The Santa Fe New Mexican from Santa Fe, New Mexico • 6

THE NEW MEXICAN Santa Fe, N.M., July 30, 1982 'Jet' isn't an idle boast on this car By TERRY ENGLAND LOS ALAMOS (AP) The custom Callfornia license plate reads, "JET-UBET." This isn't an idle boast this car has a real jet engine in it. And the engine can move that car up to 200 mph. The car already was in the family, and it had room to hold the engine. So, with a little modification and a little outside help, a Honda became a jet car. "There's no real reason except for going fast," said Bob Lazar, builder of the engine.

"It's going through various transitions and it's always half done." Lazar, a physicist at the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility, said the important thing is not the car, it's the jet engine. It's something he's been working on for years, starting when he worked years ago with another researcher in NASA on the technology, Lazar modified the original design "and put out more power." His first jet-powered device was a bicycle on which he hit 100 mph. "The cops saw that and put a stop to it for fear of safety," he said. The engine, the second for the Honda, is made of stainless steel and titanium and burns liquid propane. The jet is capable of putting out 1,600 pounds of thrust, although it was cut back to 800 pounds for various reasons.

The first jet engine was smaller, and the exhaust was right behind the license plate holder. When the jet was to be fired, the holder was moved out of the way. One time someone forgot and the metal plate was shattered by the force. The Lazars kept a piece as a souvenir. The waste products are water vapor and carbon dioxide.

An afterburner that uses kerosene increases the jet's efficiency 50 percent, Lazar said. In tests at a dry lake bed near Los Angeles, the car hit more than 200 mph, he said. When the car hit that speed, the driver, a friend of the Lazars, came back "as white as a sheet," Lazar said. The standard gasoline engine works, and is used to get the car going to about 90 mph. The engine then is put into neutral, and the jet engine is kicked in for 30 to 60 seconds.

The Honda isn't made for high-speed driving. Indeed, the total thrust, slightly above 1,600 pounds, is about the same as the car weighs. "Theoretically, the car should become airborne if the thrust exceeds the weight," he said. "If you hit a rock, you're in trouble. That's one reason we cut down the thrust." Lazar said he also had to put in two steel beams in the floor of the car.

Fiberglass was used to remold the body so air scoops could be added to the roof and sides. A firewall protects the driver and passenger from the heat of the engine. The temperature in the engine compartment reaches 200 degrees. Parts of the engine will glow white hot. At one point, the Lazars were almost out of money, and the car was unfinished.

"That's when commercial firms helped out," he said. Word was getting around in California about the car and offers began to come in. The car received four new tires, a custom paint job and new seat, all free "as long as we put their names on the car," he said. The jet cannot get the car going from a dead stop. So last month it was driven in the usual manner to a high school parking lot, where Lazar started the engine four times.

One of the oddest sights is the little foreign car sitting in an empty parking lot making a noise like a jet plane. Lazar explained that the sound waves in the intake are synchronized with the sound waves from the exhaust, adding to the din. The waves travel in a from the -obituaries Camilo Agus- day from. 6:00 to 9:00 Kirtland Air Force Base, A Santa Fe resi- with Rosary being officiating. Burial will died yesterday p.m.

follow in Santa Fe recited at 7:30 at Blocks' Naat St. Vincent's Mortuary. On Sunday, tional Cemetery with full after a long ill- visitation will be from Military Honors at He is survived by a 1:00 to 9:00 with graveside, provided by Carlotta Kilbey, p.m. Kirtland AFB. PallbearParish Rosary at 7:00 and nieces; Funeral Mass will ers were: Lee Allen, Don Trujillo and wife p.m.

Beck, Bill be celebrated on Monday Hanrahan, Willie Trujillo, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Fran- Pete Ackley, Waylon Montoya and cis Cathedral with inter- Tracey and Dale Ray, Roland ment to follow at the Na- Schmaltz. Arrangeand wife Jeannie, tional Cemetary. Blocks' ments were through Romero Pita Mortuary.

McGee Memorial Chapel Joe Trujillo, Pat Mortuary. Lucas Kilbey, ALLEN, Leonard Frank PURCELL, Knight E. FuJimmy Escu- Funeral services were neral Mass of Christian and wife Rosina, held today at 2:00 p.m. at Burial was Celebrated Salazar and Memorial Chapel Mortutoday at 10:00 a.m. at St.

other relatives. with Chaplain, Capt. Francis Cathedral. Buriwill be Satur- Cecil R. Richardson of al followed in Santa Fe AN AMERICAN PREMIERE IN SANTA FE SALOME ballet of considerable power." Clive Barnes "Dramatic soaring Variety "Bold and stunning London Evening Times dance- Dallas Ballet at Santa Fe presents this provocative drama July 29 August 1 at Sweeney Center.

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715 St. Michael's Dr. RSI PAYNE'S RIT Sat. 988-9626 Sun. 10-3 exhaust, and moving around the rear of the car subjects the ears to a real assault.

The noise level in the passenger compartment isn't as bad, Lazar said. The police are familiar with the vehicle, too. During the demonstration, a county officer drove up and asked, "Have you been firing that thing?" When Lazar said yes, the policeman said not to do it anymore because complaints had been received about the noise. "The police have been cooperative," Lazar said. "'They've been interested in the car, and sometimes we've seen them come by and look at it." Unlike most jet engines, Lazar's design does not need huge bulky compressors because the fuel already is compressed, making it the most efficient jet engine available, he said.

A standard jet engine uses six pounds of fuel for every pound of thrust, but Lazar said his engine uses 1.3 pounds of fuel for every pound thrust. New projects for the jet include an ultra-light aircraft powered by a smaller version, then possibly a race car with a bigger version. "This will be strictly a race car," Lazar said. "The car will be designed around the engine, instead of one being placed in an existing car." The jet-powered Honda attracts a lot of attention for the Lazars, who moved to Los Alamos from California. Neighbors will gather around and look at it, sometimes in the middle of the night, the Lazars said.

Most of the local people are interested in the technology, which is a change from California, said Mrs. Lazar. "People (in California) looked at it and said, 'A jet-powered car' then tried to damage it," she said. "A lot of people are frightened by it. I was at first." She has driven the car to 135 mph because, she said, "I like the speed." National Cemetery.

Parish Rosary was Recited last night at 7:00 p.m. at AY Laserphoto The license says it all. Bob Lazar stands next to his Honda car that holds a jet engine capable of boosting the car to 200 mph. The car is becoming well-known in Los Alamos because the noise can be heard 15-Day Bargain European HERRERA, tine 67 dent morning Hospital ness. sister nephews Freddie Linda, Ramona husband Felix Manuel Jones, Herrera, cousins dero Emiteria many Visitation McGee Memorial al Chapel Mortuary.

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