Land speed records have always been a fascination for adrenaline junkies. The mere thought of traveling at breakneck speeds is enough to get anyone’s heart racing. And while most of us can only dream of such a feat, one man decided to take matters into his own hands by building a record-breaking motorhome.
Britt Palmer, the owner of a 1977 GMC Kingsley Motorhome, set out to break the land speed record for Class A motorhomes while raising awareness for Charcot Marie Tooth Disease. The record to beat was 102.7 mph, set by a different GMC Motorhome in 2006.
To accomplish his goal, Palmer enlisted the help of Dennis McCarthy and his team from Vehicle Effects, the custom fabricator behind many of the iconic cars from the Fast & Furious franchise. First, McCarthy completely gutted the motorhome, replacing every cabinet, appliance, and piece of faux-wood decor with lightweight aluminum sheeting. A 20-gallon fuel cell and fire suppression system were also installed for safety.
The interior received a modernized race cockpit, complete with a RacePak IQ3 Dash and Kirkey racing seat. To protect the occupants in the event of a crash, a full front-to-back chromoly roll cage was installed. The powertrain consisted of a 700-horsepower Chevrolet Ram Jet 502 motor with a TH425 automatic transmission and a final gear ratio of 3.07 for top speed. A 125-wet shot of nitrous was added to give it an extra boost.
Outside, the motorhome received aerodynamic treatments, and all six wheels were fitted with modern disc brakes and a Ridetech Air Ride System. These modifications broke the previous land speed record for a Class A motorhome, with the ’77 GMC reaching a top speed of 122 mph.
Although the motorhome couldn’t beat some of the smaller, more modern motorhomes, it’s still an impressive feat. And now, the RV is up for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $95,000. The new owner can use the motorhome for whatever they see fit, whether a food truck, party bus or even a race support crew vehicle. Who knows, maybe the new owner will take on the challenge of breaking the overall land speed record for the fastest motorhome in the world.
In a nutshell, Britt Palmer’s record-breaking motorhome is a testament to human ingenuity and the thirst for speed. While most of us can only dream of traveling at such breakneck speeds, Palmer’s act shows that anything is possible with the right team and equipment.
