World Speed Record Attempt [1949]

Lahala Speed Attempt

More Power to You

By W. Melvin Crook

For a while during the Florida racing season it looked as though Harry Lynn (owner and driver of the Gold Cupper, Lahala) would destroy more Allisons faster than the Jap air force ever did during the war. All of this carnage, by the way, took place at Miami while Harry was attempting to boost Gar Wood's old one-mile record of 124 m.p.h.

On Feb. 27, while booting along in a trial run, Lahala's shaft came unstuck and the Allison, under the urging of Lynn's heavy foot, took off without a load. The engine came to a halt with half a dozen or so rods playing peek-a-boo out of the side of the crankcase.

Then, on Mar. 8, as Lynn and his mechanic, Charlie Grafflin, were pulling away from the dock, there was an explosion in the blower housing which neatly opened that unit up to the light of day.

Some two weeks later, another supercharger made like it was a cylinder and exploded in the attempt.

(Reprinted from Yachting, May 1949)