Chrysler Turbine Car

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general rocket
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Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by general rocket »

For about 3 decades Chrysler investigated the possibility of powering their cars with a gas turbine engine. Various engines and formats where tried over the years, the high point being between 1962-64 when the vehicle below was tested.
Using bodies hand built by Ghia in Italy, 5 pre-production cars where built, followed by 50 "production" cars. These where then tested in the field by members of the public and feed back taken.
At the end of the test period the cars where taken back and destroyed partly for tax and liability reasons, but also due to the total lack of support infrastructure to care for such unconventional vehicles. This has too be one of the greatest acts of vandalism and desecration ever.
9 did survive, 3 retained by Chrysler, 2 in private hands and the rest in various museums.

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The engine without the air filter housing in place.

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Unfortunately, as you see on the bonnet (hood) I used 400 grit wet n dry to smooth down the paint before swapping to 1200 grit for a better finish, it looked fine, but with a bit of car polish over the top, shows the streaks left by the 400 grit.

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The correct Turbine bronze is apparently still available, but not on the right hand side of the pond in my local Halfords. The metallic bronze used is a Ford colour from a rattle can is a lot darker than the original but suits the model beautifully and made me think of it as more of a "production colour".
The kit used is the Jo Han kit which was apparently produced for Chrysler to give away in their show rooms during the period that the turbines where in the wild. The kits where periodically rereleased during the 80s and 90s, i assume this is the period my example hails from. Fit is excellent, the only filler being used to plug the gap between the exhaust pipes and the engine.
The kit features opening doors, in the third picture you can see the result of my opening the doors before the polish had time to properly cure.
This was my first Jo Han kit, I will be looking for more.

Comments an criticism welcome
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ShaunW
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by ShaunW »

A nice build of a very interesting car, General. I'm not altogether convinced with the use of gas turbine engines in road vehicles, I would imagine them to be too noisy, thirsty and with hazardously hot exhaust gases. The gas turbine powered Abrams Main Battle Tank certainly suffers with chronically bad fuel consumption, even for a tank and the hot exhaust gas makes it very difficult for infantry to shelter or follow closely behind the vehicle.
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iggie
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by iggie »

Fine looking build General!
I seem to recall Rover dabbling with a similar concept; in their case the (modified) turbine ended up in Vulcans as the auxiliary power unit I think
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Clashcityrocker
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by Clashcityrocker »

Nice looking build. Love the colour.

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JamesPerrin
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by JamesPerrin »

Interesting car and history. A nice build to boot too.
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fredk
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by fredk »

Nice job.
Lots of adventures in car designs in the 1950s and early 1960s
Not all worked out but some did

I can't see the streaks on the hood.
If it bothers you try polishing it with some toothpaste
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by arni »

A very nice build,got one in the stash myself. 8-)
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general rocket
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by general rocket »

Thanks for the comments.

"I would imagine them to be too noisy, thirsty and with hazardously hot exhaust gases."

Noisy, apparently not. The whine of the continuous combustion engine took some getting used to as every one was used to the the throb of the internal combustion engine, but once you did, it delivered masses of smooth power..
Thirsty, yes slightly more so than the comparable Cadillac 11.5m.p.g. as opposed to 15m.p.g. for Caddy. Not beyond the possibility to be improved on with a little research and development.
None of the articles I have read while researching the kit and car mentioned or criticised the exhaust gases in any way, so I can only draw the conclusion that it was never a problem.

"I seem to recall Rover dabbling with a similar concept; in their case the (modified) turbine ended up in Vulcans as the auxiliary power unit I think."

It must have had something going for it, it was clocked at over 150 m.p.h. but doesn't look half as cool as the Chrysler. It is now stuffed and mounted in the Science Museum in London.

"If it bothers you try polishing it with some toothpaste"

It's the usual problem, no one else notices it, but the modeler knows it's there! IT didn't really show up till (or I didn't notice it) till I gave it a coat of car polish. Experience tells me that if I try to correct it at this stage I will just cause more problems than I cure. So I will leave it alone, as you say, it's not that bad, and I am probably being over critical.

"got one in the stash myself."

It should not stay there, it's a cracking kit. Excellent fit, excellent fit and excellent detail for a 50 year old kit.
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celt
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by celt »

Well tidy model and backstory,liked them very much.Thanks for sharing.
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by syd-baines »

nice to see something different great model
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splash
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by splash »

The model looks brilliant.

Did you know Jay Leno the American TV show host has one of the few remaining running privately own cars?

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general rocket
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by general rocket »

splash wrote:The model looks brilliant.

Did you know Jay Leno the American TV show host has one of the view remaining running privately own cars?

I came across it on youtube as you say, and of course found it fascinating. I can't help hating the man when I look around his collection.
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billyb_imp
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by billyb_imp »

What an education it is coming on to this forum and thread, I had heard about these but never taken the time to dig deeper into them, thanks for sharing and a fine looking build
A start on my first kit a Hawker Hurricane as been made, a spitfire awaits in the wings and thinking about models to come.

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general rocket
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Re: Chrysler Turbine Car

Post by general rocket »

billyb_imp wrote:What an education it is coming on to this forum and thread, I had heard about these but never taken the time to dig deeper into them, thanks for sharing and a fine looking build
It's something I like about this forum that there is always something to learn and fire the imagination.
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