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Tom Green (designer)
Tom Green worked with Walt Arfons to design and drive the Wingfoot Express, a jet-powered land speed record car. Green drove the car to a world record speed on October 2, 1964. Green's world record is often forgotten, as the mark was eclipsed three times in less than two weeks, including the first to break the threshold. Green was chief engineer for a torque wrench manufacturer. Although Green's only racing experience had been a year of stock car racing in New Mexico ten years previously, he was greatly interested in aerodynamics. This dovetailed perfectly with Arfons' interest in racing mechanics. The two met at a trade fair in Gary, Indiana in 1962, and Green recalls that "Within ten minutes we were planning our assault on the world's land speed record". Green shortly provided plans for a three-wheeled land speed record car, which had to be changed to four wheels to meet FIA rules; from there on there was little change until the car was finished. Green's emphasis was on reduci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walt Arfons
Walter Charles Arfons (December 10, 1916 – June 4, 2013) was the half brother of Art Arfons, his former partner in drag racing, and his competitor in jet-powered land speed record racing. Along with Art, he was a pioneer in the use of aircraft jet engines for these types of competition. Walt was born Walter Stroud, on 10 December 1916 in Muncie, IN. His mother, Bessie, was half Cherokee, and died in 1983 at age 84. Walt had one brother, Dale, two years younger, as well as his ten years younger half-brother Art and an eight and a half years younger half-sister "Lou", both from his mother's marriage to Tom Arfons. Arfons' family operated a feed mill in rural Springfield Township, Ohio, where the Arfons brothers exercised their mechanical skills and ingenuity. Walt began building dragsters with Art in 1952; their first car was a three-wheeler with an Oldsmobile six-cylinder engine, and an Oliver farm tractor green paint finish. The announcer at the drag strip laughingly an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |