Rarely do you get the chance to bid on a car that still holds a world speed record. That’s the case with the 1968 Challenger Streamliner. In August 2018, 50 years after the car set an unofficial record of 406 mph, the Thompson family legacy endured when the Streamliner set the mark for fastest-ever speed for a piston-driven vehicle, hitting 448 mph. Originally designed by legendary driver Mickey Thompson, the Challenger has been restored, updated and retrofitted over 7 years by Danny Thompson, Mickey’s son, who was behind the wheel for the latest record-breaking run.
The 4-wheel-drive vehicle is powered by twin Brad Anderson 500 CI dry block A-fuel-type Hemi V-8 engines and B&J Big Boy twin 3-speed transmissions. The reworked mechanics run on an 87%/13% nitromethane/methanol mix with each engine powering a set of wheels and generating 5,000 hp. Other features include a 4130 steel tube chassis, 68 lightweight hand-formed aluminum panels, a curb weight of 5,800 pounds, SK Specialties billet 2024-T351 aluminum wheels and Mickey Thompson Bonneville LSR tires.