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The ''White Triplex'' (also known as ''Triplex Special''〔Northey, Tom (1974). "Land Speed Record: The Fastest Men on Earth". In Tom Northey. ''World of Automobiles''. Vol. 10 (London: Orbis), pp.1164.〕 and ''Spirit of Elkdom'') was a land speed record car built for J. H. White and driven by Ray Keech. It was powered by three 27-litre Liberty aero-engines, for a total of 36 cylinders, 81 litre displacement and a claimed 1500 bhp. A wealthy American, J. H. White of Philadelphia (unrelated to the White Motor Company), wanted to take the land speed record from the British, then shared in a duel between Henry Segrave and Malcolm Campbell.〔Northey, pp.1164-5.〕 No suitable engines were available to give a sufficient advantage over the British Napier Lion, so the simplest possible chassis was constructed and three war-surplus Liberty aero engines were squeezed into it. The vehicle was so simple it had no clutch or gearbox and only a single fixed ratio. Once started by a push start, it had to keep rolling. Driver comforts were minimal: the forward engine was sheathed in a crude attempt at streamlining, the two side-by-side behind were bare, with the driver perched between them and the one in front.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/History/Triplex.html )〕 == Keech record attempt == An established motor-racing driver, Ray Keech, was engaged to drive. First trial runs were hazardous, Keech being injured by burns during both: first from a burst radiator hose, then by exhaust flames from the front engine. The simplicity of the design also led to a farcical situation with the official scrutineers. The regulations required "means for reversing", which the ''White Triplex'' didn't have. Mechanics first jury-rigged an electric motor and roller drive onto a tyre, but this was unable to rotate against the compression of the three large engines, which could not be un-clutched. An even more Rube Goldberg-like contrivance was tried, an entire separate rear axle was fitted, held above ground until dropped by a release lever and then driven by a separate driveshaft. The device was ridiculous, and is not believed to have been fitted during the record attempt itself, but it satisfied the scrutineers.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/world_land_speed_record_27.htm )〕 On April 22, 1928, Keech set a new land speed record of 207.55 mph (334.02 km/h) at Daytona. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「White Triplex」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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