While the history of the car goes back to the 18th century, it took more than a hundred years later for drivers and engineers alike to seriously start pushing the speed barrier. On the 18th of December 1898, Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat of France became the first driver to establish a land speed record, when he was timed by an automotive magazine to complete a kilometer run in an electric car. He took 57 seconds, an average speed of 63km per hour. His accomplishment also disproved the popular notion at his time that a human being will likely to suffocate from travelling at such high speed.

In April 1899, Camille Jenatzy of Belgium became the first man to break the 100 kilometer per hour (60 mph) limit with his electrically propelled La Jamis Content, also known as The Never Content in English. Running at 900 rpm, he set his record at 65 miles per hour, on the Acheres road in France.

French driver Louis Rigolly would later become the first man to drive over 100 miles per hour, on the 21st July of 1904. He raced over a kilometer stretch at the Belgian beach of Ostend, with his 13.5 liter Gobron-Brillie automobile. His average speed was 103 mph, or almost 160 kph.

A speed of 150 mph was first accomplished by Sir Malcolm Campbell of United Kingdom in 1925. In March that year he was credited with the Land Speed Record, which he broke on Pendine Sands driving the old 350 hp V twelve Sunbeam at 150.87 mph. He would later go on to break the 250 mph and 300 mph barriers.

The landmark for land speeds went beyond the 400 mph mark in the post war era of 1947, heralded by British driver John Cobb when he exceeded 400 mph in one direction in the Mobil sponsored Railton Mobil Special. A one off vehicle powered by aircraft engines, his average speed over the mile from start to finish of the journey was 403 mph.

As of April 2011, the fastest land record is currently held by the ThrustSSC, steered by British fighter pilot Andy Green. It is a vehicle powered by two Rolls Royce afterburn engines, not unlike the same used by Phantom II fighter jets. Consuming petrol at a rate of eighteen litres every second, it remained unsurpassed at a record of 763 mph since 1997.

Out of the couple of promising vehicles with the potential of besting the ThrustSSC, the Bloodhound SSC is stands out for its goal of beating the record by the widest margin. The makers of the Bloodhound are betting that their Falcon rocket powered wheels will achieve a speed up to 1000 miles per hour, with Andy Green expected to pilot.

If you are thinking of breaking some records with your Falcon XR or Nissan R31, find yourself a performance car insurance company specifically catered for performance vehicles.. Also published at The Historical Highlights of Fast Driving.

Indian Motorcycle made motors have been popular since World War II when Indian Motorcycle was manufacturing engines for aircraft and motor for boats, air conditioners and bicycles. The most famous was Indian Scout motorcycle which was introduced in 1920 and was in use till 1939 when it was used by all, from police to motorcycle racer. Out of all the Scout motorcycle the most admired one was 1928 101 Scout with low structure and better handling.

Indian Scout motorcycle had 37 cubic inch (596 cc) engine when it was initially introduced in 1920. Later when popular American motorcycle Excelsior Super X was introduced with 45 cubic inches (745 cc) engine, Indian Scout also converted its engine to 45 cubic inch in 1927.

A second response was the 1928 introduction of the 101 Scout, which some fans consider to be the height of Indian Motorcycle technology. There remain, however, enthusiasts who are pleased with Indian’s use of the frame from its other superstar model, the Chief, in the Scout line starting in 1931.

Perhaps to placate Scout devotees, from 1932 until 1941, smaller Scouts were built. They were known as the Scout Pony, the Junior Scout, and the Thirty-Fifty, all of which had 30.50 cubic inch engines.

In the early decades of the 20th century, the Indian Motorcycle Company and Harley Davidson were the two choices for the traditional American heavyweight cruiser. The two companies were ferocious opponents, and this rivalry is chronicled in the book called The Harley-Davidson and Indian Wars by Allan Girdler. While the Scout was a runaway bestseller, Harley-Davidson proved to be a very formidable opponent.

One testimony to the speed and ruggedness of the 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle was racer Burt Munro’s use of a customized 1920 Scout to set land speed records between 1962 and 1967. Munro’s under-1000 cc world speed record in 1967 still stands. At the time, Munro, a New Zealander, was 68 years old and was riding a motorcycle that was 47 years old. This and other feats were dramatized in 2005 in the movie The World’s Fastest Indian.

The company Indian Motorcycles witnessed a series of trouble and was finally declared bankrupt in 1977. In 1935 controlling interest of Indian Motorcycles was sold and by 1946 it stopped manufacturing any motorcycle. After that till 1977 it changed hands several times. Through out 1980s and1990s the company was fighting court battles over the ownership of the brand name.

The claim of ownership came through in 1988 when IMCOA Licensing America won the trademark by the Federal court in Denver. A nine company conglomerate was set up to form Indian Motorcycle Company of America. From 1999 the production of Scout Motorcycles were started and carried on till 2003 when the company again had to declare bankruptcy.

In 2006, the company re-formed and set up shop in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Though the Chief model is being reconstructed, the Indian Scout motorcycle is no longer made.

The Indian scout motorcycle has been a favorite with fans for decades. If you want to read more about the 1947 Indian motorbike click on the preceding links.

If you’re someone who’s concerned about the quality of your car then you can’t get much better than owning a Mercedes. When people think of Mercedes, they picture an elegant and impressive vehicle. With a high reputation that Merc has built and sustained over a hundred years, it’s up to you to maintain that – and there may come a need to find Mercedes parts online.

When it comes to maintenance of your car, this means not only the way that it looks, but also the way it performs. To keep your Mercedes running as smoothly as the day you bought it, you should make sure that each and every part of your car is in the best condition. The problem is that the costs can add up – but the good news is that buying Mercedes parts online is one of the best ways to remedy the problem.

The Benefits of Buying Your Car Parts On the Internet

In the past, you would have had to travel to your nearest dealer to get the parts you really needed. The good news is that you don’t need to make that effort any more – if you’ve got access to the internet! There are plenty of online wholesalers who specialise in only the best quality parts and accessories for your Mercedes. So, if you have a computer and access to the internet, you can shop from the comfort of your own home!

The best part? Due to the fact that there’s no middleman taking a cut, the Mercedes Benz parts you get from the online suppliers will generally be lower than the retailers’ rates.

Finding Only the Best Quality Parts

If you still aren’t confident about buying your parts online, it’s a good idea to have a browse and read websites or user reviews guiding you on where and what to purchase.

Used Car Parts

If your budget is tight, you may even opt for used parts which some online stores are offering. In addition, you can search for your car’s parts via internet auctions. There are indeed quite a number of these online auction sites available and with literally millions of people who want to auction their used Mercedes parts online; your chances of obtaining what you want can be very high and at a relatively low price too.

Conclusion

It can be expensive to live life as the owner of a Mercedes Benz, but it’s well worth it to keep it in good condition. The great thing is that it’s now easier than ever before to find Mercedes parts online, no matter what you are searching for!

When it comes to finding Mercedes parts and accessories, it’s always worth getting some advice from some specialist websites first. Just take a look at Mercedes-Benz Used Parts and grab a bargain now!

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