Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

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Darrell
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Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

Post by Darrell »

Wow! 82 and still rockin'!
Drag racing icon Garlits sets electric-vehicle record

Friday, May 02, 2014

by Phil Burgess, National DRAGSTER Editor

Apparently, even at age 82, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits never gets tired of breaking records. The drag racing icon added another record to a long list of achievements April 30 when his newest machine, Swamp Rat 37, set the new quarter-mile record for an electric vehicle with a pass of 7.258 seconds at 184.01 mph, eclipsing the old records 7.95 and 156.00 mph.

Unlike the nitro-burning engines that powered so many of Garlits’ earlier Swamp Rats, Swamp Rat 37 gets its juice from a 1500-amp array of lithium polymer batteries built by High Tech Systems LLC. The batteries reportedly are capable of developing the equivalent of 2,000 horsepower, which should be more than enough to push Garlits and the car to his intended goal of more than 200 mph, the same speed barrier that Garlits first broke in a front-engine Top Fueler in 1964.
- See more at: http://www.nhra.com/story/story.aspx?F_ ... CBial.dpuf
Youtube vid of the run here:

http://youtu.be/Ea4igN8Thtg
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First Shirt
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

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That's amazing! Can't keep an old hotrodder down, can they?
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Captain Wheelgun
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

Post by Captain Wheelgun »

Now that's an electric car worthy of the Swamp Rat name. I hope he does get to 200 mph.
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Darrell
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

Post by Darrell »

I've heard that electric vehicles can get incredible torque off the line. I wonder if they could program an optimum acceleration profile for such a car (if they're not already)?
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Steamforger
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

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The technology is improving...
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Darrell
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

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I read somewhere that The Next Big Thing may be a revolution in battery tech--you'll be able to fully charge in 4 or 5 minutes.
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Greg
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

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Something like a 300s50p pack built from batteries like the Sony US18650VTC5 (rated for 30a drain) could approximate 1500a and 2000hp. For a couple of minutes, at best. The number of batteries required for that would weigh less than a ton.
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Aglifter
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

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Darrell wrote:I read somewhere that The Next Big Thing may be a revolution in battery tech--you'll be able to fully charge in 4 or 5 minutes.
Not saying that can't happen, but the physics would be easier to use a fuel cell to reset at that speed, than a straight electric charge - might be able to come up w. a more complex polymer which can do it, though...

I don't know - the "hunch" side of me would worry about heat and degradation on that.
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Aesop
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

Post by Aesop »

I see this guy in his 90s hotwiring his electric wheelchair or Hoverround and leaving skid marks down the halls at the old folks' home and knocking people off the sidewalk. :lol:
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MiddleAgedKen
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Re: Don Garlits Sets Electric Dragster Record

Post by MiddleAgedKen »

"Why does that guy have a roll cage and wheelie bars on his Hoverround?"

"Oh, him? That's Don Garlits."

Never got to see much Top Fuel action back in the day, but I got to see plenty of guys like Sox & Martin and Dyno Don Nicholson. Good times.
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