Where are the gas turbine cars?

[TR6oldtimer]

Back in the early 60's, the father of a friend of mine was chosen to test drive the Chrysler Turbine Car. Kind of cool as I remember it. The cigarette lighter was heated off the exhaust gas...

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[kennypinkerton]

Chrysler destroyed most of 'em. (the 3rd video after yours) I think Jay Leno has one, I've seen another on TV. I think one is in a museum. Probably not more than 5 or 6 left around all together.

 

[DeltaAir423]

The problem with Gas Turbine cars (would need to be a turboshaft engine) is that the inspection and maintenance schedule for reliable operation is very expensive, even for todays engines. Couple that with poor mileage, and rising diesel costs, well you get the point.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Not to mention the heat from the exhaust would melt the front bumper of most of todays cars if they were stopped behind one at a redlight.

 

[DeltaAir423]

Not to mention the heat from the exhaust would melt the front bumper of most of todays cars if they were stopped behind one at a redlight.

That's easily fixed by directing the exhaust upwards instead of backwards. The Rolls-Royce (Allison) A250 is a good example of this setup.

Rolls-Royce A250

 

[rick_ingram]

There is one in a private collection in Terre Haute, IN. It is complete and roadworthy.

There is also one at the Museum of Transportation in St.Louis.

 

[Guest]

Not to mention the heat from the exhaust would melt the front bumper of most of todays cars if they were stopped behind one at a redlight.

That's easily fixed by directing the exhaust upwards instead of backwards.

Then you would melt the redlight.

 

[hilsideser]

A friend of my brother's lives in Washington Courthouse on S. Ohio. His wife is involved in a univesity there in some capacity and the oportunity to purchase several of these complete engines that had been donated to this particular university came up. Jim wass able to buy them at scrap metal prices. They're in his barn.
Sidebar here: urban legend stuff - the GM prototypes that had been rumored to be in a junk yard in Michigan for decades DID turn up. They were right where rumor said they were in War Hoops Auto Salvage on Mound Road in Warren, Mi, near where I grew up! Not crushed, as they were supposed to have been.

 

[Brooklands]

Thanks sounds like the story of the Biscayne Show Car that had been supposedly destroyed years ago, and will appear at Pebble Beach. Last year a friend went to the show and was able to send me the program book. I am sorry that he is not attending this year...it was a great addition to the library.

 

[bugimike]

Wow! Now THERE'S a forgotten memory!! at the age of 16, I got to take a short demo spin in one of those at the Worlds Fair in Flushing, N.Y.!!!!

The turbine engine turned out to be neither the most efficient nor practical of power-plants for automobile applications!!

 

[Don_Neff]

There are at least two in the Detroit, MI area - I've seen both of them in person. The turbine had about as much power as a Chevy 283 of the same era.

Besides the poor gas milage, they were slow to accelerate because turbines don't like to change speed quickly.

 

[angelfj1]

and then there was a guy named Andy Granatelli with his STP special

https://www.turbinecowboy.com/carstrucksmotorcycles/1967IndyTurbine/photoalbum_view

 

[rick_ingram]

Back in the early 60's, the father of a friend of mine was chosen to test drive the Chrysler Turbine Car. Kind of cool as I remember it. The cigarette lighter was heated off the exhaust gas...

Here's the one located in the private collection in Terre Haute, IN.

It is roadworthy.

 

[Silverghost]

That STP Turbine car is my all time favorite Indy car. And the only reason he lost that year was a broken $4 part, something like that.

 

[RomanH]

The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn Michigan has one as well. I just saw it last week.

 

[Tinster]

Back in the early 60's, the father of a friend of mine was chosen to test drive the Chrysler Turbine Car. Kind of cool as I remember it. The cigarette lighter was heated off the exhaust gas...

<span style="color: #000099">Our neighbor across the street had one the Chrysler
demo cars. I'm thinking maybe 1962? He had a cute daughter as well.

d :thumbsup:</span>

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Back in the early 60's, the father of a friend of mine was chosen to test drive the Chrysler Turbine Car. Kind of cool as I remember it. The cigarette lighter was heated off the exhaust gas...

<span style="color: #000099">Our neighbor across the street had one the Chrysler
demo cars. I'm thinking maybe 1962? He had a cute daughter as well.

d :thumbsup:</span>

So was my friend DeeDee, a tall breath taking blond.

 

[tony barnhill]

Back in the early 60's, the father of a friend of mine was chosen to test drive the Chrysler Turbine Car. Kind of cool as I remember it. The cigarette lighter was heated off the exhaust gas...

<span style="color: #000099">Our neighbor across the street had one the Chrysler
demo cars. I'm thinking maybe 1962? He had a cute daughter as well.

d :thumbsup:</span>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]So was my friend DeeDee, a tall breath taking blond.

You guys can remember the cars with cute girls like that around while your hormones were out of whack?

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Back in the early 60's, the father of a friend of mine was chosen to test drive the Chrysler Turbine Car. Kind of cool as I remember it. The cigarette lighter was heated off the exhaust gas...

<span style="color: #000099">Our neighbor across the street had one the Chrysler
demo cars. I'm thinking maybe 1962? He had a cute daughter as well.

d :thumbsup:</span>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] So was my friend DeeDee, a tall breath taking blond.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]
You guys can remember the cars with cute girls like that around while your hormones were out of whack?

On this forum I can talk about the car, but not what was on my mind then, and it was not the car's head lights or boot...