The Car was actually demoed to the president of Mexico at the time. And during the conversation, he asked if it would run on Tequila. the engineers said technically yes. So they filled the gas tank with Tequila and the president of Mexico drove it around. So at the time, the president of Mexico was driving around in a tequila powered jet car........ that is the most Mexican thing I have ever heard.
That's the coolest thing I've heard in a long time. It all just seems so fitting. He may have only been president but I'd say he probably felt like a King while driving around in a tequila powered road rocket. Plus you can jam a straw into the fuel tank and get yourself a hit of tequila. Sounds so convenient.
11:00 minute mark, my grandfather is standing in the group of designers /engineers. The turbine car was a major part of his life at Chrysler back then. He found a way to measure the pressure between the turbine blades while they were developing the pitch/shape they needed to be inside the engine. I still have the “cobra” probe he developed and used for all the testing, as well as a full set of internals, prototype parts, notes,… It really made me smile to see his face pop up in this video…. Miss you gramps.
After seeing this play out it may appear like a half baked idea. The mostly free (cost money for car, transport, people and time) publicity at a time they were experiencing financial challenges may have benefited Chrysler with more sales. The Auto industry has many stories of the challenges to keep evolving and making autos the public wants or needs. We appreciate all the efforts of the people working towards a result that can greatly benefit or change our history
I am 66 yrs. old and when I was 9 yrs. old my dad did a test drive in a Chrysler car at the local dealer in Marietta, GA. and we got a free model of the Turbine car! I still have that model today along with the box it came in.
I suppose the box is worth so much more because there must be so very few of them. I received mine from a relative who was working at a hotel where the Chrysler executives were having a meeting. It just came with a booklet about the car and the model itself. Didn’t come with a box
I'm 71 years old and I still have my model too! They gave them away at events that demonstrated the turbine car. I remember them balancing a nickel on the air cleaner of a running engine.
I am 75-years old. When I was still in high school, as I was sitting at the stop waiting for the bus, I actually HEARD this car drive up to the light. It sounded just like a jet airplane, only much quieter. I got a quick look at it just as it pulled away. I never forgot that sight.
I'm not even a car guy but I'd have bawled my eyes out, too. That level of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and care to go almost completely to waste in *any* field is absolutely heartbreaking.
@@EnkiMMXII What Chrysler could not find some buyers of rare car to pay the tax and buy the cars? People were knocking down the door to get them. Chrysler was lazy and wasteful in there complice to the law.
@@tipperzack When Chrysler first had then brought in from Italy, they were planning to continue developing turbine cars and eventually bring them to mass market. The bronze cars were just a proof of concept with plans for future improvements and iterations, so it didn’t make sense for them to pay to keep all of them, just a few to keep as museum pieces. Then, later on when the turbine car concept was scrapped, I would assume it would be too late to retroactively pay import and registration fees, even if people were willing to.
My father worked for Chrysler and we had a turbine car for a few weeks. The "woosh" sound out of those huge dual rectangular mufflers was awesome. The intercoolers were so efficient that the exhaust was actually cool. The whole neighborhood got rides in it.
@@thoughtsfromathenasreality like the narrator said, you'd never have seen so many grown men cry like those men who saw those beautiful cars get crushed. I would have been one of them lol
Tony S ... Me too, but it was on the Hamtramck/Detroit border line, only a hop away from the Chrysler Think Tank located in Detroit. It looked like 2 Chrysler exec's out for Lunch & a ride. Never heard or seen anything like that since--Sooooooo Cool.
A friend of mine, Al Bradshaw, was a district service manager for Chrysler and he had 4 or 5 of the turbine loaner cars assigned to him. His 24 hour phone number was on the inside of the glove box. He had a lot of stories about going out and dealing with the problems. He was instrumental in helping to get the turbine car at the St Louis Transportation Museum in running condition.
.....When I was a kid in Detroit, a Chrysler Turbine car was on the road, just a few feet from me... I could hear the 'sound' it made, and have never forgotten that moment...Thus, my comment today, at nearly 70 years old.....
@@bgemski they, Democrats distroyed Detroit, the instant NAFTA was signed into law based on lies, you could hear a sucking sound as Detroit's heart was sucked out, packaged up, and send to Mexico and China, and it left a wake of abondoned factories and boarded up main streets all across this country, and as long as Democrats are allowed to be in charge of ANYTHING, there is no chance on hell of turning it around, Democrats have to keep minorities poor so they can continue to exploit them
My dad was one of the chosen to drive the Turbine, It was probably the highlight of his life! We drove it from our home in Milwaukee to New Orleans and people would follow us for miles until we stopped at a gas station. Dad kept the tank pretty full, as not every station carried the type of fuel that we needed. The car was nothing like the 1950 something Plymouth that sat in our driveway! We were given plastic models of the car...which sat in a place of honor in dad’s home for over 50 years!!!
@@shannondove9029 I was only about 13 at the time, but it seems like dad used something called white gas. I don’t remember him using regular gas. He was an engineer, and very particular:)
@@Grandmascrafts891 I believe white gas was unleaded back before unleaded was a thing. Maybe the lead in regular gas back then caused issues in the turbine?
To be honest, when he said that these cars could run on anything, I was expecting the reason the cars were never mass-produced and got crushed was because they posed a threat to big oil.
Yeah, the conspiracy bullshit is sexy....but reality sets in and the facts are clear: turbines are expensive to manufacture, maintain, and are not eco-friendly in terms of manufacture or exhaust. But on the plus side, they sound cool, run on most fossil fuels.
trust and believe big oil had their hands in there somewhere ...... because down the line someone knows someone who hangs out with someone whose money is all tied together
The functional jet cars being demolished over import duties reminds me of the liquid glass poured into functional engines as part of the Cash for Clunkers car destruction project. The government just loves destroying things.
That era of mass car murder still aches. I saw a seemingly good condition K5 in a dumpster on a hill with the cash for clunkers billboard. So many of my friends and other car people tried in vein to save the older more priceless vehicles, but the government refused to let any of them go
The butthurt over CFC (so many years past its brief impact) is hilarious. Most of what got scrapped was no loss while providing MANY donor vehicles for salvage to keep other machines running. People outside the salvage industry don't tend to know how it works. CFC yielded many accessories, body parts, whole interiors (great for fixing Copart buys which is what I did when I worked for a used car lot), front clips, fenders, truck beds (beds are not cabs so those were fair game and we got our share) wheels, suspension parts, rear ends and more. A few desirable machines got zapped but most went to salvage yards (who were entitled to buy them provided they snuffed the engines and crushed the hulls) thereafter to be profitable parts sources. Nearly EVERY old vehicle meets the shredder. If you're too slow to score what you want through poor planning that's a USER error.
@@Comm0ut You missed the part where it cost all of us to the tune of three billion dollars. Enough to build a 400 square foot tiny home for 60,000 of the 550,000 homeless Americans including Veterans that are on the street. Which do you think is more important?
When I lived in Virginia one of our neighbors was selected for the use of one. Every time they went to the store, it was loaded to the brim with passengers. It was dubbed "The Rocket Sled". That thing was total bad ass!
@@johnhancock6114 what's he talking about then? The video was about Chrysler's turbine car, and he's lamenting the loss of American engineering magnificence. Not hard to connect the dots here. No engineering magnificence was lost. Chrysler made a piece of engineering magnificence, but they shelved it because it wasn't cost effective. They didn't lose the info, burn the books, or anything like that. It just wasn't affordable. If anything, it helped usher the idea of powering the M1 battle tank with a turbine engine. That's what they use, still to this day.
@@ivanpatriot1644 He's referencing it on a scale much larger than Chrysler's Turbine car. Many years ago the USA used to be the one country everybody wanted to come to in order to learn and be able to apply their unique ideas, and our country used to recruit the best and the brightest the world over but over time that has all changed and now people go to other countries to apply their skills rather than come here. While we do still have those who come here for that purpose, much of it has been lost to other countries because, simply stated, the USA has fallen into obscurity and we are no longer *THE* place everyone wants to go.
When I was a kid, one of my neighbors was a Chrysler engineer... He had one of these cars in the 60's... I had no idea what it was at the time, but now I know how special they were...
I was about 12 or 13 when these cars were put out on the road and remember seeing a big spread on them in Life magazine, or possibly Look magazine, explaining the whole test program. I was really into car design at the time and thought both the looks and concept of this car was amazing and was hoping it was the wave of the future. It was just a few years later when STP's Andy Granatelli built his Indy turbine car and it was so good they disqualified it from any future races. A real shame all around. Also, I used to work for Allied-Signal Aerospace, which in the 1980s was developing a gas turbine engine to power 18-wheelers. They put two of their turbine engines in retrofitted Mack trucks and test drove them from Phoenix to Denver and back for many months. Part of that trip involved steep mountain highway grades, and these trucks had so much torque that they could pull a full 80,000-lb. load up 6% grades at 55 mph (speed limit in those days) passing every other truck doing about 25-30 mph. Unfortunately the program was eventually scrapped for the same reason: high engine cost. I think that those engines would have run about $60-70,000 at the time, when you could buy a whole standard rig for about $25,000.
I'm wondering what the engine braking was like (or lack of it) on the down-sides of those hills. Without engine braking the brakes of the time wouldn't last (even the brakes of this time they won't last without engine braking).
My best friend’s father worked for Chrysler . One day his Dad brought the turbine car and he gave us all a ride. It was the bronze version. I can remember the strange sound it made. Really cool memory.
I saw one in the early 60s. Was at the Chicago Car Show. My dad wanted to buy one but wasn’t for sale. He wanted a test drive but there was too long of a wait, too many others were there first.
@@BlackandWhitecustoms not fake news. A real memory. I was about 6 years old. My friends dad told us it was the same type of engine from the Bat Mobile. (Adam West) of course we believed him.
I went with my father, who was an automotive engineer, to take a test drive in a turbine car in 1964. I still remember how he raved about that bronze beauty !!!
A friend worked at a Chrysler plant in IL. He was walking inside the plant when a big over head door opened and a turbine car pulled in. He said it was gorgeous. He had to get to his work station then but came back later at break time to get a better look. He said it was really streamlined, smooth, truly looked like a space age car.
With the technological advancements that we’ve had since they initially created these (possibly making production way cheaper) and the expected rise of gas prices, I wonder if this would be viable again. Imagine filling up your tank with... tequila 😂
Steve! Wow! Man I never dreamed I would see THIS CAR in action ever again. I saw a turbine in 1964 on US 54, the road between the Lake of the Ozarks, missouri and followed it to Eldon mo. Where it pulled into a grocery store parking lot. Needless to say a crowd of gawkers immediatly surrounded this beautiful spaceship by Chrysler! I was just 16, had my drivers license, and I had the nerve to ask the man driving it,..he laughed and said no,but allowed me to sit in it for a minute. I've always had memories of that georgeous summer day tagging along behind that car. Exactly like the one in your video. Thanks for the memory. Great documentary.
@@bullriderinwrangler1 doubtful, because they were all destroyed after their testing period. The one that came into Eldon, Missouri was in summer of '64.. By reading some post, presumably these 50 demonstrators, made one helluva wide sweep across America and into Mexico.
@@bullriderinwrangler1 I'm not a doubter at all man what are you saying? IT WAS 1964 when I sat my 16 year old body in the seat behind the wheel of The Turbine car exactly like this one. I followed it for miles up highway 54 into Eldon. I ASKED IF I COULD DRIVE IT!! LOL Not surprised he said " sorry son, not today- go on sit in it"😁👍🇺🇸
I had the privilege of riding in one of Chrysler's turbine powered cars in 1976. My wife and I were on our honeymoon and the Kennedy Space center was on the list of places we wanted to visit. There they had one of these cars and were giving anyone that wanted to a ride around the area, a distance of, maybe, 5 miles. The young woman who drove the car knew little about it, other than how to start it and drive it.
Just a little correction. The engine was a turbo shaft engine not a turbofan engine. There was no fan section like on modern commercial jets. Just a compressor and a turbine which was coupled to the transmission. I was very similar to what they use for auxiliary power plant units on commercial planes.
turboshaft engines can have fan blades... the one in the car was a centrifugal compressor,.. no fan blades.. the intake was the same as a turbocharge..
@Jim Blalock Nope. There tends to be a lot of confusion about what term is assigned to what part in a jet engine, because many of them are nearly identical in design and function. So people who havent worked on them often get components mixed up. What you're referring to are compressor blades... These are not the same thing as fan blades. Yes, jet engines can have either impellors in centrifugal flow engines, or compressor blades in axial flow engines. Both of those designs, what youre referring to is the compressor section. Similarly, in the back, there is the turbine section, which can use either turbine blades or an impellor (many centrifugal flow engines use turbine blades btw, turbine impellors fell out of favor pretty quickly early on in jet engine development). A "Turbofan" is a whole other level of complication. Those actually do have "fan blades". The bare minimum you need for a jet engine is a compressor section (compressor blades), a combustion section, and a turbine section (turbine blades). This bare minimum arrangement is called a "turbojet". However, turbojets are pretty inefficient no matter what task you set them to. So engineers went out of their way to complicate jet engines past turbojets, to make them better at other tasks. This led to a proliferation of TYPES of jet engines, with names that have a prefix of "turbo", and a suffix of whatever task that jet engine accomplishes. In a "TurboFAN" engine, the core is just a regular turbojet... But the power from that jet is used to spin up a giant ducted fan. That fan is what provides most of the thrust. If you want to see an example of a turbofan, most modern day airliners use Turbofan engines. That single stage of big wide fan you see in the inlet, looking down the inlet of the engine, is the "fan" part of the turbofan. The actual "jet engine" part of the engine is a much skinnier core, that has a much lower diameter than the fan. The fan provides 80-90% of the thrust, by pushing cold air around the core of the engine through something called a "bypass". The core itself only provides 10-20% of the engine's thrust (most of the core's power is robbed to power the fan). This is all done because the turbojet engine is good at moving small volumes of air very fast. For a wide variety of reasons I wont get into, this is very inefficient on slower moving (subsonic) airliners. What the turbofan does is convert a jet engines power into something that moves a large volume of air much more slowly, to increase efficiency at subsonic speeds. The turbofan engine is the only type of jet engine that truly has "fan blades". And you can see them, because theyre the largest and biggest blades on the engine, as well as the blades you can see in the first stage (the first row of blades you see looking down an inlet). Although fan blades participate in inlet air compression, that is not their primary function. Their primary function is to generate thrust by moving as much air as possible around the jet engine through the bypass. This job is what makes "fan blades" distinct and different from "compressor blades". I am making this point as clear as I can, because although most jet engines have blades of some kind, not all jet engines have "Fan" blades... Compressor and turbine blades are not the same thing as fan blades, and you'll only find fan blades in turbofan engines. Powering a big ducted fan wasnt the only task engineers came up with for uses of jet engine power. Another is called a Turboprop. These are jet engines which power a propellor instead of a ducted fan. Similarly, and this is what's in the chrysler jet cars, a more generic jet engine who's only job is to provide shaft power to something else, usually through a gear box to reduce RPM, is a turboshaft engine. I think maybe a few turboprops and turboshafts have a bypass in their designs fed by a low pressure compressor, for use as cooling air, but as far as Im aware, these engines DO NOT EVER have a proper fan in them. Low pressure compressor blades are still compressor blades, not fan blades. Since the point of the jet engine in turboprops and turboshafts is to feed power to something that isnt a ducted fan, they wouldnt waste power trying to also power a ducted fan. Anyway... Fan blades, compressor blades, and turbine blades... Very similar parts separated only by function. Source? I was a KC-135 jet engine mechanic for 6 years, and spent a lot of time researching early jet history. I'd post links on this stuff, but YT just autodeletes comments with links.
@airtechmech *most helicopters. Early helicopters used reciprocating engines. Turboshafts proved to be far better power to weight ratio and much less maintenance intensive, so they took over most of the helicopter world. But some small helicopters with low HP requirements use recip engines still (the Mosquito comes to my mind, which has options for both).
Jay Leno is able to buy collector cars from hesitant sellers because he built a Museum, and thus they are not just toys for a rich man. Often the sellers seek him out after their father, uncle, etc. died to see their rare car enter Leno's Museum...
That is one of the best videos of any kind I've seen in a long time. My Dad was a public relations agent in the 1950s through 1970s, and his biggest client was the Chrysler Corporation's Fenton, Missouri car and truck assembly plants. He drove the bronze turbine car back in the 60s, and just thought it was the greatest thing ever. He would come up with some new story about it every so often, such as the fact that it had been run on Chanel No. 5! I still have one of the small plastic models Chrysler used for publicity purposes (in pristine condition). But I never knew the extensive history of the car. Thank you so much for this post.
I saw one of these in the middle of nowhere in Georgia growing up in the 1960's. I knew it was special because it sounded like a giant vacuum cleaner. I didn't really know what it was until many years later. You never forget something like that.
Imagine running out of gas and looking at your wife and saying "give me your hairspray" and running a car off that to limp if to the next gas station. Expensive tech but Holy shit it would be convenient as ever
I worked as a field service tech where we would carry around mineral spirits for cleaning solvent....once ran out of gas sitting in commuter traffic....filled up the 85 S-10 with the cleaning solvent and the poor 2.8V6 death rattled its way to a gas station about 2 miles away....Stayed together after that "motor flush" for 10's of thousands of miles after the fact.....🤣
I saw a working 63 one at Chelsea proving grounds. Guy said they found it sitting behind one of the factories and it still had a functioning turbine engine in it so they brought it back and restored it. This was in the late 90's. It was awesome, temp was 1,200. The paint was not touched because they couldn't be sure to match it. The engineer also said they were surprised it still had a engine in it. Since most of the kept ones had dummy engines in them. With the exception of a few.
I used to visit omni source a metals recycling plant in toledo and detroit, a friend was a high up, well he showed me them shredding brand new vipers and prowlers back in the 90s. I forget why but it was so depressing to see.
@@98f5 Those Vipers and Prowlers were most likely pre production cars, fully complete and running but not yet homologated. Car companies usually use these cars for press photos, they lend them to journalists for brief tests and then have to destroy them, as they aren’t actually road legal
@@Jay1330 Reminds me of when Ford of Australia finished the Falcon production and leant out the pre production Sprint 6 and Sprint 8 Falcons (Identifiable by their PP number plate on the engine) to journalists and then were all crushed but I’m sure one or two still exist as someone in the yard couldn’t bear the thought to crush them.
I worked as a technician at a Chevy dealership in Bethesda, Md from 1977 to 1983. One of those bronze turbine cars showed up in our service lane one day. I got to look under the hood and hear it run. I am still amazed by that cars looks and technology to this day. I assume it was the car that ended up at the Smithsonian
In 1950 ROVER, a UK car manufacturer showed JET 1, a turbine powered prototype capable of 150mph. This beautiful 2 seater is on show @ The London Science Museum. In 1963 Rover +BRM produced a turbine race car that competed at Le Man's 24 hour. Turbine cars also competed in Indy 500 in '67 but we're effectively banned by new regulations by the '70's.
This guy is a very capable narrator. I understood every word, even though English isn't my native language, and he kept my attention from start to end.
I'm hearing "fuel efficiency" with the multi-fuel aspect and "less maintenance" which both mean "less continuous consumer spending" which means "hard no" and that never fails to disappoint me.
ROVER built a Gas Turbine car in England in 1949/50 and held the World Speed Record for a Turbine car at about 153 MPH. There as so many reasons that a gas turbine would simply NOT be suitable for a car. With a gas engine the response of the engine to accelerator movement is almost instantaneous. while a turbine takes a significant time to spool up to operating speed. Trying to drive a gas turbine car is stop go traffic was IMPOSSIBLE. Fuel consumption was was measured in FEET PER GALLON and the temperature of the exhaust would have incinerated a car behind it.
less maintenance as in it won't need servicing as often - but the cost of that maintenance is going to be incredibly expensive. turbine powered cars are never going to happen. the average jet engine costs millions of dollars, and an overhaul will still be hundreds of thousands at a minimum. even if you find a way to make them as cheap as possible, the cost will still not be worth it over a piston engine
When I was a teen, my uncle (Manns Restoration) restored one of these in his shop. Crazy smooth too… demonstrated by balancing a nickel on its side on the engine cylinder. It’s wild to see the attention coming back to this so many years later! It’s a fascinating story, and quite a striking car in person. That orange bronze was soooo beautiful.
I wanted a Turbine car as a kid. Loved the old Mopars. Tried the balance the nickel test on many cars over the years. You can actually balance a nickel on a C4 Corvette ZR-1's LT-5 engine. Turbine smooth idle.
I also saw a Bronze Turbine car when I was a teen. It was at the Northway mall about 1962 and I also saw a nickel balanced on edge on the top on the turbine at idle. I also inspected that nickel afterwards. Looked normal. If it was magnitised, doesn't matter as it was sitting on an aluminum housing. The bearings were exceptional. I still have the brochure that was handed out to visitors. Maybe. My dad drove us there in a 1960 Dodge dart pioneer model - V8. Wish I had it now.
Our school bus stopped at a driveway in Potomac Maryland. I was only in 1st grade at the time, yet I still remember that bronze Turbo Car. A lady came out and waved us up her driveway. She was so kind taking time to start the car, open the hood and doors. She was very emphatic that we start well away from the back of the car.
Totally amazing. I knew a little about these when I was growing up, I'm 67 now. But I had no idea that they had taken these cars that far. It's sad that they didn't pursue it any further.
@@AndrewAMartin I know, I was Army Aviation, I meant the jet car. Way too cool to just bury, It's not like aircraft where you have to retire after so many hours, you could ride out until the turbine quits, it's not like it's going to fall out of the sky, hell, Jay Leno has a turbine powered motorcycle, which probably got it's turbine from an aircraft. I would have loved to test drive one of those cars just to see how it feels and handles.
Saw a turbine car in the wild as a kid in early 60s when the cars were in the hands of the chosen few Steve Lehto referenced in this video. The awareness level and hype in the mind of the public surrounding this car cannot be overestimated. When I spotted one of these approaching me on the street in my hometown of Ontario, CA it was if the Beatles were about to pass me on the sidewalk. The appearance and sound stopped one in their tracks. I followed the car on my bicycle to the point of exhaustion. So glad that at least a few of them survived the crusher. Jay Leno's video also provides an excellent overview plus an actual walk-around of his own turbine car.
I was at the Peterson Museum in LA. A guy cleaning the turbine car asked if I wanted to sit in it. Sat in the drivers seat and pretended to be driving it.
I seem to remember that 2 turbine-based cars were entered into the Indy 500 in the late 1960s. They ran away with the race until they broke down late in the race. They were painted red and were sponsored by STP, I think. Great concept!
Yeah, the Granatelli bros brought them Bobby Unser drove. The racing authority, whoever that was at the time, banned them the next year. More because it was the Granatellis who brought them, it was mainly political nonsense.
I saw one at a chrysler dealer ship when I was about twelve. It was on the showroom floor, so no test driving. But the most amazing thing to me was that the spokes person could balance a coin on its edge on the engine while it was running. Absolutely amazing!!!!!
Actually the batmobile, for real, had a regular engine. However, their speed boost "afterburner" was a hot started T-40 Solar (brand name) gas turbine. They would wind it up for the start and extra fuel pooled in the exhaust. Then the start button was pressed, whoosh! In the USNavy they were fire pumps and we lit one off in school as a hot start. They frowned on this of course.
When I was a young man, a friend of mine's Dad was showing us photos of his turbine car... he was one of the lucky few that were selected to drive around one of the bronze cars for a season. His stories about it match up to this video pretty well.
I remember a road race movie from the early 60’s called “THE LOVELY SET”. I think it had Elvis Presley in it or some one like him and he was driving this turbine car. In the big climactic race scene at the end the hood is blown off the car and you see the impressive turbine engine in the car racing down the road. I still remember that from 55years ago.
As a teenager in 60's I remember these cars very well. In fact a man who lived three blocks from home had one. As I remember it, these were loaned to a few lucky families for feedback after several months? He actually parked it on the street in front of his house. But in those days, hardly anyone would steel cars.
I work for the premier enclosed auto transport company in the country. My co-worker delivered one of these to Jay Leno, he had wanted it since he was a kid. Very cool
I keep looking for me in the old pictures. I workdd behind closed doors and pictures weren't allowed usually. I help develop the "variable pitch power turbine " that turned the turbine into a tire smoking "road runner" type car. So many memories.
So who's using that blades-cast-in-rotor patent these days? AFAIK the rotors and blades of aircraft turbines are made separately and bonded together with built-in air ducts and so forth. Is it even possible to make something that large a single crystal the way turbine blades are these days in certain classes of military turbines?
This video is spectacular. I’ve always heard my aerospace engineer buddies talk about these things, and I’ve tried to do more research on the history of them. But this video hits that spot, info that I couldn’t find anywhere else.
I'm 71 years old now. I remember my dad taking me one Saturday afternoon in the early 60s to the local Chrysler dealership in Regina, Saskatchewan to see this amazing car. It was on a cross-Canada tour. The showroom was packed and people were agog. When the Chrysler rep said it would run on any combustible substance, people started shouting out suggestions from perfume to butter, to which the man would reply "yup!" every time. That always stayed with me ... even butter, wow! Always wondered why it was never sold. It seemed to be amazing. Now I know. Thanks for the enlightenment.
This was a cool story I worked for Chrysler in 2000s and actually got to clean and prep the two cars they own for the proving grounds in Michigan. It was mind-blowing to ride in those things and to imagine they did this 30+ years before I saw them.
In the summer of 1963, I was in an Esso station in Wayne, PA....I was 13. My older brother had stopped there for gas. I heard this whining sound that got higher and higher....it was one of the bronze Chrysler turbines starting up. I can truthfully say I saw one....and I was dumbstruck watching it pull away. It looked so cool from the rear and sounded like a jet as it left the station. THAT is a strong childhood memory from lonnnng ago which was only explained by this video!
My grandpa was one of the drivers for the car when they allowed 10 people to drive it. After the cars were trashed, he was told not to say anything about it which was weird.
Awesome I’ll love ❤️ to see Vin Diesel talk to guy of that golden era to secretly reveal last car. Then Vin Diesel uses it. I’m not sure if that ideal was used in fast n furious sagas yet
My grandfather worked for Chrysler in Huntsville, AL. My dad still has a book about Chrysler's programs in that era. It has the turbine car detailed inside. Now I need to find that book!.
Ive heard that line of reasoning in my aircraft dealership. "189k for the good model, or 300k for the same thing with the top engine?" A disclaimer that the top engine is exclusive, new, and comes with developmental glitches. Customer says screw that, i want the newest and hottest. All we sell now it seems is the 300k models... don't undersell the customer as the saying goes.
@@Sarahbethcycles wtf ? Aircraft dealership? And why you ever pay 210k for a engine that is going to be more expensive to repair (since unproven) And considering that engine is what keeps the aircraft in the air... But someone that can by a aircraft at 300k they probably have stopped having to think or be nice to ousters. Let alone think strait.
In 1962 or 1963 (not sure) my uncle got a notice from Chrysler that he was able to get one of those Turbine cars for testing, unfortunately he turned them down, man were we disappointed.
When I worked at Williams International in Walled Lake, MI, I remember going into their warehouse several times and they had an AMC car in there, I don’t remember what model it was, but it was essentially brand new. They had used it as a test platform for a turbine engine. They may still have it. Of course, Williams had put turbines in just about anything you can imagine. It was the most amazing place I worked at in my entire career.
First there was the burning of the ancient library of Alexandria, Second was the destruction of such a beautiful and amazingly well engineered machine. At least there are still some still around and being cared for.
@@TheHungrySlug individualism is only prized in conceptual terms. If you truly strike out on your own, with passion and determination, they will cancel culture you until you give, or they crucify you. This applies to all minorities. Even Mopar fans. After growing up with a Granddad who was exceedingly tech savvy and told me as a boy, about this car, and the company that made it,,, THATS why he bought his 66 Dodge Monaco, because it emulated the fabulous turbine car he saw as a young employee of a little engine company in Columbus Indiana. This car, and the enginerds who created it, were the stuff of legend in my Granddads household. And all these years later, I follow his footsteps in that same company. We've made power with buttermilk that went sour in one of our test cells. I still have my Granddad's old Monaco, and I guarantee you any Mopar guy knows what Steve was talking about by the feel of how a 60's Mopar handled and drove. They were singular in handling at a time when Fords and GM's squished and floated around corners, Chrysler's tortion bar suspension was haled by everyone from CHP to Tom McHale(McCahill?) in the automotive press,, and my Granddad swore by McHales(McCahill?) advice. Always good to hear Steve extoll the virtues of the company that brought us the fabulous Dodge Charger.
@@extec101 Both the EV1 & Chrysler Turbine Cars were a marketing & feasibility study. GM & Chrysler had agreed to remove the cars from the road at the end of the test period, had they went on to make a version for sale, they would have had spent a lot more to prove the designs were safe to the US DOT. The EV1 made mass-produced EV's possible after additional tests were performed. I don't know that a 60,000 rpm turbine would even be safe enough for US DOT, even back then...
I remember them when I was a kid on Long Island. They were around. The original Batmobile on the Adam West TV show, the sound it makes is a recording of the turbine car. Also, Rover in the U.K. was playing with them too around 1949. Their prototype is in the London Science Museum.
I too was very young around the early 60's and rode in the backseat on a drive. My next door neighbor was evaluating one of the 'Bronze' ( i always called it red) turbine cars and dad and I was oohing and aahing while checking it out. My neighbor was very well versed on the specs of the car and would educate us as we probed ever deeper into the car's performance. I was maybe 10 years old (72 now) but even by then was well versed in the mechanics of cars. I only remember a few things about it including the battery was in the trunk and was 24 volt. I also remember seeing the RPM and the engine looking powerful and the temperature was 2500 degrees F. Wow, so hot I thought. It was smooth and had good acceleration. On the multi fuel capability, what does it matter when gas was under $0.30 a gallon. It brings back memories to see this stuff, Thanks.
My grandfather got one of these from a dealer in Seattle. I remember the stories on this car. It was a silver and green push-button system. It was FAST. Often when my mother drove it she had to feather the emergency brake. Mainly to keep the brake system from burning out. The good thing was she worked for Boeings SST program at the time and they loved her car. My grandparents took it on a trip to LA. During that time there was a major forest fire that was going to block 101. So they were stopping folks from taking the drive. When they showed up the park ranger was looking for a really fast car to get to the next station and tell them to stop allowing cars through. The phone lines were down. Grandfather said sure and the guy pilled in. He had a drive of his lifetime. Grandfather let it go full and raced through to the next station. The guy left the car shaking. It was a monster. It was later found out the few folks he passed did not make it. In 1969 he traded in the car to the same dealer. The guy was in shock that this car had been missed and should never have been sold since it was a test car. Yes, it was ugly green and had that back end with the cone backlights. As a kid who rode in it several times the sound the engine made was nothing like anything I heard since. It always reminded me of an airplane set to take off. Wish grandfather had never traded it in.
Not compared to now, no. But back then when cars had top of 60 or 70 at best if you had the money for them, but back then? That'd be like taking a 2012 Camano and racing it against 69 and when it smokes by entire minutes saying "Yeah, and this camaro is slow' would that make sense since it smoked the 69 so blantaly? No.
@@JimmyKraktov Nope, My Grandfather bought one from the Major Seattle Dodge dealer who he personally knew. The darn thing could fly down the street without much work. Burned-out breaks like no tomorrow. I remember sitting in the office when he went to trade it in and The old dealer who was retiring was shocked he had it. Needless he wanted the car back and offered my grandfather a huge discount for it. Just shows knowing the owner of the biggest dealership gets you specials.
@@robby844 even a former Chrysler exc. saw it while he was showing another Chrysler for Jay's "garage" shows and asked Jay, "where did you get that car!!?"... like, legitimately shocked!! PRICELESS 😂
The last generation turbine didn't use the blades for the compressor section like you described. Those are axial flow turbine engines. The last iteration used a centrifugal compressor which is similar to a turbo charger compressor. Just had to get that off my chest after watching your video! With the technology leaps that have been made since 1985 I've often wondered why somebody hasn't used micro turbines to charge the hybrid powered EV charging systems on the Prius type cars. Today's technology using 3D or ceramics for the compressor sections would be much lower cost & easier to produce & the NOX capture technology has also evolved to be a doable proposition.
Dear sirs, I am in awe of what knowledge you possess and what you and your peers of the time had and I wonder why you would put such an incredibly good idea out here for free for all giant greedy bast…….s to benefit from for themselves rather than you yourselves who worked it out in your own heads? I am all for the individual to benefit of his/ her own ideas and work rather than anyone else. I wish you could make your idea pay you for it? I WOULD HAVE TAKEN WHAT YOU SAID AND DESIGNED IT TO BE PATENTED IN YOUR IWN NAME THEN TAKEN IT TO THE MAKERS OF THE ORIUS MYSELF TO OFFER THEM THE IDEA FOR AN INITIAL LUMP SUM PAYMENT PLUS ROYALTIES FOREVER! THANKYOU .
Someone takes pride in copy and paste on Google, well done sir 👏 . I look forward to seeing more "copy and paste" quotations from Google disguised as your own high educational knowledge. I may even subscribe just to see what Google statements you choose next . Come close a second 🤫 , u can now get AI apps that make u sound proper brainy now , but that little secret is between me n u mate , sshhhh mums the word 🤫🫢😉 . .
My grandfather temporarily owned one of these in the 1960’s while living in NC. Apparently he won the opportunity through an essay contest. Chrysler also gave him a die cast model of the car as a commemorative token (which we still have thankfully). We also have a ton of surviving family photos of the car. According to family accounts it always attracted a lot of attention! It’s a real shame they discontinued this amazing vehicle - my family was very sad to give it up in the end.
My dad, God rest his soul...entered the same essay contest in 1964, i believe it was. He was a long-time Chrysler owner and buyer and though he was not chosen to receive a turbine car for testing...he received the same model you speak of. i inherited it from him when he passed away 7-17-2012. Great memories.
@@gordoneriksen9580 My family lived in Raleigh, NC when they owned it. Could've been another lucky owner or perhaps my family was visiting the area then. Who really knows but that is still really cool!
I can't believe that at least one Chrysler Executive would have LOVED these awesome pieces of auto art: 1963 Chrysler Turbine Jet cars -- enough to have stepped-in and saved these cars, buy selling them to buyers outside of the country. What a shame! I would have been in tears, as well. (There is a spirit in a car -- " Christine," baby!)
If I may, the guy telling this story is amazing I watched the whole thing and was totally surprised that almost 16 minutes went by. Great story. Awesome car.
He has a YT channel. Mostly talking about legal issues in the news, a lot of car stories but adds a legal spin. Some of his older videos are about stories from his legal career but they're all about cars.
The M1 Abrams Tanks were originally designed by Chrysler Defense, the M1 utilizes a turbine, I wonder if any of the work done for car turbine crossed over to the Tank turbine?
The M1 Abrams tank was originally designed by Krauss-Maffei in Germany. Chrysler had absolutely nothing to do with the engine in the M1 Abrams. the LYCOMING AGT-1500 was designed by former Jumo engineer Dr. Anslem Franz who designed the engines for the Messerschmitt Me-262, Bell UH-1, AH-1 and Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
If I had to give an important car to someone, Jay Leno is one of like 10 people I would trust anywhere. Glad He got one of them and I bet his still runs.
A turban is a form of head ware often worn in Indian/Asian countries. A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.
The only reason I had to stop was cuz I don't like watching videos that make me want to start Googling stuff right before I go to sleep. Definitely watching when I wake up though.
From the Chrysler Turbine Wikipedia page. . . . . "A widely circulated explanation was that the cars were destroyed to avoid a substantial tariff on the imported Ghia bodies, although author Steve Lehto claims that this idea has been "largely discredited".[80] The destruction of the cars was in line with the automobile industry's practice of not selling non-production or prototype cars to the public. According to Lehto, the decision was influenced by Chrysler's public relations concerns: the potential difficulty of keeping the cars running and fears that owners would replace the turbine powerplants with piston engines." So how is it the Govt made them destroy the cars?
That's a good way to describe the sound. I was at a restaurant in LA when Jay Leno drove his into the parking lot. It was the weekly cruise night and it was one of the few times I was at the right place at the right time. Such a cool car.
I remember these car very well and would love to have one... The only problem was they were never made available to the public... And the cost would have been astronomical for me and I could never been able to pay for it... They were so beautiful!!! Thanks for doing the presentation...
The real problems: it couldn't run on only one specific type of fuel and you could get too many miles out of them. Doesn't sound very profitable in the long run.
These Turbine cars were bomb-proof. Have seen several at Chrysler car shows thru the decades and they reminded me very much of the 61-63 Thunderbird. the front end looked exactly like the back end of that Thunderbird. They truly are awe-inspiring to see in person much the same as an original Daytona Charger or SuperBird is.
In 1962, when I was 11, my dad took me to the New York City Car Show. That vehical was so impressive, that 61 years later, thats the only thing that I remember from that event.
My Grandmothers brother was in on that ride across the Country. He was a writer for the Saturday Evening Post! I remember him telling me the stories about it!
Imagine having to hold the key in the start position until the RPM's reach the speed required for sustained ignition. They don't start like a gas engine, do that and you get a "cold start" that damages the turbine blades
@ Guy Orsini Sustained ignition can happen at zero RPM. Lol... it’s fuel and an igniter.. it will burn. But if you do that you will get a “hot” start... not a cold start.. lol. So you dry spool it until the right RPM.. throw fuel in, and keep the starter going until RPM reaches the correct amount and temperatures are going down. If not.. you cut fuel and ignition and keep spooling it until the temps go down.
Wow! Best Lehto story ever. I remember hearing about these cars as a child in the 60's when my dad was building 426 Hemis for 1/2 mile dirt track racing with USAC. I am SO GLAD to hear the back story and now know why they never made it to mass production. What a pity! BSFC of a turbine engine is dramatically better than any piston engine, but the entry cost is where it all falls down. Like so many things, the short term rules over the long term because we measure quarter to quarter and ignore the benefits of a longer term view. Such is the investor driven economy!
Entry and maintenance costs. Eventually, you will have to overhaul the turbine at significant cost. Typically turbine powered engines for aircraft have TBO's of 2000 hrs at a maximum. Spending $3000 every 2-3 yrs is not my idea of cost effective. Then again let's consider an elecric vehicle like Telsa: after 10 years you will need a new battery for your model S, since the warranty has run out. Cost $22,500!!!
@@luisderivas6005 actually the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 gas turbine has an UNLIMITED time between overhaul if participating in the M.O.R.E. Program. This program allows unlimited TBO as long as consistent inspections are performed. I know of these engines going 10’s of thousands of hours between overhauling.
SO, Rodney Dangerfield drives one and runs out of gas. His wife says "The fifth of vodka in the trunk will get us home." Rodney says "Okay" and drinks the bottle. His wife says "Dummy, you were supposed to put it in the gas tank" Rodney says, "Give me 15 minutes. I'm TRYING."
@@Dancinitup The joke just "happened" to hit me while watching the video... I could only imagine this really happening (RD saying this as a joke) and thought "Gee this would be funny!"
I can relate. I work on CNC machines making the rotating assemblies of todays top of the line jet engines. I get a chill every time i hear a jet fly by. On top of that the shop is located directly under a flight path of the local airport by coincidence. There's something magical about the SBB motors when they come to life.
@@ggkkkgkgkkgkgkg home? No. Getting the basic metal is a major sourcing problem. I've seen some model builders use the technology but nothing on a big scale.
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The Car was actually demoed to the president of Mexico at the time. And during the conversation, he asked if it would run on Tequila. the engineers said technically yes. So they filled the gas tank with Tequila and the president of Mexico drove it around. So at the time, the president of Mexico was driving around in a tequila powered jet car........ that is the most Mexican thing I have ever heard.
That's the coolest thing I've heard in a long time. It all just seems so fitting. He may have only been president but I'd say he probably felt like a King while driving around in a tequila powered road rocket. Plus you can jam a straw into the fuel tank and get yourself a hit of tequila. Sounds so convenient.
Now I want a tequila powerd car
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍
Turbine Bronze! Excellent
I want just the hubcap off the white 1.
Pubstuntz
@@TheHungrySlug as long as it's never been fuelled with anything other than food grade drinkable fuels.
11:00 minute mark, my grandfather is standing in the group of designers /engineers. The turbine car was a major part of his life at Chrysler back then. He found a way to measure the pressure between the turbine blades while they were developing the pitch/shape they needed to be inside the engine. I still have the “cobra” probe he developed and used for all the testing, as well as a full set of internals, prototype parts, notes,… It really made me smile to see his face pop up in this video…. Miss you gramps.
Sorry for your loss buddy
did he move over to the GM turbine project? they put a coal dust burning Turbine in a Olds in 82, it would make sense.
Thank you for sharing 👍👍
Heck, that full set of internals may fit in that one mentioned that has none.. Those old Engineers like your gramps knew their stuff..
After seeing this play out it may appear like a half baked idea. The mostly free (cost money for car, transport, people and time) publicity at a time they were experiencing financial challenges may have benefited Chrysler with more sales. The Auto industry has many stories of the challenges to keep evolving and making autos the public wants or needs. We appreciate all the efforts of the people working towards a result that can greatly benefit or change our history
I am 66 yrs. old and when I was 9 yrs. old my dad did a test drive in a Chrysler car at the local dealer in Marietta, GA. and we got a free model of the Turbine car! I still have that model today along with the box it came in.
hate to say it but the BOX is now worth more than what is inside it!! its a 75% x 25% of product
How much do you think it is worth? I also have one, but don’t have the box for it.
@@richardweiner6405 With the box in good condition its worth over $2 million. Without the box 50cents.
I suppose the box is worth so much more because there must be so very few of them. I received mine from a relative who was working at a hotel where the Chrysler executives were having a meeting. It just came with a booklet about the car and the model itself. Didn’t come with a box
I'm 71 years old and I still have my model too! They gave them away at events that demonstrated the turbine car. I remember them balancing a nickel on the air cleaner of a running engine.
I am 75-years old. When I was still in high school, as I was sitting at the stop waiting for the bus, I actually HEARD this car drive up to the light. It sounded just like a jet airplane, only much quieter. I got a quick look at it just as it pulled away. I never forgot that sight.
I'm not even a car guy but I'd have bawled my eyes out, too. That level of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and care to go almost completely to waste in *any* field is absolutely heartbreaking.
Thanks government, you're the best👍
I’m from the government, and I’m here to help!
@@danpanderson W
@@EnkiMMXII What Chrysler could not find some buyers of rare car to pay the tax and buy the cars? People were knocking down the door to get them. Chrysler was lazy and wasteful in there complice to the law.
@@tipperzack When Chrysler first had then brought in from Italy, they were planning to continue developing turbine cars and eventually bring them to mass market. The bronze cars were just a proof of concept with plans for future improvements and iterations, so it didn’t make sense for them to pay to keep all of them, just a few to keep as museum pieces. Then, later on when the turbine car concept was scrapped, I would assume it would be too late to retroactively pay import and registration fees, even if people were willing to.
My father worked for Chrysler and we had a turbine car for a few weeks. The "woosh" sound out of those huge dual rectangular mufflers was awesome. The intercoolers were so efficient that the exhaust was actually cool. The whole neighborhood got rides in it.
Now that's cool man
So Chrysler sshould NOT destroy the cars! No government has the right to tell us what we can invent and produce!
@@thoughtsfromathenasreality like the narrator said, you'd never have seen so many grown men cry like those men who saw those beautiful cars get crushed. I would have been one of them lol
@@thoughtsfromathenasreality amen
@@DickotheClown They knew it would catch on and we would get very creative. 😁😜
Saw one riding around in New Jersey back in the 60's. Never forget the sound it made and how we thought it was a new Thunderbird.
Saw one by a roadside shrine in Colorado in '65. Awesome car.
Tony S ... Me too, but it was on the Hamtramck/Detroit border line, only a hop away from the Chrysler Think Tank located in Detroit. It looked like 2 Chrysler exec's out for Lunch & a ride. Never heard or seen anything like that since--Sooooooo Cool.
No you didn’t
@@yodaindica you were there?
yes. it belonged/was being driven by gordon farrell's father, mr farrell, who worked for chrysler.
A friend of mine, Al Bradshaw, was a district service manager for Chrysler and he had 4 or 5 of the turbine loaner cars assigned to him. His 24 hour phone number was on the inside of the glove box. He had a lot of stories about going out and dealing with the problems. He was instrumental in helping to get the turbine car at the St Louis Transportation Museum in running condition.
.....When I was a kid in Detroit, a Chrysler Turbine car was on the road, just a few feet from me... I could hear the 'sound' it made, and have never forgotten that moment...Thus, my comment today, at nearly 70 years old.....
Thanks for your story!
Back when Detroit was actually great too. Well, I always hear Detroit itself is being restored with time.
@@trickyricky12147 It very much is, I still live here unfortunately. But they are actually trying to turn things around which is nice to see
@@bgemski they, Democrats distroyed Detroit, the instant NAFTA was signed into law based on lies, you could hear a sucking sound as Detroit's heart was sucked out, packaged up, and send to Mexico and China, and it left a wake of abondoned factories and boarded up main streets all across this country, and as long as Democrats are allowed to be in charge of ANYTHING, there is no chance on hell of turning it around, Democrats have to keep minorities poor so they can continue to exploit them
@@PsychobabbleRapp Im going to assume that you must be inferring i’m below the poverty line because of my Area, no?
My dad was one of the chosen to drive the Turbine, It was probably the highlight of his life! We drove it from our home in Milwaukee to New Orleans and people would follow us for miles until we stopped at a gas station. Dad kept the tank pretty full, as not every station carried the type of fuel that we needed. The car was nothing like the 1950 something Plymouth that sat in our driveway! We were given plastic models of the car...which sat in a place of honor in dad’s home for over 50 years!!!
Didn't they say it runs on any liquid fuel?
@@shannondove9029 I was only about 13 at the time, but it seems like dad used something called white gas. I don’t remember him using regular gas. He was an engineer, and very particular:)
Very cool 🤠👍
@@Grandmascrafts891 I believe white gas was unleaded back before unleaded was a thing. Maybe the lead in regular gas back then caused issues in the turbine?
That sounds awesome.
To be honest, when he said that these cars could run on anything, I was expecting the reason the cars were never mass-produced and got crushed was because they posed a threat to big oil.
I was thinking the same thing.
Yeah, the conspiracy bullshit is sexy....but reality sets in and the facts are clear: turbines are expensive to manufacture, maintain, and are not eco-friendly in terms of manufacture or exhaust. But on the plus side, they sound cool, run on most fossil fuels.
@@luisderivas6005 It is VERY sexy my friend, VERY. Not to say conspiracies don't happen, cuz they do.
trust and believe big oil had their hands in there somewhere ...... because down the line someone knows someone who hangs out with someone whose money is all tied together
And you would be right.
The functional jet cars being demolished over import duties reminds me of the liquid glass poured into functional engines as part of the Cash for Clunkers car destruction project. The government just loves destroying things.
that's all government.
Reform governments now.
That era of mass car murder still aches. I saw a seemingly good condition K5 in a dumpster on a hill with the cash for clunkers billboard. So many of my friends and other car people tried in vein to save the older more priceless vehicles, but the government refused to let any of them go
The butthurt over CFC (so many years past its brief impact) is hilarious. Most of what got scrapped was no loss while providing MANY donor vehicles for salvage to keep other machines running. People outside the salvage industry don't tend to know how it works. CFC yielded many accessories, body parts, whole interiors (great for fixing Copart buys which is what I did when I worked for a used car lot), front clips, fenders, truck beds (beds are not cabs so those were fair game and we got our share) wheels, suspension parts, rear ends and more. A few desirable machines got zapped but most went to salvage yards (who were entitled to buy them provided they snuffed the engines and crushed the hulls) thereafter to be profitable parts sources.
Nearly EVERY old vehicle meets the shredder. If you're too slow to score what you want through poor planning that's a USER error.
@@Comm0ut You missed the part where it cost all of us to the tune of three billion dollars. Enough to build a 400 square foot tiny home for 60,000 of the 550,000 homeless Americans including Veterans that are on the street. Which do you think is more important?
When I lived in Virginia one of our neighbors was selected for the use of one. Every time they went to the store, it was loaded to the brim with passengers. It was dubbed "The Rocket Sled". That thing was total bad ass!
The Lost Engineering Magnificence of America, makes me cry…
-Never actually lost, it is a tangible asset, like many... commonly 'Sold' ;)
It wasn’t lost, it was preserved at Chrysler because it was too expensive. The video explains it.
@@ivanpatriot1644 That's not what he's talking about.
@@johnhancock6114 what's he talking about then? The video was about Chrysler's turbine car, and he's lamenting the loss of American engineering magnificence. Not hard to connect the dots here. No engineering magnificence was lost. Chrysler made a piece of engineering magnificence, but they shelved it because it wasn't cost effective. They didn't lose the info, burn the books, or anything like that. It just wasn't affordable. If anything, it helped usher the idea of powering the M1 battle tank with a turbine engine. That's what they use, still to this day.
@@ivanpatriot1644 He's referencing it on a scale much larger than Chrysler's Turbine car. Many years ago the USA used to be the one country everybody wanted to come to in order to learn and be able to apply their unique ideas, and our country used to recruit the best and the brightest the world over but over time that has all changed and now people go to other countries to apply their skills rather than come here. While we do still have those who come here for that purpose, much of it has been lost to other countries because, simply stated, the USA has fallen into obscurity and we are no longer *THE* place everyone wants to go.
When I was a kid, one of my neighbors was a Chrysler engineer... He had one of these cars in the 60's... I had no idea what it was at the time, but now I know how special they were...
All Chrysler cars where special, that ended a long time ago.
@@unfairfight3625 My 1985 Dodge 600 Convertible is still special damnit.
@@jonbaker3728 I'm fully rebuilding a 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan. It sat for 15 years but the engine is running smooth. Its a keeper.
@@jonbaker3728 special to you, that is different.that what is great about the car hobby, there is something for everyone.
@@tadwyn no.....no it isn't
I was about 12 or 13 when these cars were put out on the road and remember seeing a big spread on them in Life magazine, or possibly Look magazine, explaining the whole test program. I was really into car design at the time and thought both the looks and concept of this car was amazing and was hoping it was the wave of the future. It was just a few years later when STP's Andy Granatelli built his Indy turbine car and it was so good they disqualified it from any future races. A real shame all around.
Also, I used to work for Allied-Signal Aerospace, which in the 1980s was developing a gas turbine engine to power 18-wheelers. They put two of their turbine engines in retrofitted Mack trucks and test drove them from Phoenix to Denver and back for many months. Part of that trip involved steep mountain highway grades, and these trucks had so much torque that they could pull a full 80,000-lb. load up 6% grades at 55 mph (speed limit in those days) passing every other truck doing about 25-30 mph.
Unfortunately the program was eventually scrapped for the same reason: high engine cost. I think that those engines would have run about $60-70,000 at the time, when you could buy a whole standard rig for about $25,000.
I'm wondering what the engine braking was like (or lack of it) on the down-sides of those hills. Without engine braking the brakes of the time wouldn't last (even the brakes of this time they won't last without engine braking).
My best friend’s father worked for Chrysler . One day his Dad brought the turbine car and he gave us all a ride. It was the bronze version. I can remember the strange sound it made. Really cool memory.
Wow I’m extremely jealous of you 😂
There's an impostor among us.
I saw one in the early 60s. Was at the Chicago Car Show. My dad wanted to buy one but wasn’t for sale. He wanted a test drive but there was too long of a wait, too many others were there first.
Fake news 😅
@@BlackandWhitecustoms not fake news. A real memory. I was about 6 years old. My friends dad told us it was the same type of engine from the Bat Mobile. (Adam West) of course we believed him.
I went with my father, who was an automotive engineer, to take a test drive in a turbine car in 1964. I still remember how he raved about that bronze beauty !!!
Robert that is really wonderful! Thanks for sharing that gem of history! 💎
Robert ~ You were very lucky for a ride in one. I saw one up close at Niagara Falls - Canada in 1964. Had a pleasant smell from the exhaust.
I cried myself when he said "they crushed them in a scrapyard."
Our country ruins every good thing!!!!
@@benmaier7169 I'm pretty sure it's international law, still sucks though
I cringed 😬 physically
There's still at least several that survived. I know of one and Leno has one
@@Miniaturehorseexpress of Coors
A friend worked at a Chrysler plant in IL. He was walking inside the plant when a big over head door opened and a turbine car pulled in. He said it was gorgeous. He had to get to his work station then but came back later at break time to get a better look.
He said it was really streamlined, smooth, truly looked like a space age car.
I see why you dropped this today. Trying to find a tank of 93 for a road trip this week and relish the idea of "can burn anything"
With the technological advancements that we’ve had since they initially created these (possibly making production way cheaper) and the expected rise of gas prices, I wonder if this would be viable again. Imagine filling up your tank with... tequila 😂
@@JavTheRipper pop the fuel line off right quick, I need a shot...
I went a few hrs away yesterday gas wasnt that scarce in nc its people being stupid tryna pack in thestattions the problem
@@AllaboutTheWoodrows Charlotte NC. I actually needed gas yesterday, 3 hours and checking 7 stations later, I finally got my 12 gallon tank filled 😑
@@krispyjuniors7734 i was in Charlotte last night hahaaha
We sure to do love Steve's stories. Such an honor to have him on the channel. Be sure to subscribe to his. Let's get him over 200k!
Good morning Mr Bolian, God bless you and your family sir. Much love from Jacksonville Beach Florida. 💙🐻
Been subscribed to steve for a while now. Love his stories
God is good
Been there. Steve is a legend ! And a boss !
Gee Ed, Steve brought me here just a few months ago. Car sites aren't generally recommended to grandmas 😂
Steve! Wow! Man I never dreamed I would see THIS CAR in action ever again. I saw a turbine in 1964 on US 54, the road between the Lake of the Ozarks, missouri and followed it to Eldon mo. Where it pulled into a grocery store parking lot. Needless to say a crowd of gawkers immediatly surrounded this beautiful spaceship by Chrysler! I was just 16, had my drivers license, and I had the nerve to ask the man driving it,..he laughed and said no,but allowed me to sit in it for a minute. I've always had memories of that georgeous summer day tagging along behind that car. Exactly like the one in your video. Thanks for the memory. Great documentary.
I wonder if that is the same one I saw for sale back in 2001 in Carthage Missouri at Daniel Motors just north of town off 71 highway?
@@bullriderinwrangler1 doubtful, because they were all destroyed after their testing period. The one that came into Eldon, Missouri was in summer of '64.. By reading some post, presumably these 50 demonstrators, made one helluva wide sweep across America and into Mexico.
Wow thats awesome, ive only seen them in books.
@@richardcoram1562 Doubt all you want, I know what I saw. It's pretty much impossible to mistake any other car for this one.
@@bullriderinwrangler1 I'm not a doubter at all man what are you saying? IT WAS 1964 when I sat my 16 year old body in the seat behind the wheel of The Turbine car exactly like this one. I followed it for miles up highway 54 into Eldon. I ASKED IF I COULD DRIVE IT!! LOL Not surprised he said " sorry son, not today- go on sit in it"😁👍🇺🇸
I had the privilege of riding in one of Chrysler's turbine powered cars in 1976. My wife and I were on our honeymoon and the Kennedy Space center was on the list of places we wanted to visit. There they had one of these cars and were giving anyone that wanted to a ride around the area, a distance of, maybe, 5 miles. The young woman who drove the car knew little about it, other than how to start it and drive it.
Sounds like a lovely honeymoon.
Just a little correction. The engine was a turbo shaft engine not a turbofan engine. There was no fan section like on modern commercial jets. Just a compressor and a turbine which was coupled to the transmission. I was very similar to what they use for auxiliary power plant units on commercial planes.
And all helicopters.
turboshaft engines can have fan blades... the one in the car was a centrifugal compressor,.. no fan blades.. the intake was the same as a turbocharge..
@Jim Blalock Nope.
There tends to be a lot of confusion about what term is assigned to what part in a jet engine, because many of them are nearly identical in design and function. So people who havent worked on them often get components mixed up.
What you're referring to are compressor blades... These are not the same thing as fan blades. Yes, jet engines can have either impellors in centrifugal flow engines, or compressor blades in axial flow engines.
Both of those designs, what youre referring to is the compressor section. Similarly, in the back, there is the turbine section, which can use either turbine blades or an impellor (many centrifugal flow engines use turbine blades btw, turbine impellors fell out of favor pretty quickly early on in jet engine development).
A "Turbofan" is a whole other level of complication. Those actually do have "fan blades". The bare minimum you need for a jet engine is a compressor section (compressor blades), a combustion section, and a turbine section (turbine blades). This bare minimum arrangement is called a "turbojet". However, turbojets are pretty inefficient no matter what task you set them to. So engineers went out of their way to complicate jet engines past turbojets, to make them better at other tasks. This led to a proliferation of TYPES of jet engines, with names that have a prefix of "turbo", and a suffix of whatever task that jet engine accomplishes.
In a "TurboFAN" engine, the core is just a regular turbojet... But the power from that jet is used to spin up a giant ducted fan. That fan is what provides most of the thrust. If you want to see an example of a turbofan, most modern day airliners use Turbofan engines. That single stage of big wide fan you see in the inlet, looking down the inlet of the engine, is the "fan" part of the turbofan. The actual "jet engine" part of the engine is a much skinnier core, that has a much lower diameter than the fan. The fan provides 80-90% of the thrust, by pushing cold air around the core of the engine through something called a "bypass". The core itself only provides 10-20% of the engine's thrust (most of the core's power is robbed to power the fan). This is all done because the turbojet engine is good at moving small volumes of air very fast. For a wide variety of reasons I wont get into, this is very inefficient on slower moving (subsonic) airliners. What the turbofan does is convert a jet engines power into something that moves a large volume of air much more slowly, to increase efficiency at subsonic speeds.
The turbofan engine is the only type of jet engine that truly has "fan blades". And you can see them, because theyre the largest and biggest blades on the engine, as well as the blades you can see in the first stage (the first row of blades you see looking down an inlet). Although fan blades participate in inlet air compression, that is not their primary function. Their primary function is to generate thrust by moving as much air as possible around the jet engine through the bypass. This job is what makes "fan blades" distinct and different from "compressor blades".
I am making this point as clear as I can, because although most jet engines have blades of some kind, not all jet engines have "Fan" blades... Compressor and turbine blades are not the same thing as fan blades, and you'll only find fan blades in turbofan engines.
Powering a big ducted fan wasnt the only task engineers came up with for uses of jet engine power. Another is called a Turboprop. These are jet engines which power a propellor instead of a ducted fan. Similarly, and this is what's in the chrysler jet cars, a more generic jet engine who's only job is to provide shaft power to something else, usually through a gear box to reduce RPM, is a turboshaft engine.
I think maybe a few turboprops and turboshafts have a bypass in their designs fed by a low pressure compressor, for use as cooling air, but as far as Im aware, these engines DO NOT EVER have a proper fan in them. Low pressure compressor blades are still compressor blades, not fan blades. Since the point of the jet engine in turboprops and turboshafts is to feed power to something that isnt a ducted fan, they wouldnt waste power trying to also power a ducted fan.
Anyway... Fan blades, compressor blades, and turbine blades... Very similar parts separated only by function.
Source? I was a KC-135 jet engine mechanic for 6 years, and spent a lot of time researching early jet history. I'd post links on this stuff, but YT just autodeletes comments with links.
@airtechmech *most helicopters.
Early helicopters used reciprocating engines. Turboshafts proved to be far better power to weight ratio and much less maintenance intensive, so they took over most of the helicopter world. But some small helicopters with low HP requirements use recip engines still (the Mosquito comes to my mind, which has options for both).
@@hatman4818 You are the mosquitoman 🦟 🩸🚁
"Some of them found their way into private hands... Jay Leno has one" Of-Frickin-Course he does lmao.
I think at this point, it would be easier to say what Jay Leno, DOESN'T have, than to list all the cars he has.
Jay Leno is able to buy collector cars from hesitant sellers because he built a Museum, and thus they are not just toys for a rich man. Often the sellers seek him out after their father, uncle, etc. died to see their rare car enter Leno's Museum...
No surprise there.
@@davidhollenshead4892 I'll do that if I get a jewel that I can't afford to restore/mantain. It will be in good hands
@@davidhollenshead4892 I like Jay but he needs to get UNWOKE. Shameful to cave in to the cancel culture mob
That is one of the best videos of any kind I've seen in a long time. My Dad was a public relations agent in the 1950s through 1970s, and his biggest client was the Chrysler Corporation's Fenton, Missouri car and truck assembly plants. He drove the bronze turbine car back in the 60s, and just thought it was the greatest thing ever. He would come up with some new story about it every so often, such as the fact that it had been run on Chanel No. 5! I still have one of the small plastic models Chrysler used for publicity purposes (in pristine condition). But I never knew the extensive history of the car. Thank you so much for this post.
Thanks, great story Sharing…….interestingly, see my comments.. I was car Nut even in 1960s
You must not have ever seen a porno then
I could listen to these stories for days. What a great presenter also
I saw one of these in the middle of nowhere in Georgia growing up in the 1960's. I knew it was special because it sounded like a giant vacuum cleaner. I didn't really know what it was until many years later. You never forget something like that.
Imagine running out of gas and looking at your wife and saying "give me your hairspray" and running a car off that to limp if to the next gas station. Expensive tech but Holy shit it would be convenient as ever
I once ran out of gas and had a couple liters of 91% isopropyl alcohol in the car. It actually ran on it and I was able to get the car home lol
Especially in the south east right now.
I worked as a field service tech where we would carry around mineral spirits for cleaning solvent....once ran out of gas sitting in commuter traffic....filled up the 85 S-10 with the cleaning solvent and the poor 2.8V6 death rattled its way to a gas station about 2 miles away....Stayed together after that "motor flush" for 10's of thousands of miles after the fact.....🤣
Officer I am not drinking tequila, this is my emergency fuel
@youtube name thats dosent sound right have you tried it
“Who would pay that much for a engine?!”
Hotrodders everywhere…”it runs on what!?”🤔
Salesman: Yes.
It doesn't run on Dunkin', that's for sure!
it runs on $100 bills
I just thought about people buying the $18,000 wheel package on the Mustang.
$10,000 in 1960 would be $90,000 today.
I saw a working 63 one at Chelsea proving grounds. Guy said they found it sitting behind one of the factories and it still had a functioning turbine engine in it so they brought it back and restored it. This was in the late 90's. It was awesome, temp was 1,200. The paint was not touched because they couldn't be sure to match it. The engineer also said they were surprised it still had a engine in it. Since most of the kept ones had dummy engines in them. With the exception of a few.
It is something I will never forget
As a Michigan resident, I'm depressed to learn they were crushed here..
As an aircraft mechanic, I am glad to hear that they saved the engines.
I used to visit omni source a metals recycling plant in toledo and detroit, a friend was a high up, well he showed me them shredding brand new vipers and prowlers back in the 90s. I forget why but it was so depressing to see.
@@98f5 Those Vipers and Prowlers were most likely pre production cars, fully complete and running but not yet homologated. Car companies usually use these cars for press photos, they lend them to journalists for brief tests and then have to destroy them, as they aren’t actually road legal
@@Jay1330 Reminds me of when Ford of Australia finished the Falcon production and leant out the pre production Sprint 6 and Sprint 8 Falcons (Identifiable by their PP number plate on the engine) to journalists and then were all crushed but I’m sure one or two still exist as someone in the yard couldn’t bear the thought to crush them.
Since the big 3 are all based in Michigan. I bet a whole lot of cool projects were crushed secretly in Michigan.
I worked as a technician at a Chevy dealership in Bethesda, Md from 1977 to 1983. One of those bronze turbine cars showed up in our service lane one day. I got to look under the hood and hear it run. I am still amazed by that cars looks and technology to this day. I assume it was the car that ended up at the Smithsonian
It could be the one that ended up in jay Leno’s private collection
1. Another Marylander!?
2. Something that cool was here on our roads? Maybe there is hope
@@MaddJakd Many years ago at Chevy Chase Chevrolet
love those turban powered cars!
lol
Every time he says it i imagine an Indian pulling a rickshaw
I'm torn. I can't decide if this is my new favourite mildly racist mispronunciation. Think I still prefer the way Americans pronounce Countach though
That’s all I could think of too 😂😂
Oh, "I"gor❗Help me with these Bags.
Igor: You take the Blond, and I'll take the one in the Turbine! Turban❓
In 1950 ROVER, a UK car manufacturer showed JET 1, a turbine powered prototype capable of 150mph.
This beautiful 2 seater is on show @ The London Science Museum.
In 1963 Rover +BRM produced a turbine race car that competed at Le Man's 24 hour.
Turbine cars also competed in Indy 500 in '67 but we're effectively banned by new regulations by the '70's.
a BRM turbine car,, would have been way overcomplicated and do 10 laps then have a siesta!
@@ldnwholesale8552 it did over 3,600km at LeMans 24 hrs in 1953.
That's a bit more than 10 laps.
Britain, as always, was ahead.
BMW produced the first gas turbine powered vehicles in 1944.
@@tallbillbassman Not in gas turbine technology, in fact they lagged many years behind.
This guy is a very capable narrator. I understood every word, even though English isn't my native language, and he kept my attention from start to end.
His law channel is a real treat too: th-cam.com/channels/MljRGC0eBJrxbUorWEnasg.html
You're better at English than a lot of Americans I've met.
You mean American English
You should hear him speak finnish :P
Too bad he can't pronounce "turbine" correctly, he keeps saying "turban."
I'm hearing "fuel efficiency" with the multi-fuel aspect and "less maintenance" which both mean "less continuous consumer spending" which means "hard no" and that never fails to disappoint me.
ROVER built a Gas Turbine car in England in 1949/50 and held the World Speed Record for a Turbine car at about 153 MPH. There as so many reasons that a gas turbine would simply NOT be suitable for a car.
With a gas engine the response of the engine to accelerator movement is almost instantaneous. while a turbine takes a significant time to spool up to operating speed. Trying to drive a gas turbine car is stop go traffic was IMPOSSIBLE.
Fuel consumption was was measured in FEET PER GALLON and the temperature of the exhaust would have incinerated a car behind it.
And that's why it was trashed by the government on orders from the auto industry nodought... just like when tucker's cars were destroyed.
less maintenance as in it won't need servicing as often - but the cost of that maintenance is going to be incredibly expensive. turbine powered cars are never going to happen. the average jet engine costs millions of dollars, and an overhaul will still be hundreds of thousands at a minimum. even if you find a way to make them as cheap as possible, the cost will still not be worth it over a piston engine
When I was a teen, my uncle (Manns Restoration) restored one of these in his shop. Crazy smooth too… demonstrated by balancing a nickel on its side on the engine cylinder. It’s wild to see the attention coming back to this so many years later! It’s a fascinating story, and quite a striking car in person. That orange bronze was soooo beautiful.
I wanted a Turbine car as a kid. Loved the old Mopars. Tried the balance the nickel test on many cars over the years.
You can actually balance a nickel on a C4 Corvette ZR-1's LT-5 engine. Turbine smooth idle.
I also saw a Bronze Turbine car when I was a teen. It was at the Northway mall about 1962 and I also saw a nickel balanced on edge on the top on the turbine at idle. I also inspected that nickel afterwards. Looked normal. If it was magnitised, doesn't matter as it was sitting on an aluminum housing. The bearings were exceptional. I still have the brochure that was handed out to visitors. Maybe. My dad drove us there in a 1960 Dodge dart pioneer model - V8. Wish I had it now.
YES GREAT COLOR
Unlikely as there are only a cpl in the world
Is that the one at the Transportation Museum in Kirkwood?
Our school bus stopped at a driveway in Potomac Maryland. I was only in 1st grade at the time, yet I still remember that bronze Turbo Car. A lady came out and waved us up her driveway. She was so kind taking time to start the car, open the hood and doors. She was very emphatic that we start well away from the back of the car.
Totally amazing. I knew a little about these when I was growing up, I'm 67 now. But I had no idea that they had taken these cars that far. It's sad that they didn't pursue it any further.
They did. It's called the M1A1 Abrams main battle tank. Brought to you by Chrysler.
it's sad they don;t try and resurrect it
@@philmckrackin8303 The turbine is not dead for vehicles -- look into microturbine hybrids for tractor-trailer use...
@@AndrewAMartin I know, I was Army Aviation, I meant the jet car. Way too cool to just bury, It's not like aircraft where you have to retire after so many hours, you could ride out until the turbine quits, it's not like it's going to fall out of the sky, hell, Jay Leno has a turbine powered motorcycle, which probably got it's turbine from an aircraft. I would have loved to test drive one of those cars just to see how it feels and handles.
Saw a turbine car in the wild as a kid in early 60s when the cars were in the hands of the chosen few Steve Lehto referenced in this video. The awareness level and hype in the mind of the public surrounding this car cannot be overestimated. When I spotted one of these approaching me on the street in my hometown of Ontario, CA it was if the Beatles were about to pass me on the sidewalk. The appearance and sound stopped one in their tracks. I followed the car on my bicycle to the point of exhaustion. So glad that at least a few of them survived the crusher. Jay Leno's video also provides an excellent overview plus an actual walk-around of his own turbine car.
I was at the Peterson Museum in LA. A guy cleaning the turbine car asked if I wanted to sit in it. Sat in the drivers seat and pretended to be driving it.
Peterson Museum is awesome
I seem to remember that 2 turbine-based cars were entered into the Indy 500 in the late 1960s. They ran away with the race until they broke down late in the race. They were painted red and were sponsored by STP, I think. Great concept!
Yeah, the Granatelli bros brought them Bobby Unser drove. The racing authority, whoever that was at the time, banned them the next year. More because it was the Granatellis who brought them, it was mainly political nonsense.
I saw one at a chrysler dealer ship when I was about twelve. It was on the showroom floor, so no test driving. But the most amazing thing to me was that the spokes person could balance a coin on its edge on the engine while it was running. Absolutely amazing!!!!!
I had a moment during this video when it clicked for me - this car explains the Batmobile from the original TV series! Brilliant.
I know, right?
_"Atomic batteries to power...turbines to speed..."_
Actually the batmobile, for real, had a regular engine. However, their speed boost "afterburner" was a hot started T-40 Solar (brand name) gas turbine. They would wind it up for the start and extra fuel pooled in the exhaust. Then the start button was pressed, whoosh! In the USNavy they were fire pumps and we lit one off in school as a hot start. They frowned on this of course.
The car was based on the Ford "Futura" concept.
Incredibly sad, sad story
Summer 1964.....an Interstate in Providence, RI.....a turbine car was on the shoulder, hood up, with smoke coming from the engine compartment.
Steve Lehto...you're a walking encyclopedia !! Thank you
Pretty sure anyone can research stuff and read it out
@@sexyfacenation But, most don't. Steve does and we learn things we didn't know existed in the first place.
When I was a young man, a friend of mine's Dad was showing us photos of his turbine car... he was one of the lucky few that were selected to drive around one of the bronze cars for a season. His stories about it match up to this video pretty well.
I remember a road race movie from the early 60’s called “THE LOVELY SET”. I think it had Elvis Presley in it or some one like him and he was driving this turbine car. In the big climactic race scene at the end the hood is blown off the car and you see the impressive turbine engine in the car racing down the road. I still remember that from 55years ago.
“The Lively Set”, starring James Darren, who was later Vic the hologram from Star Trek: DS9.
The driver in that movie with the turbine car was James Darren,who also started in the TV show TIME TUNNEL.
Awsome story
👍👍👍😜🏴🦕🙂🤞✌
As a teenager in 60's I remember these cars very well. In fact a man who lived three blocks from home had one. As I remember it, these were loaned to a few lucky families for feedback after several months? He actually parked it on the street in front of his house. But in those days, hardly anyone would steel cars.
An introverted engineer looks at their own feet when they talk to you. An extroverted engineer looks at your feet when they talk to you.
Heard that same joke applied to Finns. LOL!
Hahahaha. Go tigers 🐅
@@kurancy it’s not a Joke, I work for a Finnish company, most are still like this..
An extroverted engineer, teaches you the correct way to walk on your feet, while he helps you along and talks your ear off!
Not me. I have known several comic engineers. Even writer Al Jean of the Simpsons is a techie type.
Now THIS man knows how to tell a story. And what a great one it is!!!
You’re right, im not even a car person and my ears were glued to this video.
Sweet Jesus even back then the Chrysler board room was just a table with a giant mountain of coke tossing out ideas 😂😂😂
This was before the rulebook was created
Still is
Maybe? They’re sure not making any of the cool cars they should;( nothing I can afford anymore;( either!
@@shane8911 110% now it's just *rails massive line* "what if we put a hellcat in it?!"
Thats what makes it so cool!!!
I work for the premier enclosed auto transport company in the country. My co-worker delivered one of these to Jay Leno, he had wanted it since he was a kid. Very cool
I saw one in Jackson, Mississippi in 1964. The faster it went, the faster it went. No mistaking the sound.
I keep looking for me in the old pictures. I workdd behind closed doors and pictures weren't allowed usually. I help develop the "variable pitch power turbine " that turned the turbine into a tire smoking "road runner" type car. So many memories.
That's awesome! The vision for those cars was futuristic. So impressed. 👍✌️
So who's using that blades-cast-in-rotor patent these days? AFAIK the rotors and blades of aircraft turbines are made separately and bonded together with built-in air ducts and so forth. Is it even possible to make something that large a single crystal the way turbine blades are these days in certain classes of military turbines?
This video is spectacular. I’ve always heard my aerospace engineer buddies talk about these things, and I’ve tried to do more research on the history of them. But this video hits that spot, info that I couldn’t find anywhere else.
I'm 71 years old now. I remember my dad taking me one Saturday afternoon in the early 60s to the local Chrysler dealership in Regina, Saskatchewan to see this amazing car. It was on a cross-Canada tour. The showroom was packed and people were agog. When the Chrysler rep said it would run on any combustible substance, people started shouting out suggestions from perfume to butter, to which the man would reply "yup!" every time. That always stayed with me ... even butter, wow! Always wondered why it was never sold. It seemed to be amazing. Now I know. Thanks for the enlightenment.
I thought it had to be something like alcohol. Like it could run on any sort of liquid fuel, not just anything.
This was a cool story I worked for Chrysler in 2000s and actually got to clean and prep the two cars they own for the proving grounds in Michigan. It was mind-blowing to ride in those things and to imagine they did this 30+ years before I saw them.
In the summer of 1963, I was in an Esso station in Wayne, PA....I was 13.
My older brother had stopped there for gas.
I heard this whining sound that got higher and higher....it was one of the bronze Chrysler turbines starting up.
I can truthfully say I saw one....and I was dumbstruck watching it pull away.
It looked so cool from the rear and sounded like a jet as it left the station.
THAT is a strong childhood memory from lonnnng ago which was only explained by this video!
My grandpa was one of the drivers for the car when they allowed 10 people to drive it. After the cars were trashed, he was told not to say anything about it which was weird.
pics or it didn’t happen
You snitched on your grandpa, you were not supposed to say anything, lol. 🤭
This is your grandpa. Wtf!
Awesome I’ll love ❤️ to see Vin Diesel talk to guy of that golden era to secretly reveal last car. Then Vin Diesel uses it. I’m not sure if that ideal was used in fast n furious sagas yet
Yea and I’m god
The oil companies probably leaned on Chrysler to stop production.
My grandfather worked for Chrysler in Huntsville, AL. My dad still has a book about Chrysler's programs in that era. It has the turbine car detailed inside. Now I need to find that book!.
Mine too. He transferred from Kokomo, Indiana. He worked for Chrysler for 33 years & never missed a day
It’s sad to see Kokomo go from that to a giant methhouse
@@camman9235 hahaha right
“$10,000 dollar upgrade engine, who’s going to take that!”
Diesel guys have left the chat.....
Adjusting for inflation that's close to $100k
@@knote4958 they would still pay it!!
Ive heard that line of reasoning in my aircraft dealership. "189k for the good model, or 300k for the same thing with the top engine?" A disclaimer that the top engine is exclusive, new, and comes with developmental glitches. Customer says screw that, i want the newest and hottest. All we sell now it seems is the 300k models... don't undersell the customer as the saying goes.
@@Sarahbethcycles wtf ? Aircraft dealership?
And why you ever pay 210k for a engine that is going to be more expensive to repair (since unproven) And considering that engine is what keeps the aircraft in the air... But someone that can by a aircraft at 300k they probably have stopped having to think or be nice to ousters. Let alone think strait.
@@TheDiner50 when you sell bargain basement airplanes you get bargain basement customers who love to go full options.
In 1962 or 1963 (not sure) my uncle got a notice from Chrysler that he was able to get one of those Turbine cars for testing, unfortunately he turned them down, man were we disappointed.
When I worked at Williams International in Walled Lake, MI, I remember going into their warehouse several times and they had an AMC car in there, I don’t remember what model it was, but it was essentially brand new. They had used it as a test platform for a turbine engine. They may still have it. Of course, Williams had put turbines in just about anything you can imagine. It was the most amazing place I worked at in my entire career.
Hearing of all those beautiful cars getting crushed made me shed a tear its just wrong :(
First there was the burning of the ancient library of Alexandria,
Second was the destruction of such a beautiful and amazingly well engineered machine.
At least there are still some still around and being cared for.
dont forget the EV1 cars :(
@@TheHungrySlug individualism is only prized in conceptual terms. If you truly strike out on your own, with passion and determination, they will cancel culture you until you give, or they crucify you.
This applies to all minorities. Even Mopar fans. After growing up with a Granddad who was exceedingly tech savvy and told me as a boy, about this car, and the company that made it,,, THATS why he bought his 66 Dodge Monaco, because it emulated the fabulous turbine car he saw as a young employee of a little engine company in Columbus Indiana.
This car, and the enginerds who created it, were the stuff of legend in my Granddads household. And all these years later, I follow his footsteps in that same company.
We've made power with buttermilk that went sour in one of our test cells.
I still have my Granddad's old Monaco, and I guarantee you any Mopar guy knows what Steve was talking about by the feel of how a 60's Mopar handled and drove.
They were singular in handling at a time when Fords and GM's squished and floated around corners, Chrysler's tortion bar suspension was haled by everyone from CHP to Tom McHale(McCahill?) in the automotive press,, and my Granddad swore by McHales(McCahill?) advice.
Always good to hear Steve extoll the virtues of the company that brought us the fabulous Dodge Charger.
i live near where the bodyworks were built in Italy, even Ghia is no more
@@extec101 Both the EV1 & Chrysler Turbine Cars were a marketing & feasibility study. GM & Chrysler had agreed to remove the cars from the road at the end of the test period, had they went on to make a version for sale, they would have had spent a lot more to prove the designs were safe to the US DOT. The EV1 made mass-produced EV's possible after additional tests were performed. I don't know that a 60,000 rpm turbine would even be safe enough for US DOT, even back then...
I knew when I clicked on this video that I was going to cry
I remember them when I was a kid on Long Island. They were around. The original Batmobile on the Adam West TV show, the sound it makes is a recording of the turbine car. Also, Rover in the U.K. was playing with them too around 1949. Their prototype is in the London Science Museum.
I too was very young around the early 60's and rode in the backseat on a drive. My next door neighbor was evaluating one of the 'Bronze' ( i always called it red) turbine cars and dad and I was oohing and aahing while checking it out. My neighbor was very well versed on the specs of the car and would educate us as we probed ever deeper into the car's performance.
I was maybe 10 years old (72 now) but even by then was well versed in the mechanics of cars.
I only remember a few things about it including the battery was in the trunk and was 24 volt.
I also remember seeing the RPM and the engine looking powerful and the temperature was 2500 degrees F. Wow, so hot I thought. It was smooth and had good acceleration.
On the multi fuel capability, what does it matter when gas was under $0.30 a gallon.
It brings back memories to see this stuff, Thanks.
My uncle, a local police chief, got to drive one of them. I asked him how it drove.He replied, “It drives like it cost, half a million dollars.”
My grandfather got one of these from a dealer in Seattle. I remember the stories on this car. It was a silver and green push-button system. It was FAST. Often when my mother drove it she had to feather the emergency brake. Mainly to keep the brake system from burning out. The good thing was she worked for Boeings SST program at the time and they loved her car.
My grandparents took it on a trip to LA. During that time there was a major forest fire that was going to block 101. So they were stopping folks from taking the drive. When they showed up the park ranger was looking for a really fast car to get to the next station and tell them to stop allowing cars through. The phone lines were down. Grandfather said sure and the guy pilled in. He had a drive of his lifetime. Grandfather let it go full and raced through to the next station. The guy left the car shaking. It was a monster. It was later found out the few folks he passed did not make it.
In 1969 he traded in the car to the same dealer. The guy was in shock that this car had been missed and should never have been sold since it was a test car. Yes, it was ugly green and had that back end with the cone backlights. As a kid who rode in it several times the sound the engine made was nothing like anything I heard since. It always reminded me of an airplane set to take off.
Wish grandfather had never traded it in.
They weren't even fast.
Not compared to now, no. But back then when cars had top of 60 or 70 at best if you had the money for them, but back then? That'd be like taking a 2012 Camano and racing it against 69 and when it smokes by entire minutes saying "Yeah, and this camaro is slow' would that make sense since it smoked the 69 so blantaly? No.
No Chrysler Turbine was ever sold from a dealership so no one ever "traded" one in. Try reality.
@@erikurizita6702 Cars in the '60s were capable of speeds of well over 100MPH. You obviously weren't around.
@@JimmyKraktov Nope, My Grandfather bought one from the Major Seattle Dodge dealer who he personally knew. The darn thing could fly down the street without much work. Burned-out breaks like no tomorrow. I remember sitting in the office when he went to trade it in and The old dealer who was retiring was shocked he had it. Needless he wanted the car back and offered my grandfather a huge discount for it. Just shows knowing the owner of the biggest dealership gets you specials.
I almost wish I never learned this was a thing, I want it so bad!
Jay leno has a turbine powered cadillac
Same
I'm thinking Batmobile...
@@antonmcclellan1538 he also has one of 2 turbine powered Chryslers in existence
@@robby844 even a former Chrysler exc. saw it while he was showing another Chrysler for Jay's "garage" shows and asked Jay, "where did you get that car!!?"... like, legitimately shocked!! PRICELESS 😂
The last generation turbine didn't use the blades for the compressor section like you described. Those are axial flow turbine engines. The last iteration used a centrifugal compressor which is similar to a turbo charger compressor. Just had to get that off my chest after watching your video! With the technology leaps that have been made since 1985 I've often wondered why somebody hasn't used micro turbines to charge the hybrid powered EV charging systems on the Prius type cars. Today's technology using 3D or ceramics for the compressor sections would be much lower cost & easier to produce & the NOX capture technology has also evolved to be a doable proposition.
Dear sirs, I am in awe of what knowledge you possess and what you and your peers of the time had and I wonder why you would put such an incredibly good idea out here for free for all giant greedy bast…….s to benefit from for themselves rather than you yourselves who worked it out in your own heads? I am all for the individual to benefit of his/ her own ideas and work rather than anyone else.
I wish you could make your idea pay you for it?
I WOULD HAVE TAKEN WHAT YOU SAID AND DESIGNED IT TO BE PATENTED IN YOUR IWN NAME THEN TAKEN IT TO THE MAKERS OF THE ORIUS MYSELF TO OFFER THEM THE IDEA FOR AN INITIAL LUMP SUM PAYMENT PLUS ROYALTIES FOREVER! THANKYOU .
I remember seeing that one of the major truck makers was testing a microturbine hybrid EV truck tractor...
Someone takes pride in copy and paste on Google, well done sir 👏 . I look forward to seeing more "copy and paste" quotations from Google disguised as your own high educational knowledge. I may even subscribe just to see what Google statements you choose next . Come close a second 🤫 , u can now get AI apps that make u sound proper brainy now , but that little secret is between me n u mate , sshhhh mums the word 🤫🫢😉 . .
My grandfather temporarily owned one of these in the 1960’s while living in NC. Apparently he won the opportunity through an essay contest. Chrysler also gave him a die cast model of the car as a commemorative token (which we still have thankfully). We also have a ton of surviving family photos of the car. According to family accounts it always attracted a lot of attention! It’s a real shame they discontinued this amazing vehicle - my family was very sad to give it up in the end.
The car wasn't "discontinued," because it was never put into production. 55 of them were made for a consumer testing program.
My dad, God rest his soul...entered the same essay contest in 1964, i believe it was. He was a long-time Chrysler owner and buyer and though he was not chosen to receive a turbine car for testing...he received the same model you speak of. i inherited it from him when he passed away 7-17-2012. Great memories.
You say NC. Winston-Salem by any chance? I saw one there when I was in grade school.
@@gordoneriksen9580 My family lived in Raleigh, NC when they owned it. Could've been another lucky owner or perhaps my family was visiting the area then. Who really knows but that is still really cool!
I can't believe that at least one Chrysler Executive would have LOVED these awesome pieces of auto art: 1963 Chrysler Turbine Jet cars -- enough to have stepped-in and saved these cars, buy selling them to buyers outside of the country. What a shame! I would have been in tears, as well. (There is a spirit in a car -- " Christine," baby!)
If I may, the guy telling this story is amazing I watched the whole thing and was totally surprised that almost 16 minutes went by. Great story. Awesome car.
Lol ... he's a lawyer in real life.
He has a YT channel. Mostly talking about legal issues in the news, a lot of car stories but adds a legal spin. Some of his older videos are about stories from his legal career but they're all about cars.
@@slightlycrookedworkshop I knew I recognized him!
The M1 Abrams Tanks were originally designed by Chrysler Defense, the M1 utilizes a turbine, I wonder if any of the work done for car turbine crossed over to the Tank turbine?
The M1 Abrams tank was originally designed by Krauss-Maffei in Germany.
Chrysler had absolutely nothing to do with the engine in the M1 Abrams.
the LYCOMING AGT-1500 was designed by former Jumo engineer Dr. Anslem Franz who designed the engines for the Messerschmitt Me-262, Bell UH-1, AH-1 and Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
If I had to give an important car to someone, Jay Leno is one of like 10 people I would trust anywhere. Glad He got one of them and I bet his still runs.
He literally, literally, not only said that it runs, but that he drove it.
The video is on you tube.
A turban is a form of head ware often worn in Indian/Asian countries. A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.
Our taxi's and Uber's are mainly powered by the former ;D
@@omniverideus 😂
Regional variation in pronunciation is a thing.
@@jaex9617 this is mispronounciation, not a regional variation. They are literally two different words.
@@isthatujeebus Americans have yet to master the English language....
This was a good story, kept me locked in the whole time. End of discussion
Same
Edge of seat type of listening👂👂👂
Exactly - just perfect pacing.
Facts
The only reason I had to stop was cuz I don't like watching videos that make me want to start Googling stuff right before I go to sleep. Definitely watching when I wake up though.
From the Chrysler Turbine Wikipedia page. . . . .
"A widely circulated explanation was that the cars were destroyed to avoid a substantial tariff on the imported Ghia bodies, although author Steve Lehto claims that this idea has been "largely discredited".[80] The destruction of the cars was in line with the automobile industry's practice of not selling non-production or prototype cars to the public. According to Lehto, the decision was influenced by Chrysler's public relations concerns: the potential difficulty of keeping the cars running and fears that owners would replace the turbine powerplants with piston engines."
So how is it the Govt made them destroy the cars?
“It sounds like a vacuum cleaner” dang this is the only time it’s actually kinda cool lol
It's a combination of a high-pitched whistling and a low rumble / roar.
That's a good way to describe the sound. I was at a restaurant in LA when Jay Leno drove his into the parking lot. It was the weekly cruise night and it was one of the few times I was at the right place at the right time. Such a cool car.
Chaparral 2F literally WAS a giant vacuum.
The 60s tv show Batman...the batmobile sounded that way lol
And it's an Italian vacuum cleaner. It's a 60s EV1 😀
I remember these car very well and would love to have one... The only problem was they were never made available to the public... And the cost would have been astronomical for me and I could never been able to pay for it... They were so beautiful!!! Thanks for doing the presentation...
New drinking game, take a shot every time he says turban .lol.
Passed out after 30 seconds and woke up wearing a turban.
Have a stroke wondering how he didn't see the e at the end of turbine. Probably says warsh instead of wash too. Use some watah to warsh the turban.
It was so distracting I could barely focus on the story. I felt like I was drunk. 😂
So it's actually the correct pronouciation of turbine in the engineering world. (Mech E, easier by a ton of aerospace people)
@@licentiousdreams um you do realise that he is using correct pronunciation of the word 'Turbine' it isnt Terrrrbyne
The real problems: it couldn't run on only one specific type of fuel and you could get too many miles out of them. Doesn't sound very profitable in the long run.
Amazing story! I almost cried at the mere thought of these beautiful machines going to the crusher. 😢
Seriously? This video nearly brought you to tears? You have problem, son.
What is better than listening to Steve talk about stupid law stuff? Listening to Steve tell Mopar stories!
More of this please!
And he didn't do that laugh he does
These Turbine cars were bomb-proof. Have seen several at Chrysler car shows thru the decades and they reminded me very much of the 61-63 Thunderbird. the front end looked exactly like the back end of that Thunderbird. They truly are awe-inspiring to see in person much the same as an original Daytona Charger or SuperBird is.
Elwood Engle was the design engineer. Guess what…Chrysler lured him from Ford. Where was part of the T bird program 😃
In 1962, when I was 11, my dad took me to the New York City Car Show. That vehical was so impressive, that 61 years later, thats the only thing that I remember from that event.
My Grandmothers brother was in on that ride across the Country. He was a writer for the Saturday Evening Post! I remember him telling me the stories about it!
Imagine pulling up the meet and you hear a cold N1 compression start
Imagine having to hold the key in the start position until the RPM's reach the speed required for sustained ignition. They don't start like a gas engine, do that and you get a "cold start" that damages the turbine blades
@@guyorsini1044 ....
@ Guy Orsini
Sustained ignition can happen at zero RPM. Lol... it’s fuel and an igniter.. it will burn.
But if you do that you will get a “hot” start... not a cold start.. lol.
So you dry spool it until the right RPM.. throw fuel in, and keep the starter going until RPM reaches the correct amount and temperatures are going down.
If not.. you cut fuel and ignition and keep spooling it until the temps go down.
@@Bartonovich52 Your knowledge of the vagaries of turbine engines is laughable
Obscure Chrysler history, must be a Steve Lehto day :)
And it's refreshing to hear a real story over conspiracy ones, of why GM mothballed those cars. Answer it's the PRICE!!!
Steve is a great story teller and has the best stories to tell.
The fact that it would "run on anything" is the reason it never became a thing...
Wow! Best Lehto story ever. I remember hearing about these cars as a child in the 60's when my dad was building 426 Hemis for 1/2 mile dirt track racing with USAC. I am SO GLAD to hear the back story and now know why they never made it to mass production. What a pity! BSFC of a turbine engine is dramatically better than any piston engine, but the entry cost is where it all falls down. Like so many things, the short term rules over the long term because we measure quarter to quarter and ignore the benefits of a longer term view. Such is the investor driven economy!
Entry and maintenance costs. Eventually, you will have to overhaul the turbine at significant cost. Typically turbine powered engines for aircraft have TBO's of 2000 hrs at a maximum. Spending $3000 every 2-3 yrs is not my idea of cost effective. Then again let's consider an elecric vehicle like Telsa: after 10 years you will need a new battery for your model S, since the warranty has run out. Cost $22,500!!!
@@luisderivas6005 Nobody's thinking about that. They just want to be cool!
@@luisderivas6005 actually the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 gas turbine has an UNLIMITED time between overhaul if participating in the M.O.R.E. Program. This program allows unlimited TBO as long as consistent inspections are performed. I know of these engines going 10’s of thousands of hours between overhauling.
Episode 2 of Car Trek 4 will release at noon today (Wednesday) on Freddy's channel!
Can’t wait!
I love Car Trek!!!💙💙💙
This video went up 1 hour ago but this comment is from 14...am I missing something?!?
@@nicholaswhitehead3437 videos can be set to premiere at a specific time. The uploader may comment on it whilst,or let channel members view it early
I know Americans have a different way to pronounce words. But all I heard was turban powered 🤣🤣🤣
SO, Rodney Dangerfield drives one and runs out of gas. His wife says "The fifth of vodka in the trunk will get us home." Rodney says "Okay" and drinks the bottle. His wife says "Dummy, you were supposed to put it in the gas tank" Rodney says, "Give me 15 minutes. I'm TRYING."
Pool
I can hear his voice.
Best original; joke I have read in some time!
@@Dancinitup The joke just "happened" to hit me while watching the video... I could only imagine this really happening (RD saying this as a joke) and thought "Gee this would be funny!"
I can picture his face as he is saying that.
I can relate. I work on CNC machines making the rotating assemblies of todays top of the line jet engines. I get a chill every time i hear a jet fly by. On top of that the shop is located directly under a flight path of the local airport by coincidence. There's something magical about the SBB motors when they come to life.
Would it be possible to fabricate one of these in your home? If so what would you need to do it? Would be very cool to have a turbo bike.
@@ggkkkgkgkkgkgkg home? No.
Getting the basic metal is a major sourcing problem. I've seen some model builders use the technology but nothing on a big scale.