Green Monster (automobile): Difference between revisions

Green Monster
Green Monster
	Green Monster, the Land Speed Record car
Overview
Type	Jet car for land speed record attempts
Production	1964–1965
Designer	Art Arfons
Body and chassis
Body style	Custom one-off
Powertrain
Engine	Turbojet General Electric J79
Transmission	None

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Latest revision as of 11:33, 28 November 2024

The Green Monster was the name of several vehicles built by Art Arfons and his half-brother Walt Arfons. These ranged from dragsters to a turbojet-powered car that briefly held the land speed record three times during 1964 and 1965.

The land speed record Green Monster set the absolute record three times during the close competition of 1964 and 1965. It was powered by a General Electric J79 taken from an F-104 Starfighter. The jet engine had a four-stage afterburner.

Early dragsters

The first Green Monster appeared in 1952. It was a three-wheeled dragster powered by an Oldsmobile six-cylinder engine and painted with left-over green tractor paint. The name was applied on the car's first outing by the track announcer, Ed Piasczik (Paskey), who laughingly said, "Okay folks, here it comes: The Green Monster", and it stuck to all Arfons' creations. The car only reached 85 mph (137 km/h), 20 mph (32 km/h) short of the fastest car, but by 1953, Green Monster 2, a 20 ft (6.1 m) long six wheeled car powered by an Allison V12 aircraft engine, was hitting 100 mph (160 km/h) in the quarter mile.

Green Monster 2 was painted by Arfons' mother to resemble the World War II Curtiss P-40 Flying Tigers fighter airplane, with an open mouth showing large teeth. The top speed of the car was estimated at 270 mph (430 km/h), and it could reach 140 mph (230 km/h) in nine to ten seconds from a standing start. Running on passenger car tires required four wheels on the rear drive axle to withstand the power. At the first World Series of Drag Racing at Lawrenceville, Illinois, it clocked the highest top speed at 132.35 miles per hour (213.00 km/h), and eventually a world record of 145.16 miles per hour (233.61 km/h).

The later cars had various paint schemes where green was not necessarily the dominant color. The six-wheeled Green Monster 6 became the first dragster to break 150 mph (240 km/h) in the quarter mile. Green Monster 11, Art Arfons' favorite, hit 191 mph (307 km/h) to beat Don Garlits.^{[clarification needed]}

Arfons used an Allison V1710 in several Green Monsters.

Land speed racing

General Electric J79 on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force

The Arfons brothers split up, and each became interested in land speed racing.

The most famous Green Monster was powered by a surplus F-104 Starfighter General Electric J79 jet engine, producing 17,500 lbf (78 kN) static thrust with four-stage afterburner, which Arfons purchased from a scrap dealer for $600 and rebuilt himself, over the objections of General Electric and the government, and despite all manuals for the engine being classified top secret.

The engine had been scrapped because of damage caused by ingesting a bolt. Arfons removed 60 blades out of approximately 1000 in the engine, removing broken blades and their counterparts at 180 degrees or the pair at +/-120 degrees to maintain balance. He tested it by tying it to trees in his garden, which drew complaints from his neighbors.

This car, painted in red and blue, set the land speed record three times during the close competition of 1964 and 1965 with averages of 434, 536, and 576 miles per hour (698, 863, and 927 km/h) in the flying mile (despite blowing a tire on the last record run). It competed against Wingfoot Express (built by his brother Walt, who could not pilot the car himself, having suffered a stroke) and Craig Breedlove's Spirit of America – Sonic 1, which eventually set the record at 600.601 miles per hour (966.574 km/h).

In 1966, Arfons returned once again to the Bonneville Salt Flats but reached an average speed of only 554.017 miles per hour (891.604 km/h). On run number seven at 8:03 a.m. on November 17, Arfons crashed his vehicle travelling 610 miles per hour (980 km/h) when a wheel bearing seized. He subsequently built another Green Monster land speed record car but sold it to California rancher Slick Gardner without driving it.

Later vehicles

In view of his wife's concern over the risk involved in land speed record racing, Arfons instead turned his talents to turbine-powered tractor pulling with great success, fielding a series of Green Monster tractor pullers with his son and daughter.

However, in 1989, Arfons returned to Bonneville with Green Monster 27, an 1,800 pounds (820 kg), 22-foot (6.7 m) long two-wheeler. The car left the ground at 350 miles per hour (560 km/h), and Arfons rebuilt it into a less radical four-wheeled vehicle for 1990 but could manage only 177, 308, and 227 miles per hour (285, 496, and 365 km/h). In 1991, he tried again, but once again, he had to give up on handling problems.

References

External links

Tatroe, D. (2011). "Arfons family". American Jet Cars.
"Jet Car Legions". The Rocketman. 2004. Archived from the original on 2006-11-25. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
"Art Arfons". Speedace.info. 2006.
Shapiro, Harvey (1997). "Art Arfons". ThrustSSC Mach 1 Club.
"Home". Green Monster #5. 2018.
Hawley, Samuel (2011). "Green Monster interviews". Land Speed Record. Archived from the original on 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2013-05-23.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Land speed record vehicle}}
-{{Refimprove|date=July 2007}}
+{{more citations needed|date=January 2023}}
-[[File:Green Monster Nose.JPG|thumb|The Land Speed Record car]]
+{{Infobox automobile
-The '''Green Monster''' was the name of several vehicles built by [[Art Arfons]] and his half brother [[Walt Arfons]]. These ranged from dragsters to a [[turbojet-powered car]] which briefly held the [[land speed record]] three times during 1964 and 1965.
+| name           = Green Monster
+| image          = Green_Monster_Nose.JPG
+| caption        = Green Monster, the Land Speed Record car
+| parent company =
+| production     = 1964–1965
+| successor      =
+| type           = Jet car for land speed record attempts
+| body_style   = Custom one-off
+| engine       = Turbojet [[General Electric J79]]
+| transmission = None
+| dimensions   =
+| related      =
+| designer     = [[Art Arfons]]
+}}
+The '''''Green Monster''''' was the name of several vehicles built by [[Art Arfons]] and his half-brother [[Walt Arfons]]. These ranged from dragsters to a [[turbojet-powered car]] that briefly held the [[land speed record]] three times during 1964 and 1965.
-The [[land speed record]] "Green Monster"  won the land speed record three times during the close competition of 1964 and 1965. It was powered by an [[F-104 Starfighter]] [[jet engine]] with four-stage [[afterburner]].
+The [[land speed record]] ''Green Monster'' set the absolute record three times during the close competition of 1964 and 1965. It was powered by a [[General Electric J79]] taken from an [[F-104 Starfighter]]. The [[jet engine]] had a four-stage [[afterburner]].
 ==Early dragsters==
-The first "Green Monster", in 1952 was a three-wheeled dragster powered by an [[Oldsmobile]] [[six cylinder engine]], and painted with left-over green tractor paint. The name was applied on the car's first outing by the track announcer, Ed Piasczik (Paskey), who laughingly said "Okay folks here it comes; The Green Monster", and it stuck to all Arfons' creations. The car only reached 85 miles per hour (137 km/h), 20 miles per hour (30 km/h) short of the fastest car, but by 1953 the Green Monster Number 2, a 20 foot (6 m) long six wheeled car powered by an [[Allison V-1710|Allison V12]] aircraft engine, was hitting 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) in the quarter mile.
+The first ''Green Monster'' appeared in 1952. It was a three-wheeled dragster powered by an [[Oldsmobile]] [[six-cylinder engine]] and painted with left-over green tractor paint. The name was applied on the car's first outing by the track announcer, Ed Piasczik (Paskey), who laughingly said, "Okay folks, here it comes: The Green Monster", and it stuck to all Arfons' creations. The car only reached {{cvt|85|mph}}, {{cvt|20|mph}} short of the fastest car, but by 1953, ''Green Monster 2'', a {{cvt|20|ft}} long six wheeled car powered by an [[Allison V-1710|Allison V12]] aircraft engine, was hitting {{cvt|100|mph}} in the quarter mile.
-Green Monster Number 2 was painted by Arfons' mother to resemble the [[World War II]] [[Curtiss P-40]] [[Flying Tigers]] [[fighter airplane]], with an open mouth showing large teeth.  The top speed of the car was estimated at 270 miles per hour (435 km/h), and it could reach 140 miles per hour (225 km/h) in nine to ten seconds from a standing start. Running on passenger car tires, the car required four wheels on the rear drive axle to withstand the power. At the first [[World Series of Drag Racing]] at [[Lawrenceville, Illinois|Lawrenceville]], [[Illinois]], it clocked the highest top speed at 132.35 miles per hour (213.00 km/h), and eventually a world record of 145.16 mph (233.61 km/h).
+''Green Monster 2'' was painted by Arfons' mother to resemble the [[World War II]] [[Curtiss P-40]] [[Flying Tigers]] [[fighter airplane]], with an open mouth showing large teeth.  The top speed of the car was estimated at {{cvt|270|mph}}, and it could reach {{cvt|140|mph}} in nine to ten seconds from a standing start. Running on passenger car tires required four wheels on the rear drive axle to withstand the power. At the first [[World Series of Drag Racing]] at [[Lawrenceville, Illinois]], it clocked the highest top speed at {{convert|132.35|mph}}, and eventually a world record of {{convert|145.16|mph}}.
-The later cars had various paint schemes where green was not necessarily the dominant color. The six-wheeled Green Monster Number 6 became the first dragster to break 150 miles per hour (241 km/h) in the quarter mile. Green Monster Number 11, Art Arfons' favorite, hit 191 miles per hour to beat [[Don Garlits]].
+The later cars had various paint schemes where green was not necessarily the dominant color. The six-wheeled ''Green Monster 6'' became the first dragster to break {{cvt|150|mph}} in the quarter mile. ''Green Monster 11'', Art Arfons' favorite, hit {{cvt|191|mph}} to beat [[Don Garlits]].{{clarify|date=December 2018|reason=where & when?}}
-Arfons used an Allison V1710 V12 airplane engine in several of the Green Monsters. The Allison V12 powered the P-40 as well as many other aircraft including the P-51 Mustang, P-39 Airacobra, P-38 Lightning, P-63 and others.
+Arfons used an Allison V1710 in several ''Green Monster''s.
+== Land speed racing ==
-Currently the Green Monster Number 5 is touring in the Midwest and California, and will be at the Bakersfield Hot Rod Reunion in October 2011.{{Update inline|date=March 2014}}
+[[Image:Green Monster - Cockpit.jpg|thumb|left|x200px|Green Monster jet left-side cockpit and driving position.]]
+[[Image:j79.jpg|thumb|right|General Electric J79 on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force]]
+[[Image:Green_Monster_business_end.jpg|thumb|Green Monster rear end.]]
+The Arfons brothers split up, and each became interested in [[land speed racing]].
+The most famous ''Green Monster'' was powered by a surplus [[F-104 Starfighter]] [[General Electric J79]] [[jet engine]], producing {{convert|17500|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} static thrust with four-stage [[afterburner]], which Arfons purchased from a scrap dealer for $600 and rebuilt himself, over the objections of [[General Electric]] and the government, and despite all manuals for the engine being classified [[Classified information#Top_Secret_(TS)|top secret]].
-== {{Visible anchor|Land speed racing}} ==
-[[Image:j79.jpg|thumb|right|400px|General Electric J79 on display at the USAF museum.]]
-The Arfons brothers then split up, and each became interested in [[land speed record]] racing.
+The engine had been scrapped because of damage caused by [[foreign object damage|ingesting]] a bolt. Arfons removed 60 blades out of approximately 1000 in the engine, removing broken blades and their counterparts at 180 degrees or the pair at +/-120 degrees to maintain balance. He tested it by tying it to trees in his garden, which drew complaints from his neighbors.
-The most famous "Green Monster" was powered by an ex-[[F-104 Starfighter]] [[General Electric J79]] [[jet engine]], producing {{convert|17500|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} static thrust  with four-stage [[afterburner]], which Arfons purchased from a scrap dealer for $600 and rebuilt himself, over the objections of [[General Electric]] and the government, and despite all manuals for the engine being classified [[top secret]].
+This car, painted in red and blue, set the land speed record three times during the close competition of 1964 and 1965 with averages of {{convert|434|,|536|, and|576|mph}} in the [[flying mile]] (despite blowing a tire on the last record run). It competed against ''[[Wingfoot Express]]'' (built by his brother Walt, who could not pilot the car himself, having suffered a stroke) and [[Craig Breedlove]]'s ''[[Spirit of America (automobile)#Spirit of America - Sonic 1|Spirit of America – Sonic 1]]'', which eventually set the record at {{convert|600.601|mph}}.
-The engine had been scrapped because of damage caused by [[foreign object damage|ingesting]] a bolt. Art removed 60 blades out of approximately 1000 in the engine, removing broken blades and ones at 180 degrees, or the pair at +/-120 degrees to maintain balance.  He tested it by tying it to trees in his garden, a procedure which drew complaints from his neighbors.
+In 1966, Arfons returned once again to the [[Bonneville Salt Flats]] but reached an average speed of only {{convert|554.017|mph}}. On run number seven at 8:03&nbsp;a.m. on November 17, Arfons crashed his vehicle travelling {{convert|610|mph}} when a [[Rolling-element bearing|wheel bearing]] seized. He subsequently built another ''Green Monster'' land speed record car but sold it to California rancher [[Slick Gardner]] without driving it.
-This car, painted in red and blue, won the [[land speed record]] three times during the close competition of 1964 and 1965 with averages of 434, 536 and 576 mph (698, 863, and 927 km/h) in the [[flying mile]] (despite blowing a tire on the last record run). It competed against ''[[Wingfoot Express]]'' (built by his brother Walt, who could not pilot the car himself, having suffered a stroke) and [[Craig Breedlove]]'s ''[[Spirit_of_America_(automobile)#Spirit_of_America_-_Sonic_1|Spirit of America - Sonic 1]]'' four-wheeled jet car, which eventually set the record at 600.601 mph (966.574 km/h).
-In 1966, Arfons returned once again to [[Bonneville Salt Flats|Bonneville]], but reached an average speed of only 554.017 mph (891.604 km/h). On run number seven at 8:03 a.m. on November 17, Arfons crashed his vehicle travelling 610 mph (982 km/h) when a [[Rolling-element bearing|wheel bearing]] seized. He subsequently built another ''Green Monster'' land speed record car, but sold it to California rancher [[Slick Gardner]] without ever driving it.
 ==Later vehicles==
-In view of his wife's concern over the risk involved in land speed record racing, Arfons instead turned his talents to turbine powered [[tractor pulling]] with great success, fielding a series of Green Monster pull tractors along with his son and daughter.
+In view of his wife's concern over the risk involved in land speed record racing, Arfons instead turned his talents to turbine-powered [[tractor pulling]] with great success, fielding a series of ''Green Monster'' tractor pullers with his son and daughter.
-However, in 1989, Arfons returned to Bonneville with Green Monster Number 27, an 1800 pound (820 kg), 22 foot (7 m) long two-wheeler. The car left the ground at 350 miles per hour (563 km/h), and Arfons rebuilt it into a less radical four-wheeled vehicle for 1990, but could manage only 177, 308 and 338 miles per hour (285, 496, and 544 km/h). In 1991 he tried again, but once again had to give up with handling problems.
+However, in 1989, Arfons returned to Bonneville with ''Green Monster 27'', an {{convert|1800|lb|kg}}, {{convert|22|ft|adj=on}} long two-wheeler. The car left the ground at {{convert|350|mph}}, and Arfons rebuilt it into a less radical four-wheeled vehicle for 1990 but could manage only {{convert|177|,|308|, and|227|mph}}. In 1991, he tried again, but once again, he had to give up on handling problems.
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
 ==External links==
-{{commonscat|Green Monster (Land speed record car)|Green Monster}}
+{{commons category|Green Monster (Land speed record car)|Green Monster}}
-* http://www.americanjetcars.com/arfonfam.html
+*{{cite web |url=http://www.americanjetcars.com/arfonfam.html |title=Arfons family |last=Tatroe |first=D. |date=2011 |website=American Jet Cars}}
+*{{cite web |url=http://www.the-rocketman.com/jet_cars.html |title=Jet Car Legions |date=2004 |website=The Rocketman |access-date=2006-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061125235138/http://www.the-rocketman.com/jet_cars.html |archive-date=2006-11-25 |url-status=dead }}
-* http://www.the-rocketman.com/jet_cars.html
-* http://www.speedace.info/art_arfons.htm
+*{{cite web |url=http://www.speedace.info/art_arfons.htm |title=Art Arfons |date=2006 |website=Speedace.info}}
-* http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/Club/Secure/Art_Arfons.html
+*{{cite web |url=http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/Club/Secure/Art_Arfons.html |title=Art Arfons |last=Shapiro |first=Harvey |date=1997 |website=ThrustSSC Mach 1 Club}}
-* http://www.greenmonster5.com
+*{{cite web |url=http://www.greenmonster5.com |title=Home |date=2018 |website=Green Monster #5}}
+*{{cite web |url=http://www.samuelhawley.com/lsr.html |title=Green Monster interviews |last=Hawley |first=Samuel |date=2011 |website=Land Speed Record |access-date=2013-05-23 |archive-date=2018-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906102204/http://www.samuelhawley.com/lsr.html |url-status=dead }}
-* [http://www.samuelhawley.com/lsr.html The Land Speed Record in the Sixties: "Green Monster" collection]
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Green Monster'' (automobile)}}
 [[Category:Jet land speed record cars]]