The recent magnificent achievement by the JCB diesel-powered car in the USA brings to mind the fact that Perkins was the first company to hold such a record.

On Wednesday 9^th October 1935, at the famous Brooklands race track in Surrey, a racing car fitted with an early Perkins diesel set records for a number of distances. The conditions were cold and slightly damp, with a strong westerly wind blowing across the course, and the track itself was not in the best condition due to damage from a car race the previous weekend.

This did not deter driver Reg Munday in his quest for the records. He had worked hard to adapt the modified ‘Wolf’ engine to fit into his veteran racing car, one of three built by well-known racer and record-breaker J G Parry Thomas and nicknamed ‘flat iron’ due to their low profile. The engine had been specially modified and tuned for the purpose, with internal parts lightened and polished, with power increased from the standard 45 to 65 BHP and running up to 4000 revs/min..

During the attempt, the A.I.R.A.C. official records set were:

Flying kilometre 94.70 miles/hour

Fifty kilometres 88.11 miles/hour

Fifty miles 88.44 miles/hour

Hundred kilometres 88.38 miles/hour

Hundred miles 88.13 miles/hour

One hour 88.25 miles/hour

For the first record the engine was fitted with a Zoller supercharger, but all the remaining runs used the engine in naturally-aspirated form.

Compared to today’s record of over 350 miles/hour, these achievements may appear pedestrian. At the time however, the land speed record stood to Sir Malcolm Campbell at only 301.129 miles/hour – the first time anyone had passed the magic 300 – while diesel engines were crude things not known for much other than economy, noise and exhaust smoke!

The confidence shown by Frank Perkins that day, as the car and engine performed before a number of his invited guests, is yet another instance of his resolve to publicise and further the cause of the high speed diesel wherever possible.

Reg Munday had the last word when he wrote: ‘I have handled many of the best racing cars made, but for simplicity and consistency without constant tuning, the Perkins job is truly outstanding. Give me a diesel every time.’

© David Boulton Sept 2006