| njjoe |
I love it!! Nice engineering and fabrication project.
It is the perfect response for those pesky tailgaters. Let them get up close, fire up the jet, hit the afterburner and melt the front-end right off the chassis.
Unfortunately, contrary to what the builder claims, that car is NOT street-legal. Not even close.
For those of you interested in a true street-legal turbine-powered car, check out this link: http://www.turbinecar.com/turbine.htm . It details the history of the Chrysler Turbine car that was produced in 1963. Approximately 50 production cars actually made it into the hands (garages) of 203 people who got to drive them as part of a Nation-wide test program. It is a shame the program was scrapped.
-njjoe |
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| hfelknor |
Notice that risaralda posted about 10 minutes before I did. I tried to delete my post (General Discussions - VW kills Murano) after I saw this one, But I don't have the authority to delete my own post.....even tho no one else had added to the thread.
That sucks.
Anyway, why wouldn't this car be street legal?
The reg engine and trans are intact, unmodified, and in fact is what he normally runs.
I rather suspect that that license plate is current and i see no law to prevent him from registering a VW with a stock engine and tranny, that just happens to have a jet engine in the backseat.
I just don't see how they can legally prevent him from registering this car.
Homer |
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| njjoe |
Homer-
You are kidding, right?
I would think any car that can project a twenty five-foot flame capable of instantly burning the flesh off of a pedestrian who happens by is not street-legal. The fact that the local police have not ticketed him proves nothing. They simply are not trained to address a car that was previously only seen on a drag strip as part of an exhibition.
You've run race cars. Strip cars have scatter shields in the bell housings to confine the clutch if (when) it goes. There is no scatter-shield on that turbine. Can you image what a titanium rotor blade will do if it lets loose at 26,000 RPM?
The author wrote in the narrative - "Guy standing beside car had never seen it run before and was smiling ear-to-ear throughout the show. Had I launched, I would have burned him to a crisp. Well, live and learn." Live and learn?
I think it is a wonderful exercise in engineering, but it has no place on the public streets.
-njjoe |
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| Mr3Putt |
That is by far one of the coolest cars I have ever seen...
"The engine is a General Electric Model T58-8F. This is a helicopter turboshaft engine that was converted to a jet engine by some internal modifications and a custom tailpipe. The engine spins up to 26,000 RPM (idle is 13,000 RPM), draws air at 11,000 CFM, and is rated at 1350 hp." |
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| Tyler_Canada |
| Hmmm... I wonder what would happen if you accidentally turned on the turbine with the windows closed.... :eek: |
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| Gonzo |
| The entire car would implode! |
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| GripperDon |
| should sure clear out you sinus congestion, talk about a sucking sound. |
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| njjoe |
The interior volume of the Beetle is approximately 108 cubic feet. At full power the GE T58-8F consumes 11,000 CFM.
Every second the volume of air in the car is consumed 1.7 times, or in other words, every 0.6 seconds the volume of air in the passenger/cargo space is consumed by the turbine's intake.
You don't want to leave gas receipts lying around on the dash.
-njjoe |
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| GripperDon |
This guy has too much free time and needs a real life. What do you do with this thing after you have got it? Go to Drag meets I guess and sell entertainment to the crowd.
Wonder what the insurance rates are or the trade in value will be.
I assume if he has a ramp he could launch himself prpbably stright up. Hey that's a thought.
PS Gonzo I love your camera trick distortion. |
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| Mr3Putt |
quote:
Originally posted by GripperDon
This guy has too much free time and needs a real life. What do you do with this thing after you have got it? Go to Drag meets I guess and sell entertainment to the crowd.
Wonder what the insurance rates are or the trade in value will be.
I assume if he has a ramp he could launch himself prpbably stright up. Hey that's a thought.
Gripster!
I'm real surprised your not thrilled with this guy.
He's so far "up your alley" he could be related to you!
Or are you just miffed you didn't build one first?
:2: :2: :2: :2: :2: |
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| cjones |
Looks cool, but doesn't really work to propell the car. A shaft turbine engine is designed to spin a shaft which on this modification the shaft is not connected to anything. The 'thrust' provided by the turbine is minimal, probbly less than 100 foot pounds of thrust.
If it had enough thrust to push the car, Ron would have provided a video that shows that.
If the engine had enough thrust to push the car it would likely tear parts of the cabin off and attempt to suck it into the engine. Never mind blowing your eardrums out.
This is a fancy flame thrower on a VW.
If you want to see a truck where the shaft of a jet engine is actually connected to the transmission, click here: http://www.popularmechanics.com/aut...ge/1302876.html |
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| Stu |
quote:
Originally posted by cjones
Looks cool, but doesn't really work to propell the car. A shaft turbine engine is designed to spin a shaft which on this modification the shaft is not connected to anything. The 'thrust' provided by the turbine is minimal, probbly less than 100 foot pounds of thrust.
If you read the web page you will note that the turboshaft engine has been modified to run as a jet engine and provide tailpipe thrust. |
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| cjones |
If you had read my post... which you replied to... it would be clear I understood that fact which is why I said it is not suppliying more than 100 lbs of thrust.
Peace. |
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| BikerJohn |
quote:
Originally posted by njjoe
Unfortunately, contrary to what the builder claims, that car is NOT street-legal. Not even close.
-njjoe
I think that you would have to at least tie a RED fire-retardent kevlar flag on the back :2: :2: |
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| hfelknor |
Im sorry, I really don't like to disagree with joe, but he is dead wrong. And THAT is most unusual.
It IS street legal.
Please quote sections of the code that would make it not street legal.
There are none.
Also I suspect that there is more than 100 lbs of thrust available here. A lot more.
For everybody's amusement and edification
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJyAA0oPAwE
Homer |
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| BikerJohn |
Definitely more than a 100 lbs of thrust!!
I still think it just needs a red flag:D |
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| Lightninrod |
I find it interesting that there's no mention of the engineering required to place the engine in the front. Would like to see how that was done.
Dan |
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| hfelknor |
The New Beetle has the engine in the front and it is (Gasp!), water cooled. :D
Homer |
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