RCR's Next car should be.....

[TimB]

Gas turbines are absolutely AWESOME!! Small engines, very low weight, insane power, killer RPMs. The only drawback is they take a second to spool up & down. Down is the biggy for braking. If you use a manual transmission you could just kick in the clutch. Automatic and you're in trouble. It'd be kinda easy to heel-toe with that cuz you wouldn't have to blip the throttle. But, seriously, what's the fun in that? ANYWAY, gas turbines... Awesome, run on anything that burns (seen one running on wood!!) so they're the epitimy (sp?) of "Flex Fuel" vehicles. Hahaha

Laters,

Brian

I imagine there must be ways to combat the spool up and down since Chrysler turned quite a few of those turbine prototypes over to the public to test. Anybody here know much about that program? I don't suppose there is anything but money preventing someone from building a turbine SLC

 

[Chris Kouba]

Sorry Fran, but minor thread drift alert:

This is pretty friggin cool and (technically) turbine-powered but not exactly in the spirit of the Howmet cars:

Jet Bug

Clearly someone with TOO much time on their hands. Maybe he should try building a 40...

 

[Manny]

Clearly someone with TOO much time on their hands. Maybe he should try building a 40...

That Jet Bug is really just a clown car....

Sorry guys, but it's all for show... The power numbers he is talking about don't translate into what we generally think of as acceleration.

Jet engines make thrust. Unless you are moving really fast, they really don't make much power. Now if he was already going 300 mph, he would be making the 1300+hp that he claims, but in the real world he isn't.

If we take the typical torque of a small block (about 350 ft lbs) and multipy it by the gear ratio of the rear end and the tranny (2.97X3.42), then (assuming that the rear tire radius is about a foot, which is close enough), we get a thrust at the tire of about 3500 pounds. That is the thrust that a typical Corvette makes in first gear....

The jet engine here will only make about 750 pounds of thrust, enough to accelerate the VW (which with the jet engine and driver, weighs about 3,100 pounds) at about 1/4 of a g, or about as well as a Corvette would accelerate in third or fourth gear.... So if this guy shuts off the normal engine and lights it off, he is going to accelerate like a vette in fourth gear..... It will keep accelerating like that until it is going really fast, but in any kind of a drag race it wouldn't be very exciting. Even with both engines running he won't start to gain on a Corvette until the Vette hit fifth gear....

So, enjoy the afterburner fireball, and all these people can talk about big power, but we know better, it's just a clown car..... And if he wants to race, do it for a quarter of a mile and you will kill him.​

 

[Bill Tracy]

A guy named Craig here in Florida is converting a Ferrari Testarossa to a turbine powerplant. I believe the engine is rated at about 550 hp, and is using a 2 speed trans IIRC.
The main site for future info is here (the site was just recently setup and has just a few pics):
Turbine Powered Ferrari Testarossa
Discussion / origins are here:
Testarossa Turbine Project, Happening NOW! - FerrariChat.com
BT

 

[Brian Hamilton]

As far as the Chrysler Turbine Cars, they had this problem. They took a few moments to spool up and spool down. There was a guy who had a gas turbine in a race car and came up with a wastegate system that popped off the compressed gasses in order to get almost instant deceleration. Actually, I think it was that Howmet that did it. Anyway, I'd check on that and how they did it. Chrysler also had issues with inlet temperatures and how people would melt the damn engines in public use. Basically, the engines weren't idiot-proof and we all know we have plenty of idiots out there running around. LOL
It would be pretty sweet to get a shaft drive turbine in a SLC. I know the ones used in Bell Helicopters are about 550 Shaft HP at 120,000 RPM. Hehe They do have a reduction unit on them so they can actually drive the blade. You can hook that up to a transaxle and of ya go. There's a place called MTT or Marine Turbine Technologies (MTT- Turbine Fire pumps, Turbine Motorcycles, Turbine Boats; Marine Turbine Technology) that makes that turbine motorcycle. They are probably going to be the best place to locate what you're looking for if anyone is serious about doing this. They have a truck that uses an Allison engine attached to a Chevy 700R4 transmission. It has power steering, A/C, and all that stuff. Pretty cool setup. You can also find turbines for sale on ebay or other used or surplus military parts. Ok, enough of my ranting.

Laters,

Brian

 

[Mike]

My father was one of the engineers who worked on the Chrysler Turbine cars. He developed the transmissions. His main problem with them was the power output was largely dependent upon intake air temperature. If I remember correctly, power output was half at higher temperatures.

They knew in advance that the turbine cars would never make it to production. It was a publicity stunt.

 

[Randy V]

They knew in advance that the turbine cars would never make it to production. It was a publicity stunt.

Oh you don't know how you just burst the bubble that I've been carrying since the Chrysler Turbine car was first introduced as a concept in the mid 60s. 1964 I believe ...


Next to the GT40 - the CTC was my most very favorite of cars....

I remember Tom McCahill doing a promo for the car where he showed it would run on virtually anything that was flammable..

Darn - to know that it was a stunt all along is purely tragic!!!!

YouTube - Chrysler Turbine Car

 

[Brian Hamilton]

I read that whole Testerrossa article. WOW!! Imagine that drivetrain in Fran's SLC!! 500 continuous HP and 550 max HP, but weighs less than 200 lbs!!! With all accessories and transmission and everything I'd bet you're 400 lbs. or less. Power to weight is INSANE!!! He's using a 2 speed Circle Track transmission, I'd probably go 3-5 speed in order to get more streetability out of it. But still, I'll never do it so... LOL Great idea for anyone who can afford it though!!!

 

[Bill Tracy]

I read that whole Testerrossa article. WOW!! Imagine that drivetrain in Fran's SLC!! 500 continuous HP and 550 max HP, but weighs less than 200 lbs!!! With all accessories and transmission and everything I'd bet you're 400 lbs. or less. Power to weight is INSANE!!! He's using a 2 speed Circle Track transmission, I'd probably go 3-5 speed in order to get more streetability out of it. But still, I'll never do it so... LOL Great idea for anyone who can afford it though!!!

Yeah, Craig is not afraid of doing a project that most of the Ferrari crowd frowns on. I think it is uber-cool. I hope to get a ride in it when he is done. High RPM is good!

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Do you know the guy personally? If so, tell him KEEP GOING!!!! I want to see the finished product BAAD!! Must have videos!!! Hahaha

 

[Bill Tracy]

Yes, I've met Craig a few times and he has come to our house party a few times. He also has a nice F430 coupe (black). He is a yacht broker, so he applies some of his marine turbine knowledge to the car he is building. I am sure he will finish the car in the next 6 months or so.
It will be too cool for words.
Kind of like a Superlite Roadster!!!epper:epper:epper:

 

[John Milmont]

How about a 908-3? Its like a big go-cart!

 

[Jay V]

When are you going to produce this one??
without all the extra high dollar carbon fiber items you mentioned..

:helmet:



Where do we sign?? :deal:

 

[John Fitzpatrick]

I came across this and remembered seeing it in Sport Car Graphic (?- maybe Road and Track) back in '64 and praying Alpha Romeo would go ahead and produce it- although I don't know how I thought I could afford it on a paper route salary. It would make a pretty nice kit though!

 

[Randy V]

That is pretty sexy looking in a Jag/Ferrari/Daytona-coupe sort of way.... I remember seeing those pics or pics like them years ago from the distinct vents in the front fender/cowl area...

 

[Dan]

 

[Dan]

I'd Love to see an SL-P1/2 type of car, that seats two.

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

This looks like pretty similar spec to something sitting around the RCR shop.....
Saleen-S5S-Raptor- New York Auto Show Articles - Yahoo! Autos

 

[Randy V]

Ummm.. Fran - is there something you're not telling us???

You know... with Troy MI being just down the road and all.....

 

[Dan]

I like the looks of the SL-C way more than that Saleen.