Art Arfons

[Malcolm UK]

I met Art in the UK when visiting the Thrust SSC build that Robin referred too in the opening post.  Spent a day including lunch with Art, June, Dusty and Randy. 

I cannot recall much of what was discussed - Richard Noble was there for much of the time! - but I have photographs recording the moment that Art kicked off his shoes and climbed into the cockpit of Bluebird CN7 - the turbine automobile LSR record holder.  Art had fashioned the 'Ant Eater' wheeldriven car on the CN7 layout.  Richard Noble leant on the car chatting through the controls and I had the pleasure of telling a visitor to the National Motor Museum that it took three outright records to sit in CN7 but with only one you could just lean on it.  Art also got into the drivers seat of teh Golden Arrow and 1000hp Sunbeam for photographs.

One young visitor managed to distinguish Art from the youthful driver on a film that rolls on TV monitors beside the LSR car displays and got a signature in an autograph book.  Ofcourse this film includes the dangers of LSR, as it showed the remains of the Green Monster on the salt after the big crash.

Art was involved with Tractor Pulling, which pleased June, and they were returning from a European event where both he and Dusty had driven their single and double engined turbine 'pullers' asnd Randy had prepared the track.  Art was still using the proven 'chalk lines on the floor around the motor design technique' prior to building.  In the 1990's most vehicle builders would be using computer aided design - but not Art who demonstrated a genius for vehicle construction.

A sad time for the family indeed but they should know that Art inspired many in this 'game of going fast' by showing you did not need abundant cash to go fast.  The Speed Record Club loses an Honorary member, whom in my time as Chairman I was pleased to honour in person.  Rest in peace Art.   

[PorkPie]

Art was a human giant like Don Vesco.

In 96 I was in Canton/OH to visit the Hall of Fame for American (prof) Football, and due to this that Akron and Canton are twin towns I got the idea to say Art Hello.
At the chamber of commerce in Canton they was so kind to try to get Art on the phone but nobody was in the workshop or at home, so I drove the next day to Art's workshop, just a try.

Art and Tim was there, and they told me that the day before they was on a tractor pulling event.

Art gave me a chance to sit in his Green Monster 27, the thinny jet car, which was before a jet bike.

Tim showed me his jet powered bar stool, at last Art and myself was hanging around in Art's office and when we talked about Bonneville he had a wooden award for the wall in the hand.

This was the first place award he won/got the day before and just so he gave me this award and said "that's for you, take it home as a memory for your visit today"

What a man.................I still got this award in my show case side by side to the 64 and 65 model of the Green Monster which Art used for his three records at Bonneville.

Thanks Art.

[Dean Los Angeles]

Picked this off of the SCTA web site:

Art will be buried in his fire suit, with wrenches in his hands and J79 jet engine operating manual by his side. Also tucked away with him will be a jar of salt bought home – oh so many years ago.

What a guy.

[roadtrip]

As a kid in the '50s and '60s, I was fascinated by whatever showed up in the pages of the rod magazines and especially the drag and Bonnevile coverage. Reading about Arfons, and the other builders and drivers of the day, was as good as any comic book.

A few (19) years ago, I got re-interested in model car building and really enjoyed researching and building obscure old race cars. I decided to build a replica of Arfons Green Monster 11, the Allison engined drag car from the late '50s. Very little information was available and technical deatils were almost non-existant. After I built the frame and got the engine mounted, there were just too many details that couldn't be seen and I couldn't figure out.

I looked up Art Arfons on the computer, got a phone number and called, not expecting to really gain any information but at least maybe someone could point me in the right direction.
Art answered the phone - in his shop - looking at the car I was replicating which was being restored. Ubelieveable - We talked for the better part of 30 minutes, I took notes and did sketches, and enjoyed one of the more memorable conversations of my life. He asked me to bring the finished car to his shop if I was ever in the area.

The finished piece was a very successfull award winner and I was in the Akron area more than once, but I never took the time to connect with him.  BIG MISTAKE - another lesson learned.
I hope his trip to the afterlife was at no less than 600 mph.

Dig out some old magazines and share stories with a younger gearhead so these creative, innovative shade tree rodders aren't forgotten.

DonS         

[Tom Shannon]

Art will be inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in April,2008 at Talladega Speedway.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2007-12-06-hall-of-fame_N.htm






Tom Shannon
Magna, Utah