TRANSAURUS was built in 1991 in Oregon. The project took approximately one year to complete at a cost of $500,000. The dinosaur head, body and arms are all custom made.
TRANSAURUS is approximately 35 feet in height and 51 feet in length from head to tail. This was the approximate size of Tyrannosaurus Rex.
TRANSAURUS is powered by a Vickers hydraulic pump and controls along with 47 various hydraulic cylinders:
*2-50,000 lb rams power each claw, (upper and lower).
*2-75,000 lb rams are inside the arms for elbow and shoulder motion.
*4-50,000 lb rams are inside the head for jaw and upper head motion.
*Dinosaur can lift and destroy a 4,000 lb vehicle.
*Dinosaur can destroy and average house in 30 minutes.
*Fire system is liquid propane - 450 psi - 200,000 BTU.
*Dinosaur breathes 15 foot flames
*A system that allows TRANSAURUS to salivate before eating it's prey was added in 1995.
*M4-10 Jet Turbine engine is for special effects, sound and fire.
*Jet turbine engine also drives a generator used in powering the Dinosaur. (This turbine is similar to engines used in commercial airliners for ground power.)
TRANSAURUS is mounted on an M-4 track vehicle (Military Personnel Carrier). Five feet of frame, 2 sets of road wheels and extra track had to be added to the vehicle to handle the extra weight.
TRANSAURUS weighs approximately 37,000 lbs.
*The original drive unit and final drives are still intact.
*Numerous body lifting cylinders, door cylinders and track hydraulics were added to transform the Dinosaur.
TRANSAURUS is powered by a 600 horse power 454 Chevrolet engine, has two transmissions and is capable of running 48 MPH on soft terrain. Safe show speeds are 10-15 MPH.
TRANSAURUS requires two operators.
*Right side operator controls all Dinosaur movements when transforming and performing.
*Left side operator controls driving the vehicle, lighting and fire effects. He also monitors all pressures and temperatures of the system.
*Both operators share in the operations of fire and jet turbine systems.
*Operators own, maintain and transport TRANSAURUS to all performances.
*Transportation vehicle - Freightliner Tractor, Great Dane Trailer.
*Combined weight of vehicles - 79,000 lbs.
Right side operator - Rick Steele
Left side operator - Chris Armstrong
Show time is approximately 18 to 30 minutes in length.
IN COMPARISON TO OTHER MOTORSPORTS:
*Transaurus weighs as much as 14 1/2 Winston Cup late model race cars.
*Makes one lap around a 1/2 mile race track devouring 18 1/2 gallons of fuel.
*Weighs as much as 4 1/4 Monster Trucks but cannot jump as high.
*Transaurus is superior to Monster Trucks in total destruction.
Copyright,2000-2001, Monster truckWorld inc,
