The British National Museum will be restoring a 95-year-old land rocket known as the Sunbeam 1000hp, or otherwise The Slug. Armed with a pair of humongous V12 engines, the vehicle was the first ever to reach a land acceleration of 322 km/h (200 mph). The restorers say they want it to do the same trick again.
With 22.5-liter, 12-cylinder engines mounted on each of its axles, the vehicle had a combined power output estimated at 1,000 horsepower. The driver’s cockpit was squeezed in between the two engine bays, covered with an aerodynamic cowl.
Despite weighing north of 3 metric tons (6,600 pounds), The Slug succeeded in becoming the world’s faster racecar in 1927. It accelerated to 203.79 miles per hour, or 327.97 kilometers per hour, in the sandy dunes of Daytona Beach.
A breakdown rendered both engines unusable around half a century ago. The museum now plans to repair them and restore the car to its peak driving condition to repeat its historic feat on its 100th birthday.
The rear engine is already being disassembled for repairs, but the team admits it lacks the funding needed to complete the project. A crowdfunding initiative has already been launched with a target of £300,000 (around $370,000 USD). To attract the public attention to the project, the car will be taken on a tour of museums and automotive exhibitions across Europe and the United States.