1963 Chrysler Turbine Car
03-09-21, 04:02 PM
#1
1963 Chrysler Turbine Car
Every now and then a car I didn't know existed pops up. It has some really neat details inside and out. Thought I'd share:
Source
This 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car, was first spotted by Barn Finds.
Here's a quick recap of the Turbine Car in case you're unfamiliar. Back in the 1960s, Chrysler was researching turbine engines for vehicle propulsion, and to get an idea for how well they would work in the real world, they built 5 prototype cars followed by 50 production models. Those latter models did a tour to just over 200 families, each of which spent 90 days driving the cars. According to Motor Trend, the engine produced 130 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque, and it was paired with a three-speed automatic.
Afterward, the cars were returned to Chrysler, which eventually decided that turbine engines weren't the way of the future. According to Hyman Ltd., the company selling this example, only nine Turbine Cars were spared the crusher, and six were sent to museums. This was one of the cars Chrysler held onto, and it was occasionally loaned to executives and such. It was then sold to William Harrah for his collection and museum in Las Vegas. It later was sold to the founder of Domino's Pizza, and then to the latest owner, Frank Kleptz. Kleptz then worked with GE Engine Services to rebuild the engine and make the car run again.
As it sits, the car features its original paint, trim and interior. It comes with spare parts and various documents. And of course it oozes cool, from the whistling engine under the hood to the jet-inspired, Ghia-built body and sleek interior. Plus, you can be sure you won't see another one on the road, unless you happen to be cruising by Jay Leno's garage in Burbank, Calif.
Hyman hasn't listed a price for it.
Here's a quick recap of the Turbine Car in case you're unfamiliar. Back in the 1960s, Chrysler was researching turbine engines for vehicle propulsion, and to get an idea for how well they would work in the real world, they built 5 prototype cars followed by 50 production models. Those latter models did a tour to just over 200 families, each of which spent 90 days driving the cars. According to Motor Trend, the engine produced 130 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque, and it was paired with a three-speed automatic.
Afterward, the cars were returned to Chrysler, which eventually decided that turbine engines weren't the way of the future. According to Hyman Ltd., the company selling this example, only nine Turbine Cars were spared the crusher, and six were sent to museums. This was one of the cars Chrysler held onto, and it was occasionally loaned to executives and such. It was then sold to William Harrah for his collection and museum in Las Vegas. It later was sold to the founder of Domino's Pizza, and then to the latest owner, Frank Kleptz. Kleptz then worked with GE Engine Services to rebuild the engine and make the car run again.
As it sits, the car features its original paint, trim and interior. It comes with spare parts and various documents. And of course it oozes cool, from the whistling engine under the hood to the jet-inspired, Ghia-built body and sleek interior. Plus, you can be sure you won't see another one on the road, unless you happen to be cruising by Jay Leno's garage in Burbank, Calif.
Hyman hasn't listed a price for it.
03-09-21, 04:16 PM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Well, Hoovey, you got to a Retro-posting on this car before I did. 
Yes, in the early 1960s, Chrysler did a number of experimental gas-turbine cars, why they lent out to a group of selected customers, to test them under operational conditions. You can see that it had a number of styling-comparisons with early-mid-1960s Ford Thunderbirds.
Gas-turbine automobiles, in general, were not successful, for three basic reasons. First was cost....turbines have to be built under extremely precise conditions, with expensive quality materials. Second was the very poor fuel-mileage that turbines typically offer. Third, like with early turbine-powered aircraft, despite high potential power after spool-up, was the slow response of the turbine at low speeds to throttle-input. With the early turbines, in general, the faster they spun, the faster they increased their rate of spinning.
Fuel-mileage is very low on turbines because, unlike piston or Rotary-engines which have Intake/Compression/Power/Exhaust cycles where the fuel is not injected continuously (only in cycles), turbines constantly suck in an air-fuel mixture in a steady-stream, which is compressed and then lit off in the combustion chamber, and the hot gases forced out the exhaust for power.
Note the tachometer, BTW, on the right (with the analog clock inside of it), which shows from 0 to 60,000 RPM.....which shows you the kind of rotational-speeds these units can achieve (another reason for the poor fuel-mileage).
Yes, in the early 1960s, Chrysler did a number of experimental gas-turbine cars, why they lent out to a group of selected customers, to test them under operational conditions. You can see that it had a number of styling-comparisons with early-mid-1960s Ford Thunderbirds.
Gas-turbine automobiles, in general, were not successful, for three basic reasons. First was cost....turbines have to be built under extremely precise conditions, with expensive quality materials. Second was the very poor fuel-mileage that turbines typically offer. Third, like with early turbine-powered aircraft, despite high potential power after spool-up, was the slow response of the turbine at low speeds to throttle-input. With the early turbines, in general, the faster they spun, the faster they increased their rate of spinning.
Fuel-mileage is very low on turbines because, unlike piston or Rotary-engines which have Intake/Compression/Power/Exhaust cycles where the fuel is not injected continuously (only in cycles), turbines constantly suck in an air-fuel mixture in a steady-stream, which is compressed and then lit off in the combustion chamber, and the hot gases forced out the exhaust for power.
Note the tachometer, BTW, on the right (with the analog clock inside of it), which shows from 0 to 60,000 RPM.....which shows you the kind of rotational-speeds these units can achieve (another reason for the poor fuel-mileage).
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-09-21 at 04:49 PM.
03-09-21, 04:28 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing one of these in real life. Mind blowing.
03-09-21, 05:54 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Easily one of the most unique and cool cars ever built.
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03-09-21, 06:16 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Sound is incredible. The synthesized whir some EVs pipe in through the speakers was maybe inspired by this car? For people that haven't watched the video yet Jay is only 1 of 2 people to own one rest are owned by Chrysler or maybe in a museum. Jay's car came straight from Chrysler he is the original owner.
03-10-21, 07:37 AM
#10
Super Moderator
When I was in Mexico, one of my relatives told me a story that one of these ran on tequila, sure enough he was right, https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...ed-by-tequila/
03-10-21, 10:03 AM
#12
Lexus Champion
I recently watched a segment of My Classic Car on Motor Trend TV and the host was at Jay Leno's shop looking at the Chrysler Turbine car (as mentioned in the article). They fired it up but didn't drive it. They did drive a one off turbine car that Leno's garage made.
03-10-21, 12:07 PM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
In general, turbines are much less picky about what they can safely run on than piston or rotary-engines, particularly those with high-compression. JP4/JP5 jet-fuel, for instance, is basically kerosene.
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