Some say that a spaceship crashed in the desert outside Roswell, NM., in 1947, revealing the secrets of advanced alien technology that included amazing propulsion systems, mind control and velcro.
We'd like to put these far-out rumors to rest with a theory of our own: the UFO hunters were confused by a 1947 Hudson Pickup. Not just any old Hudson hauler, but the Hudson Land Speed Racer built by Randy Simmons, president of Robotic Integrated Technology, and driven by Michael-Ryan Pattison. Simmons is also Pattison's co-driver.
Diesel Power Magazine has the scoop on the truck and its team.
Pattison is a quadriplegic. He broke his neck diving into a lake and accident left him with little movement below his shoulders. Pattison plans to race the '47 Hudson pickup in Southern California Timing Association events by controlling the truck's throttle and steering with a specially designed mouthpiece.
For locomotion, there's a biodiesel-fed 7.3-liter Power Stroke V-8 under its hood with a giant High Tech Turbo nicknamed “Big Bad Wolf” that has an 88-mm compressor wheel and a DEI Cry02 system that sprays liquid CO2 on the outside of the intercooler. The electronics are controlled by Sniper tuning, and it's paired with an ATS 4R100 transmission with an ATS Five Star torque converter.
Inspiration comes from two organizations: “A Cure is Coming” and “The Michael-Ryan Pattison Foundation.” Their goal is to raise awareness for those with spinal-cord injuries.
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/10/diesel-powered-1947-hudson-pickup-redefines-mobility.html
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