Menu
AutoMobilia Resource
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Writers
  • Magazine
    • Digital Mag
    • Test Drive
    • Read Articles
  • Holiday Gift Guide
    • AutoMobilia Holiday Gift Guide 2024
  • Events
  • Classifieds
  • Store
  • Advertise
  • Email SignUp
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Writers
  • Magazine
    • Digital Mag
    • Test Drive
    • Read Articles
  • Holiday Gift Guide
    • AutoMobilia Holiday Gift Guide 2024
  • Events
  • Classifieds
  • Store
  • Advertise
  • Email SignUp
  • Contact

Land Speed Records

8/1/2019

0 Comments

 
July/Aug 2019 edition
Issue #6 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Written by Dale LaFollette
When I first began writing these columns I knew that at some point I had to write about photographs of land speed record cars as they have been a passion of mine for many years, but I ran into a slight problem, once I started looking through my collection I found there were enough images for at least four columns! So, I had to force myself to pick my absolute favorites to write about. Campbell, Eyston, Cobb and Segrave didn’t make the cut, sorry! Maybe in a future column.

​The first photo is of the “Torpedo Kid”, an electric streamline car built by the Walter Baker of the Baker Motor Vehicle Co. of Cleveland, Ohio. The “Kid” was built from the remains of an earlier Baker record car, the “Torpedo”, which had crashed. The “Torpedo Kid” ran at Daytona Beach in 1904. The number 999 was not a take on Henry Ford’s No. 999, but rather the license number issued by the State of Ohio for the car. I love the fact that the “Kid” is riding on the back of a Baker electric truck, much like modern teams do today.
Walter-Bakers-electric-Torpedo-Kid-1904.jpg
An electric land speed record car that accomplished very little probably is the least desirable photo here. I think that it should sell at $100-$250, but at auction with two eager buyers who really, really want it…. I have seen images of this quality sell for over $1,000.

The next photo is of Parry Thomas’ “Babs” at Pendine Sands in 1926 where he set a world record time of just over 170 mph for the mile. Thomas built “Babs” himself by extensively modifying the Higham Special which he bought from the estate of Count Zborowski. If I remember correctly, I obtained this photo about twenty years ago with about a half-dozen others of Thomas and “Babs”, but this one really grabbed me because of all the action of both mechanics and spectators in the attempt to push him off.

​This photograph went directly to my collection, while the others were sold. The only downside is that you can’t see Parry behind the wheel in this image which might detract from the value. On the other hand, people love the story of Parry Thomas and “Babs”, so I would expect much interest in this photo all the way up to $400-$500.
Parry-Thomas-Bab-Pendine-Sands-1926.jpg
The last photo here I consider Art Photography. It is of the car that MG built in 1938 for record breaking purposes. It was to be driven by A.T. “Goldie” Gardner who is sitting in the cockpit speaking to Lord Nuffield, a principal of MG Motors. Gardner used several different engines to set records with this car in various classes clear into the late 1940s.
​
While looking at this photograph, consider the interesting angle that it was taken at. Notice the texture of the pavement and how the scoring of pavement at the top of the photo enhances the image with each corner of the photo naturally dark. Finally see how the drain cover at lower left balances the whole composition. You might think that the photographer just got one lucky shot, but I don’t believe that. This anonymous photographer knew what he or she was doing from the placement of the car and the angle of the photograph to the interaction between Gardner and Nuffield.
Goldie-Gardners-MG-1938.jpg

To read more great columns like this one from automotive photography expert Dale LaFollette...
Subscribe to AutoMobilia Resource

Subscribe!
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Dale LaFollette Vintage Auto Photography
    Dale LaFollette

    Vintage Auto Photography

    Dale LaFollette, the owner of Vintage Motorphoto, specializes in rare and collectable original racing photographs.  Explore his knowledge in this column.

    [email protected]​

    Archives

    April 2021
    August 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018

    Categories

    All
    1903 Circuit Des Ardennes
    1933 La Mans 24 Hour Race
    1937 Vanderbilt Cup
    Bernd Rosemeyer
    Bugatti 101C
    Citroen In Sand
    Dale LaFollette
    Dan Gurney's Eagle
    Giambruni
    Jim Clark At British Grand Prix
    Jutta Fausel
    Michel Delombaerd
    Nuvolari
    Pierre Marco
    Raid Afrique 1973
    Raymond Summer
    Rosemeyer
    Rudi Caracciolo
    Vintage Auto Photography
    Vintage Snapshots

    RSS Feed

Home
Writers
Articles
Digital Mag
Events
Gift Guide

Subscribe
Classifieds
​Store
Advertise

Contact
Privacy Policy

Automobilia Resource LLC
1217 Cape Coral Pkwy East #178
Cape Coral, Florida 33904
Main office: 954-579-5280
Subscriptions: 224-558-8955
Picture
Copyright © 2025     Automobilia Resource LLC.     All Rights Reserved