Kenny Powers had broken his back seven times previously in other jumps. Here’s a fascinating review of a documentary (The Devil At Your Heels) about Ken “The Mad Canadian” Carter who came up with this stunt and performed many others.
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With top-flight equipment like that, how it could anything possibly go wrong?
Surely he would have know the car’s body panels would have started coming off at 250mph+. Right?? I mean we’re not talking Lexus build quality here. Not that a Lexus would have necessarily stayed together either or was available at that time.
I don’t understand the point of the exercise.
Why jump a car over a river when a boat or helicopter can cross the obstacle easily, and with nearly no risk of death?
The premature ‘chute release reminded me of Evel Knievel’s Salt River Canyon jump… where the same thing happened.
J/P=?
(-50 points for “OFF TOPIC)”)
Was the world fuzzy and blurry in the 70’s?
Because ALL the video I see from them sure is.
I don’t seem to remember it that way.
Hmmm.
(I keeeed – I kid)
I don’t think it was premature – I think he triggered it when it was obvious the car was completely screwed and flipping.
Honestly though – whoever designed that jump was an idiot – the angle was all wrong and I’m not surprised it didn’t go far.
Jason – You think Lexus wind tunnels their cars to 250 MPH? Build quality my ass. Next time let him strap a rocket to a piano and see if a Steinway holds together any better than a Baldwin. This has to be the dumbest stunt since Super Dave Osborne.
I work less than 1km away from where that ramp was. Half the people here in the plant remember than happening and quite a few of them were there.
IIRC the car was basically too light, when it left the ramp it just flipped straight up.
Ahh the days of REAL daredevils. Why is it that we don’t see this type of stuff anymore?
Oh and to the poster, are you sure on the year? There was a full-size ford bronco in one of the last frames. Ford didn’t start making that until 1978.
Wow, that was creating a Lincoln parts explosion the hard way.
7 This has to be the dumbest stunt since Super Dave Osborne.
Thanks. I’d forgotten how many good laughs I got from Super Dave…
10. Why is it that we don’t see this type of stuff anymore?
My initial response has to do with tag being “outlawed” at schools… [see newer post here at DU]
But I’ve also seen some very stupid stuff on GooTube.. guys jumping a moving train on a quad, etc. Maybe this current crop of daredevils will take-up the challange?
i was gonna make a comment about gootube and how it feeds the ego’s of it’s users..
but.. i think i’d rather just see the headline read….
North Korean Nuke Launchsite Revealed!
Did anyone check the hood latch?
I mean we’re not talking Lexus build quality here