Anybody remember the rocket axle?

Unrestored racer from the 60's. Interesting story. 850hp rocket axle....

http://www.mecumauction.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0508-65922

Never heard of those.
Here's an article about the tech:
http://www.tunersgroup.com/TunerWire_Live/Turbonique.html

I had one of these rockets given to me when I was a kid. I was told they were dangerous and have been known to explode. It ran oxy/acet and used a common spark plug for an igniter from what I remember embossed in the cast. I'm not sure what happened to it, wish I still had it.



http://horsepowersports.com/turbonique-rocket-kart-for-sale/

Ralphy

YES! I still have buried away some of the same original sales materials. I was interested in making my VW a drag car using one - but then saw the twisted hunk of metal - The Black Widow (the one on the cover BEFORE the accident.)

That VW Bug was fast! Roy Drew, Black American racer defeated Tommy Ivo's "Showboat" with his Turbonique-sponsored Black Widow drag axle Volkswagen. The Bug clocked 9.36 ET at 168 mph when it beat Tommy Ivo. Later it went airborne and flipped end for end through the 1/4 mile traps at 200 mph as I recall.
That changed my mind.

They also had a cartridge fired supercharger. It would sit idle until you engaged it - when the cart fired, that also engaged the clutch on the drive and - voila instant supercharge for as long as the cart lasted.

As I get it they went under after a number of lawsuits over turbines coming apart and some associated injuries. Great concepts - and much better manufacturing opportunities today.

Thanks for igniting some stale brain cells.

Cheers - Jim

Hmmm...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uerDqAIjins[/ame]

Ralphy

yes saw a few of them.