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The Spirit of New Zealand Bonneville

  • Thank you !!

      24 August 2025
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    First things first. I've got to thank my wife Pam. Less than a year after a massive car accident, she organised our trip, supported me, and suffered the heat, the pressure and the disappointment. There was nothing about this trip that was easy, and we were glad to place our feet back in New Zealand again. Secondly, a huge round of applause to Dave Mead, Richard Hollywood, Zac Price and those who went to the salt with us. It wasn't a holiday by any stretch of the imagination. We all put in the hard yards, but the stars just didn't line up. The US-based Kiwis Squeak Bell, Duane Jones, Tom Beaton, and Kiwi Steve all went above and beyond to help make the experience a success, and it was much appreciated. Thank you to all the Kiwis who helped behind the scenes back in NZ. The ones who continued to encourage me when I felt like giving up, and all the Give-a-Little Kiwis who donated some financial help, it wouldn't have happened without any of you. Even though the Gods of Speed weren't on our side this time, we had a great experience. We met some great people, learnt a lot, and came home alive and with the car in one piece. We have a few jobs that need to be done, along with some improvements we have learnt, and then we will reassess our position.

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  • Bonneville Update, 6th Aug 2025

      7 August 2025
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    Today, the Bonneville dream ended for this year. Our team has achieved a tremendous effort; conceiving and building the car over nine years, physically getting to Bonneville salt flats, and having the special construction racecar successfully approved. This in itself is a major achievement. However, it ended with a broken transmission before the car's potential could be fully tested. A big thanks to the many people who have helped & supported along the way.

    Your contributions have been invaluable, and we could not have come this far without you.

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  • Two days until Speedweek 2025

      30 July 2025
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    Only two more sleeps until Bonneville Speedweek opens on Thursday 31 July! The team has spent the past week preparing the racecar in California and will leave tomorrow for Utah; a 1,000km trip up around Death Valley and across Nevada.

    Speedweek schedule begins with two days of setup and a final Technical Inspection, followed by 7-days of racing starting around 10am Saturday Aug 2nd, US Mountain time.

    Updates will be posted regularly on Facebook during the week, please follow us here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092284287762&mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr

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  • Our Lakester has landed in USA (July 10th)

      12 July 2025
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    July 10, Our shipping vessel has landed in the USA today, four weeks after leaving NZ, and the container has been offloaded to the freight clearance facility. That's a huge step forward in making the goal of competing at Speedweek 2025.

    Next, the three vehicles need to be unloaded and the shipment customs cleared before they can be picked up and transported to Bakersfield, California. Two weeks from now, we expect to be sleeves rolled up, prepping the car at Bell Auto Parts shop, owned by Kiwi Squeak Bell. It's a nice balmy 39C (101F) there right now, so we sure won't be moaning about winter, haha!

    We have received some significant donations since the recent feature in NZ Hot Rod Magazine. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us; it simply would not be possible in the current economy without your help.

    All the best, Dave & Pam

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  • NZ Hot Rod Magazine Feature Car - July 2025

      28 June 2025
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    Next week, NZ Hot Rod Magazine will hit the newsstands with an exclusive 11-page feature on the Spirit of New Zealand. This issue tells the inside story of Dave's history and the development of the racecar, told by longtime friend Bruce (Emu) Taylor, complemented by the professional photography of Siggy Eichholz. Additionally, it includes a stunning centrefold of the racecar (not the boys)!

    >> Get your copy at NZ bookstores from Monday 30th June <<

    In other news, Dave & Pam have been recognised by their clubmates in Pukekohe Hot Rod Club, receiving the annual award of Best Engineered & Best Other. This is no small feat in a club full of pristine Hot Rods and exceptional drag cars. The club also supported this cause through two generous raffles.

    As our departure date approaches, we are still in need of funds to help cover travel expenses. Please spread the word, and let's make a final push on the Give-A-Little fund. Every contribution counts!

    Thank you all for your generous support.

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  • Unique Kiwi Inspired Tee-shirts

      15 June 2025
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    **TEAM T-SHIRTS FOR SALE**

    Ex-pat Kiwi artist Paul Adams has created a fantastic watercolour design featuring many unique Kiwisms. These T-shirts are now available in a variety of sizes, exclusively in white, for NZ$40 plus postage and packaging.

    **TO ORDER:** Please call or text Pam at (027) 441-9692.

    Please help us spread the word! The profits from every shirt will go directly towards funding the shipping and travel costs for Bonneville Speedweek 2025, in addition to the Give-a-Little donations.

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  • Loading for Bonneville - Complete!

      8 June 2025
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    Three Kiwi teams are now loaded and ready for shipment to Bonneville 2025.

    Photo (L-R): Lincoln Harris (Napier), Walt Rands-Trevor (Eskdale), Dave Alexander (Mangatawhiri).

    Friday, 6th June, was the deadline for loading the shipping container containing the Spirit of New Zealand Bonneville Lakester, the Harris Family Racing 1932 Gas Roadster, and Walt's 1000cc Kawasaki motorcycle.

    While the latter two have made this trip to the Salt Flats numerous times before, it is the first time for the Bonneville Lakester, so planning the loading was important. Many thanks to Paul Stichbury and CFR Line NZ Ltd for ensuring we had all the necessary rigging equipment.

    The shipment will arrive in California in early July, where the teams will join up in Bakersfield to prepare and trailer out to Utah for the Bonneville Speedweek event, starting on 1st August.

    Please watch our Facebook page for more photos:

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092284287762

    Your donations have gone directly to travel & shipping costs.

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

    Dave & Pam

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  • YouTube: Inside the first Shakedown

      1 June 2025

    YouTube: https://youtu.be/pExjAolxLJ4

    Dave introduces the team as he prepares to drive the Lakester for the very first time in March 2025.

    It's difficult to find a place in New ZEaland to shakedown a 400kph Bonneville Lakester - step in Landspeed NZ with their annual event at Goudies Road in the Central North Island. A dead straight, dead level piece of tarseal road that stretches some 7km in the back blocks of Reporoa.

    Video credit and big thanks go to Tom McGregor, Focus Angle Media, and Gisborne American Car Club.

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  • TVNZ Breakfast Show, Wed 21-May

      21 May 2025
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    BREAKING NEWS: TVNZ Breakfast Show did a live television interview with Dave at his shed 8:20 AM NZ today, and presenter @izzy.prasad got to tryout for a driving job 😁

    Re-play is available online (scroll to 8:13 - 8:21)

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/breakfast/live

    Please share the word!!

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  • Watch TVNZ Breakfast News, Wednesday 21-May 2025

      20 May 2025

    BREAKING NEWS: TVNZ Breakfast Show will do a live television interview with Dave at his shed around 8:20 AM NZ time this Wednesday. We’ll share a link afterwards for anyone who won’t be in front of the telly at that time 😏

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  • Radio New Zealand

      19 May 2025
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    Dave gave an interview to Radio NZ in which he tells the short version of building the car, and makes the exciting announcement that the dyno tuning of the car is now complete, making an honest 1,000 horsepower on a conservative setup.

    "Dave Alexander, a 72-year-old engineer from Waikato, New Zealand, is making headlines on Radio New Zealand for his ambitious attempt to break a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the U.S. He's spent the past nine years building a high-performance vehicle called the Lakester, which resembles a fighter jet fuselage more than a traditional car."

    Hear the full interview here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/561446/waikato-man-on-mission-to-break-land-speed-record-in-home-made-car

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  • Wings & Wheels!!

      5 May 2025
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    Well our shipping date really feels close and the final preparations are getting hectic. This month started strong, running the new turbo combination up on the dyno with very strong results, engine builder Robbie Ward was all smiles at the very broad power-curve. One more dyno session planned at HiTech and we should have a very well sorted combo.

    Our mates at Pukekohe Hot Rod Club went all out to run two fundraising events which helped the all important travel fund, and we finished this past weekend doing a feature for NZ Hot Rod Magazine at Ardmore aerodrome. Siggy & Bruce where part way through the photo shoot and I think, oops here comes an aeroplane. But the photo bomb turns into an opportunity as the WWII Corsair turns around and folds the wings up right behind the car. Nice props 😁

    Our humble thanks to everyone for the continued support, these last weeks are really important, please help share the word.

    .

    Thanks, Dave & Pam

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  • Interview with Dynamite Dave - Car Stories NZ (May 2025)

      17 April 2025

    Bryce Brown of Car Stories NZ dropped into Dave's workshop to get the latest update on the car—where we are now and what needs to be completed before shipping. There is loads of good information on the design & build of the car, including the team's goals. Please share with your friends.

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  • NZ Hot Rod Magazine - March 2025

      13 April 2025
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    NZ Hot Rod Magazine has been a strong supporter of the Lakester project, providing updates during the construction phase. The following was printed in March 2025 issue:

    "Dave Alexander of Pukekohe Hot Rod Club is well known for his Alexander Special [NZHRM Feb-2007], a tribute to Art Chrisman's famous #25 dragster, in which he competed in many events locally and raced successfully to a record at Bonneville and Lake Gairdner salt flats. Dave has been quietly building a faster, leaner, and much longer 7-metre missile in his shed for the past eight years, a land-speed Lakester targeting the 3.0-litre blown class record of 262mph (420kph). Some will have seen Dave and his shed in the mag of the same name, "Shed", last year; since then, it has been a turbulent time with his wife Pam suffering a major rear-end accident involving a fully loaded truck trailer. Fortunately, our friend Pam is recovering well; however, the project timing was impacted by that and hopes of returning to Lake Gairdner in South Australia had to be abandoned. Now, the focus is squarely on Bonneville Speed Week 2025, with the car fully complete and ready for dyno time this month (February 2025), then shipping together with the Harris Family Roadster in May. More updates are to come on both Kiwi teams. Dave welcomes your support for his ambitious project; please consider contributing to his fundraising page."

    See NZHRM April issue for an update and spec's.

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  • Testing at Goudies Road land-speed event

      7 April 2025
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    2-Apr 2025: Last weekend marked another big milestone for the Bonneville Lakester as Dave took his very first drive in the car. 👍

    The team attended a LandSpeedNZ event at Goudies Road, a remote, flat, and straight road in the back blocks of the central North Island. While most of the 40+ cars and bikes present are road-legal, many can reach speeds exceeding 300 kph, so we were in good company.

    Our target was more modest. First, we wanted to allow the team to practice offloading the car, warming up the engine, and preparing it for a run. The organizers generously let us use the "tech" barn, which was very convenient due to its concrete floor, shade, and power supply.

    Next, we allowed Dave to make the first test runs, which needed to be at low speeds. To accomplish this, we swapped the gears in the quick-change rear end, changing the final drive ratio from 2.90:1 (capable of 300 mph) to a sprint car-like 5.85:1 with a maximum of 120 mph. We completed three short checkout runs, the longest being 1 km, which allowed us to capture data and got Dave comfortable in the cockpit. It was very successful, and there were lots more learnings on the road to Bonneville.

    For more details on the next steps, please check our Facebook page.

    Thank you to all our supporters—please continue to spread the word! 😁

    Best Regards from Dave, Pam, and the team.

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  • The Lakester Lives !!

      2 March 2025

    Mid-February was a huge milestone for the build, with the race engine starting for the first time. A successful fireup involves careful checks, run-in procedures, and calibration of all the computer systems. Our car has more than 36 electronic devices and sensors, all of which must be calibrated and successfully tested. A few small issues have been identified and resolved, a huge step toward the car's final completion.

    That same week, we kicked off the fundraiser, and we have received very generous donations towards our goal. Our very special thanks to each of you for supporting a home-grown team. 😁

    Please see the link below for a short video clip of the run-in on the dyno. We will keep updating and posting here first.

    Very Best Regards,

    Dave & Pam

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