Craig Breedlove, Art Arfons and others

[samhawley]

Hi everybody. I’m writing to pass along some information that Motorsports forum members might find interesting. Since my book “Speed Duel” was published last October (it’s about the quest for the land speed record in the 1960s, especially the rivalry between Craig Breedlove and Art Arfons) I’ve been thinking about all the material I collected while doing research that I wasn’t able to use, transcribed interviews and photos and other things. I’ve therefore decided to do something about it: On a new website I’m putting together I’ve included an LSR section. Go to http://www.samelhawley.com and click on the “Land Speed Record” button on the left. So far I've uploaded interiews and photos relating to Spirit of America, Green Monster, Wingfoot Express, City of Salt Lake, Flying Caduceus, Challenger and Bluebird. There will be more to follow—notably more Spirit and Green Monster photos, plus a section on the Infinity racer driven by Glenn Leasher.

All the best,

Sam Hawley

[Bob Riebe]

Hi everybody. I’m writing to pass along some information that Motorsports forum members might find interesting. Since my book “Speed Duel” was published last October (it’s about the quest for the land speed record in the 1960s, especially the rivalry between Craig Breedlove and Art Arfons) I’ve been thinking about all the material I collected while doing research that I wasn’t able to use, transcribed interviews and photos and other things. I’ve therefore decided to do something about it: On a new website I’m putting together I’ve included an LSR section. Go to http://www.samelhawley.com and click on the “Land Speed Record” button on the left. So far I've uploaded interiews and photos relating to Spirit of America, Green Monster, Wingfoot Express, City of Salt Lake, Flying Caduceus, Challenger and Bluebird. There will be more to follow—notably more Spirit and Green Monster photos, plus a section on the Infinity racer driven by Glenn Leasher.

All the best,

Sam Hawley
Freebies are wonderful, but have you considered publishing a second book with audio-visual material included?
You could call it -- Speed Duel, Addendum.

[Stan Reid]

Does anyone remember a twin jet engined LSR car that was being built in the early to mid 1960s? There was a photo of it in a magazine (Hot Rod perhaps) without any bodywork. As I recall, the assigned driver was Bob Knapp. I can't find anything on the internet about the car and wonder what happened to the project.

[Rollo]

Does anyone remember a twin jet engined LSR car that was being built in the early to mid 1960s? There was a photo of it in a magazine (Hot Rod perhaps) without any bodywork. As I recall, the assigned driver was Bob Knapp. I can't find anything on the internet about the car and wonder what happened to the project.

Herda-Knapp Milodon?

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=336&dat=19670824&id=fYZaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5EkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5766,5426148&hl=en
- The Deseret News, 24th Aug, 1967

326.853mph ??

That is this car:
http://d5eo2qstq4v8a.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/0426.profile.jpg

The Herda #999 Streamliner.

http://www.albertleatribune.com/2011/04/bonneville-bob/
Among those photos is one of Knapp with the four other young men that made up Herda-Knapp Milodon, a land-speed racing team that made history on a hot November day in 1967. At the cost of a transmission, drivetrains and multiple engines, Knapp and his crew drove a single-engine car a world-record 357 mph — a record that stood for just over 20 years.
- The Albert Lea Tribune, 26th Apr 2011


In 1967, the LSR stood at 600.601mph by Craig Breedlove's Spirit of America - Sonic 1.

[Stan Reid]

Hi Rollo:

That is almost certainly the same Bob Knapp but that's not the car. The magazine photo showed Bob sitting in the framwork of the car where the driver's seat was going to be, flanked by two jet engines in a layout somewhat like Thrust SSC. I assume the car was not completed due to financial shortcomings. The only possible reference I can find is on "Arie Bras' List of LSR Models" and all it says is "Bob Knapp Special ??-??-1962"-no picture.

[D-Type]

Sam,
Have you considered donating any surplus material to the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen for their library?

[robknapp]

Stan
I remember when my dad was building that car in our garage. He had 2 J-47 engines. A friend was killed going fast and he scrapped the car and made some movable flower planter boxes for my mom.
Robert Knapp jr

[Stan Reid]

Stan
I remember when my dad was building that car in our garage. He had 2 J-47 engines. A friend was killed going fast and he scrapped the car and made some movable flower planter boxes for my mom.
Robert Knapp jr

WOW Rob-thanks for that information. Whenever I brought this project up to people, they would look at me like I was having some kind of delusion. And yes, I was pretty sure the engines were J-47s. Maybe your dad should have gotten some royalties from Thrust SSC :D I contacted Sam Hawley, who wrote a book about "jet war" era LSR cars and who started this thread, and he had not heard of your dad's project either. Assuming his email is still up, I'll pass your information along. THANKS AGAIN!

[Stan Reid]

I believe there were a total of 14 (15?) fully built LSR cars that made official timed runs at Bonneville in the "Jet War" era of the early to mid 1960s.

3 for Art Arfons-Anteater, Cyclops and Green Monster
2 for Craig Breedlove-Spirit of America and Spirit of America: Sonic I
And one each for nine drivers
Donald Campbell-Bluebird CN7
Mickey Thompson-Challenger I
Athol Graham-City of Salt Lake
Tom Green-Wingfoot Express
Bob Tatroe-Wingfoot Express II
Ermie Immerso-Thunderbird IV
Glen Leasher-Infinity
Bob Summers-Goldenrod
Nathan Ostich-Flying Caduceus

There was also Bill Frederick-Valkyrie I which was completed but doesn't seem to have made any official timed runs at Bonneville even though present. I did see a report that indicates Gary Gabelich got the car up to 356 mph but I'm not sure if this is true.

Are there any others?