Built in the early 60’s, the Turbo-Sonic was designed as the 25th century three-wheel racing car to develop speeds of 300 mph in a quarter mile racing strip powered by a 50 pound fuel burning turbine engine that can reach 1,000 horsepower.
This car was engineered in a
combination of monacoque and crossframe construction using alloy tube frame
plus a lunamite sheet stock also fiberglass fireproof light weight wings.
Controls are operated on a four stage solenoid electrical system for safety, with
inner-cockpit fuel mixture switches, and can be operated with a remote control
unit for testing stages 50 feet away from the automobile. Driver sits in a
complete safety fireproof cockpit and encased in a unitized cross tube frame
roll bar. Two-way radio will be used to transmit dial readings and car
controlling effects between driver and pit crew. Total weight of the car dry is
850 pounds with a wing span of 7 feet 9 inches and a v-shaped length of 17 feet
encased in a spear-headed delta v-shaped aero-dynamic design fuselage and
streamlined wing tip wheel covered pads.
Engine operates through a v-drive
gear reduction unit and directly into a reversed ring and pinion rear end which
drives each wheel independently turning 92,000 revolutions per minute and
reduced 16 to 1 developing 8,000 revolutions per minute at the wheels. For
stopping the vehicle, a combination of an offset blown parachute plus four
stabilizer wing flaps are used, and for low speed stopping are Airheart spot
disc brakes. To finish off this ultra sonic design, the color is 40 coats of
transformation in a turbine fire effect flame of pearl and fire frost flakes
from a white pearl nose into a translucent yellow into an after-burning orange
finishing off into fire red. Designed and built by Barris Kustom City, co-owned
by Mr. R. E. Barrett. Engineering and styling contributions are by Mr. Les
Tompkins, Mr. Dick Dean and Mr. Tom Daniels. Test driver was Mr. S. P.
Torgeson.
In
reality it was quoted as having only 300bhp with the engines ripping its self apart
on its first outing in 1966 at Long Beach. Apparently the crew didn’t drain off
the fuel in the engine for the second run!!! The current owner has also described
some of the “innovative” aspects as well none existent such as the brakes they were
simple under powered callipers from a motorbike and the solenoid control seems to be some
switches on an empty box!!!! Take a look at this link for more revelations. Does this change how awesome it is, no way, its got 3 wheels and a jet engine.
After the engine exploded it was
never replaced instead a motorbike engine was grafted into the rear, thankfully
the guys at The Guild of Automotive Restorers have found an original and now
very rare jet engine and are bringing it back to its awesome glory. Take a look at the link below to see some of the progress
photos of the restoration to see exactly how much works been involved.
For more
information-
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