finished off and painted. The next few weeks have been carefully planned out and everything is on target for us to have something really spectacular at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 3rd, 4th and 5th.
So if you can, please come and see us as say hello – our display will be on the Cricket Pitch, where we will be “wowing” as many people as we can.
Image top: The front section of the BLOODHOUND SSC show car. This is the "buck" from which moulds will be made to produce the fnal panels.
Above left: Head on view of the front section showing the split down the middle.
Above right: This is the start of the mid-section of the show car that will fit just behind the air intake.
Bottom: The air intake for the EJ200 jet engine.
