Chrysler turbine car book

Its a fast read, filled with technical facts and enlightening anecdotes, and i regretted that it ended after only 188 pages not including endnotes, a bibliography and an index. Of course, this is where any chrysler turbine car story has to begin. But i was out bookhunting the other day and found a book which tells the whole story of the car and the test programme, plus the history of chryslers other stock cars fitted with experimental turbine engines. Jay leno, who owns one of only three that are still. This video of chrysler turbine cars being destroyed is hard to watch john april 26, 2019 at 5. Details about chrysler turbine car gas engine book technical information vehicles. The chrysler turbine looks so much better than the cars of today. This book gives you the ins and outs of the rise and fall of this before its time vehicle. If you want to help, the link below will take you to my donation request page. More than two years later, chrysler brought the program to an end after lending the turbine cars to 203 volunteers. Driving one of the surviving chrysler turbine cars is a. The rise and fall of detroits coolest creation tells the history behind chrysler s almost successful attempt at putting a turbine engine in a car. Indepth look at chryslers turbinecar public testing program belongs in any enthusiasts collection.

The driver wasnt part of our foursome, and i never saw the car again. The book gives great detail about the origin and history of the chrysler turbine car and how it excited the public worldwide. Watched them woosh around the chrysler exhibit at the 64 ny worlds fairtoo cool to a 16 year old. Offering a behindthescenes look into the world of automotive research and development in the 1960s, this engaging narrative traces the birth of chryslers alternative jet car and reveals the story behind its sudden and mysterious demise. Most of the drivers appreciated the turbine engines smooth operation and reduced maintenance requirements, but some did complain about the. The experimental turbine car program was the most significant consumer research program ever undertaken and has been well and factually documented in steve lehtos book titled chryslers turbine car. In 1964, chrysler gave the world a glimpse of the future.

The rise and fall of detroits coolest creation by steve lehto is an informative, engaging, and alltoobrief book about just that. I wrote a book about chryslers turbine programwhich ran from 1953 to. The event signaled the public launch of chryslers plan to build 50 such cars and have the public test them under everyday conditions. When the company put a fleet of them on the road in 1963, it decided to pull out all the stops. Driving a chrysler turbine car is a view of the future from 1962 jeff glucker january 20, 2017 comment now.

They were destroyed because chrysler did not want the liability exposure of having that many unique cars out there potentially in the hands of the general public that didn. A brief overview of chryslers legendary turbine car program. Featuredcar the chrysler turbine car and auto books. The above excerpt can be looked at as a brief summary. I do not imply that i am connected with those names except as a consumer. Editorinchief charles nerpels monthly column in the august 1963 issue of motor trendnow. Its body was made by the italian design studio ghia, and chrysler completed its assembly in detroit. As we noticed in the comments to our recent post on the chrysler turbine cars 50th anniversary, the theory persists that chrysler destroyed 46 of the cars only to avoid paying import duties. According to the recent book 2010 chryslers turbine car by steve lehto, there were 55 built.

The wellborn musclecar museum will host the ultimate weekend for devoted fans of the aero cars that rocked the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some thought it would change carbuilding forever, but the chrysler turbine vanished soon after it burst onto the auto scene in the 60s. For more information visit chrysler turbine car book on facebook. Offering a behindthescenes look into the world of automotive research and development in the 1960s, this engaging narrative traces the birth. Real original print oem publication by chrysler all about gas turbine vehicles technical information booklet by the chrysler corporation covering their research into turbine engines from 19541964 11x8 30. Steve lehtos new book chryslers turbine car explains how bureaucracy killed one of detroits. Click here for information about the lively set movie staring the turbine car. To further feed the interest, the author steve lehto had recently published a book about it, chryslers turbine car. One sunday morning i cross the street to the first tee. The turbine engine made it into regular production, but only as power for the m1 abrams tank i was involved in our chrysler gas turbine program these many years about 50 ago and after reading steve lehtos book and talking with others, decided to record some of my memories. Right behind the tee is the pro shop, and in front of the pro shop is a chrysler turbine car, idling, with a guy unloading his bag. Richard petty chrysler turbine stock car and transporter show truck built 20. Even opening the hood or trunk in a chrysler turbine car.

Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Steve lehto does an excellent job and weaving this tale in. Chrysler spent a lot of time and money making turbine powered cars. Relying on extensive research and firsthand accounts from surviving members of the turbine car programincluding the metallurgist who created the. Steve lehto, who researched the chrysler turbine cars extensively for his book, wanted to put that theory to bed once and for all, so he got us in touch with bill carry, who worked on the turbine car. On the destruction of the chrysler turbine cars and import. Ive been nose deep in steve lehtos great book about the chrysler turbine car program lately chryslers turbine car. I got bombarded with emails and notes because i have written a book on the chrysler turbine car project. Be sure to click on the turbine car for the story of how chrysler allowed our family to drive it. Chryslers bronze blowtorch, the experimental turbine car. One car company was even bold enough to put a jet engine in an automobile, and that is the topic of steve lehtos chryslers turbine car, a. Mark olson shares his interests in the chrysler turbine car program of the 60s plymouth and dodge cars, trains and many other things chrysler turbine car user pages. As the name suggests, the chrysler turbine car was equipped with a simple turbine engine similar to the kind found on a jet plane.

Lenos interview with lehto to know there were originally 55 cars built and the book. I turned 16 in 1964, so this story took place when i was really car crazy. The chrysler turbine car chrysler 300 club international. This is one of the 54 cars chrysler built and actually turned the public loose in.

A new coupe body, which was to become the 1966 dodge charger was considered for a new fifthgeneration turbine engine. Chryslers turbine car the rise and fall of detroits. In 20, chrysler commemorated the fifty year mark since the original release of the chrysler turbine by unveiling the chrysler 300 turbine at the north american international auto show in detroit. Steve lehtos book on the chrysler turbine brought back memories of my teen years. The rise and fall of detroits coolest creation, and i was intent on reading it someday in greater detail. The rise and fall of americas jetpowered car jalopnik. Click here for a look at the drivers guide all users got in the glove compartment. The car was exhibited for two weeks, a reminder of the turbine technology and innovation that drove, and continues to drive, the chrysler brand. The truth about why chrysler destroyed the turbine cars. Its most prominent design features were two large horizontal taillights and nozzles backup lights mounted inside a very heavy chrome sculptured bumper. Chryslers turbine car chronicles the invention of chryslers turbine car which contained a jet engine beginning in 1953 and ending in 1978.

Chrysler spent decades working on turbinepowered auto technology and had progressed to the point of fielding 50 of the cars with families across. The chrysler turbine engine program that produced the turbine car began during the late 1930s. Its the amazing car jays lusted after since he was 14 years old, and todays episode is packed with all kinds of amazing footage. Americanaut is in no way affiliated with the books author. He interviewed all the surviving members of the turbine car program, and wove these. Ud mercy prof steve lehto writes book about chryslers.

Responses were generally positive, as steve lehto wrote in his book chryslers turbine car. However, chrysler went on to develop a sixth generation gasturbine engine which finally met us nitrogen oxide regulations, and installed it in a 1966. Steve lehtos book chryslers turbine car is a trip back to the future. The rise and fall of detroits coolest creation and it has really opened my eyes to what the company was trying to achieve with the whole turbine deal. Steve lehto has interviewed all the surviving members of the turbine car program from the metallurgist who created the exotic metals for the interior of the engine to the test driver who drove it at chryslers proving grounds for days on end. The source for the content of this blog post is the book chryslers turbine car. Designed by elwood engel and engineered by george huebner the cars were hand built by ghia in italy. The first week of april, a 7th generation chrysler turbine engine was listed for sale on ebay. The book even speculates that chryslers dramatic resurgence during the years of the turbine car program may be attributed to it, to one degree or another. These cars used the fourth generation turbine engine that chrysler engineers created. Lehto sandwiches the tale of the user program in between the fascinating history of chryslers turbine engine development ghia turbine cars used fourthgeneration engines and the disheartening story of the demise of detroits only successful effort to create a viable turbinepowered car. The chrysler turbine car was a twodoor hardtop coupe with four individual bucket seats, power steering, power brakes and power windows.

Steve lehtos new book chryslers turbine car explains how bureaucracy killed one of detroits engineering triumphs. Steve lehtos lively history of chryslers turbine car program is a must read for anyone interested in the history of the automobile in the jet age. The third such engine, the cr2a, was fitted to a quartet of 1962model hardtop coupes two dodge darts and a pair of plymouth furys. The name chrysler and chrysler turbine car are more than likely owned by the current version of the chrysler corporation or chrysler llc and or its partners. Jay leno is the outlier of the car collector world. Diecast car forums pics the chrysler turbine car an. The chrysler turbine car was the largest gas turbine passenger car test program. Driving a chrysler turbine car is a view of the future. Some of you may have encountered this book already, but for anyone interested, its a good read.

Chrysler corporation had launched a test fleet of 50 turbine powered cars into the public the year before and was looking for a way to gain more attention for the cars. The car of the future was the descriptor used in reference to the chrysler turbine when it was unveiled at essex house in new york city on may 14, 1963. Its the amazing car jays lusted after since he was 14 years old, and. Of course, most of these are now scrapped, with some notable exceptions including jay lenos car. Chryslers turbine engine program did not end with the chrysler turbine car. I have a facebook page now like it or leave a message there for me. The rise and fall of detroits coolest creation kindle edition by lehto, steve, leno, jay, leno, jay. Click here for many press releases published by chrysler from the turbine program. One car company was even bold enough to put a jet engine in an automobile, and that is the topic of steve lehtos chryslers turbine car, a delightful history of, as the subtitle has it. Harrah approached chrysler requesting a turbine car for his museum in nevada. Chrysler quietly developed a jetpowered car in the 1960s.