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The Desperate Dan StoryBrian Armistead's Tractor-Pulling career started back in 1978 , when he first competed with a stock John Deere 4140 , which was named Weeton Wheelie . This pull at the Gt. Eccleston Agricultural Show got Brian hooked on pulling , but the appeal of building and competing with a machine soon drove Brian to build his first modified machine called Moss House Marauder ( after Moss House Farm , where Brian started BWA. Fabrications ). This modified featured a single turbo-charged Rolls-Royce Eagle diesel engine .
Brian's first puller - Weeton Wheelie ................Brian's first Modified After a couple of years of competing with diesel power , Brian moved on and built Moss House Marauder II , using 3 , 5.3 litre V12 Jaguar engines . This tractor proved fairly successful , winning British Championship titles and a 2nd place at the European Championships . However in the early eighties the sport was progressing rapidly , with more and more power being introduced , so in 1984 Desperate Dan was built , using a 2500 hp. Rolls Royce Griffon engine , taken from a Avro Shacklton aircraft. This tractor won the team their first European Title , the 4.4t Modified in 1986 . In the search for more power , the team built another new tractor in 1988 , again using a Griffon engine , but this time adding turbo-chargers , and running the engine on methanol . This boosted the power output to approximately 4000 hp.
Moss House Marauder II The first Desperate Dan
The second Desperate Dan
Following the end of the 1989 Pulling season , the Desperate Dan Team started to discuss what to do next . We had enjoyed limited success with the single turbo-charged Griffon , but with teams around Europe now building new tractors with twin Allisons or Griffons , it was obvious we had to do something different to stay with the competition . Way back in 1984 the idea of building a multi V8 Chevy tractor had been investigated , but the cheaper Rolls Royce Griffon idea was eventually pursued . Now the options of twin Griffon or V8 Chevys were again looked at , with numerous phone calls to guys in the USA . for prices etc. It was looking that the Chevy option was once again going to prove too expensive , when at the start of 1990 Brian mentioned that there was a tractor for sale in America with five Chevy engines on it . The owner , Pat Freels , was building a TWD Puller and was rebuilding the tractor ready to sell . After negotiations , Pat painted the tractor in D.D. yellow , and Brian ,wife Kate , Gary Dunn ( remember Major Tom ) and myself , Karl Carter ,headed to see the tractor Dollar Devil in action at a Pull in the Astrodome in Houston , Texas . We arrived in Houston , where Brian paid his drivers subscription so he could compete with the tractor , and on seeing the tractor perform we knew it would be a very strong modified in Europe .
The tractor arrived in England at the beginning of May 1990 , and competed for the first time in Europe at Long Ashton , Bristol. ETPC. rules on imported tractors barred us from competing in the 1990 European Finals , so our first EC. with V8 power was at Gt Eccleston in 1991. At this event we won our first 3.4t. Modified European title , with axle failure preventing us from winning the 4.4t. class . A similar story happened in 1992 , winning the 3.4t EC. , but engine failure giving us second in the 4.4t class . It was this engine failure , one of many we had suffered during the 1992 season that convinced Brian that the worn 468 cubic inch engines , that were on the tractor when it came from America , would have to be replaced . We therefore decided to build some new 527 cubic inch ( 8.6 Litre ) engines . The extra power soon proved too much for the transmission and rear axle , so upgrades to these had to be manufactured .The new combination proved very successful , with Desperate Dan winning the 3.4t and 4.4t European Championships in 1993 ,1994 and 1995 . In 1996 & 1997 Desperate Dan again won the 3.4t European Championship , making an unbeaten record of 7 consecutive years . In 1998 technical problems in the 3.4t E.C. saw the winning run come to an end , but we repaired to achieve a 2nd place in the 4.4t class . European competition has become much closer over the last few years , but the team have managed to keep ahead of its rivals in the 3.5 t class winning the European Championship in 1999 & 2000 , making 9 times in the last 10 years - an unrivalled motorsport achievement !
The success of Desperate Dan is due to the hard work of the team , the members being .... Karl Carter , Stan Leeming , Andrew Cowley , John Eccles , Tom Beattie , and our truck driver Mick Hollin . Throughout 2003 , Desperate Dan was rebuilt & modified , fitting larger 540 cubic inch engines , better ignition , superchargers & a stronger crossbox . The new limitation rules for 2004 , meant that a 572 engine could be added for the 5th engine in the 4.5 tonne class , fitted with a larger supercharger , this engine is capable of producing 2000 HP. The Tractor is ever changing and improving to keep up with the competition in Europe, improvements to reliability being key . The end of the 2007 season saw new tyres being fitted to the rear of Desperate Dan. A new type of tyre meant new setup's for the Tractor, but fast learning meant we were able to finish the season with a 2nd place in the 3.5 European Championships. With engine improvements inline for the winter months and a completely rebuilt top engine the team is confident for the start of 2008.
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Dollar Devil