Some racers are defined by their creations, some are defined by their success, others are defined by their ability to come up with new ideas and employ them in ways that others haven’t been successful with or had not thought of yet. Art Arfons was all of those things during his long career as a racer in multiple disciples and in the tractor pulling world where he spent many years after he was done chasing big speeds. Of all his cars, tractors, and creations, one stands above the rest in our eyes. It was not the fastest, it was not the wildest, but it was the most steady and enduring of the many things that he built. That car is the Cyclops and this video, which was shared with us by Art’s son Tim and his wife Shari Arfons shows the car’s public debut in 1961. You will see the massive machine on display and then you will see it make a speed run at Dayonta, Florida. This WAS NOT made on the beach or at the speedway but at another location.
Over the years, Cyclops made Art Afrons a LOT of money because it toured drag strips relentlessly, it set records on the salt flats, it was booked in to appear as an attraction at car shows and other events as well. Simply put, Cyclops was that old faithful machine that maintained a steady course where some of the more wild builds met more dubious fates. The car’s primary touring years were ’62 through ’70 so we’re going to assume that this video was made sometime in late ’61 or early ’62. Because the run was made in Florida we’re going to assume that conditions were not favorable to run in his native Ohio.
Fun fact? The nose cone on Cyclops was created using an old industrial lamp shade!
Art drove this car over 330mph on the Boneville salt flats and Betty Skelton drove the car to what was the female land speed record in 1962 with a terminal velocity of 277.62 mph. This is spectacular video of the car’s first shiny iteration as the public came to know it.
CHECK OUT OUR FEATURE ON HOW CYCLOPS LOOKS TODAY – RIGHT HERE
Artie was the best.
Is there supposed to be sound????
that is indeed the back straight at daytona in 1961 stripes on the road and just a guard rail lots of power poles in view also.watch the pace lap of the 1961 500 on you tube to see the same place i have lived in this hood a long time
Guy had some brass ones. That’s not much more than being duct taped to the front of a jet engine with whees.