The Beast IV Will Live Again

First, before anything, I would like to thank Cory Taulbert for trusting me with the story before it went full viral in order to search for a much needed component.  I appreciate the info and for yesterday's update.  The update is paraphrased below.

Update on what, you ask?  Anyone remember Chet Herbert's streamliner the "Beast IV"?

Well, it's coming back to life.  The NHRA museum in Pomona, California has commissioned the restoration of the Beast IV Streamliner.  Dan Webb  of webbautomotiveart.com  and his daughter Ashley Taulbert, (well known for the modern recreation of the "Golden Sub", the Remington Modified recreation, the So-Cal Streamliner, and the fully sculpted Wedge Roadster, just to name a few) will be tasked to recreate the Beast IV and are currently making progress.

Chet Herbert built the car in the summer of 1953, in the few short weeks leading up to Bonneville Nationals in August of that year.  The car had a short, but purpose built, 95" wheelbase and was powered by a 331 Chrysler Hemi.  The early Chrysler power plant was directly coupled to a Pat Warren 2-speed quick-change rear end.  The car rolled on Halibrand 18" magnesium wheels with knock-off mounting on the rear and bolt-on mounting up front, and wrapped in Firestones.  The car had Halibrand disc brakes on the rear actuated by hand controls.  The original streamliner's aluminum body was built by the automotive legend himself, Sam Barris, with some of the forming done by the S&S Metal Shaping Company.  When the car first debuted at Bonneville, it set the record for the fastest single-engined car at a whopping 246 mph.

Dan and Ashley currently have the tubular style chassis to a rolling state and has been sent off to Craig Naff in Virginia for the body work.  Craig will restore the panels that are still original to the car and remake the panels that no longer exist from the first iteration of the streamliner.  The car should be back up to Michigan in September, where Dan will finish up the details and perform the final assembly on the chassis.  The car will then be painted prior to an unveiling of the restoration/rebuild at the NHRA Museum in January 2017.

Thanks again to Cory and of course Dan Webb and Ashley Taulbert for permissions to post this update.  We'll all be impatiently waiting for the final unveiling of such an incredible piece of land speed racing history.