The world's first consumer delivery of a turbine car took place October 29, 1963 in Chicago. Mr. Lynn A. Townsend, president of Chrysler Corporation, presented the keys to the turbine car to Mr. and Mrs. Richard E. Vlaha of Broadview (a Chicago suburb). Typical of the 200 scheduled deliveries, the presentation was observed by newsmen and reported in various newspapers, magazines, and on radio and television.
The objective of this program is to learn just how this new kind of car performs in the hands of typical drivers and in typical everyday usage - on long trips and short trips - and over a wide range of climatic conditions and terrain.
Each selected user will drive the car for a period up to three months under a no-charge agreement. The car then will be reassigned to other users to provide a broad consumer sampling base. In total, the 50 cars will be distributed to about 200 motorists on a rotating system over a two-year period.
Original is at Chrysler turbine engines and cars http://www.allpar.com/mopar/turbine.html#ixzz2fKmEulnX
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1964 turbine car specifications
- 130 horsepower at 3,600 rpm (output shaft speed); 425 lb-ft of torque at zero rpm!
- Weight: 410 lb - 25 inches long, 25.5 inches wide, 27.5 inches tall (without accessories, which make the overall length 35 inches).
- Fuel requirements: what've you got? diesel, unleaded gas, kerosene, JP-4, others. No adjustments needed to switch from one to the other.
- Compressor: centrifugal, single-stage compressor with 4:1 pressure ratio, 80% efficiency, 2.2 lb/sec air flow
- First stage turbine: axial, single-stage, 87% efficiency, inlet temperature 1,700 degrees F.
- Second-stage turbine: axial, single-stage, 84% efficiency, max speed 45,700 rpm
- Regenerator: dual rotating disks, 90% effectiveness, 22 rpm max speed
- Burner: single can, reverse flow, 95% efficiency
- Maximum gas generator speed: 44,600 rpm
- Maximum output speed, after reduction gears: 4,680 rpm
- Exhaust temperature at full power: 500 degrees Farenheit.
RSVP for 1963 The first of 200 people receive a 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car for real life testing to add comments!
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