I propose creating an open wheeled race car series similar to formula one only the cars use turbine jet engines instead of reciprocating engines.

These cars would use a small (2 ft diameter) turbine engine which both drives a shaft and produces thrust. The shaft would drive the rear wheels through to a continuously variable transmission (cvt).

The thrust output would be reversible during breaking, much like how airplanes reverse the thrust on their engines after landing.
-- thejini, Feb 16 2004

Baked behind a hot jet engine http://www.jetwebb.com/
Too fast for even me.... [normzone, Oct 17 2004]

chrysler's good attempt http://www.allpar.com/mopar/turbine.html
at one time I had about 9 links of this... [dickity, Oct 17 2004]

or do it yourself http://www.wclintdavis.com/
many sites out there showing us how to make a gas turbine [dickity, Oct 17 2004]

indy turbine car http://www.avonaero.com/indycar.htm
Lotus 56 indy car. There used to be a few turbines in some circuts, but since then the field has normalized. [bmadigan1, Oct 17 2004]

Ten billion points, thejini. It's a shame I have but one croissant to give. This would make my dreams come true. Literally. Yes, visions of gas turbines dance in my head.
-- TerranFury, Feb 17 2004


//:Yes, visions of gas turbines dance in my head.:// umm, see link
-- dickity, Feb 17 2004


Your Idea is good, but try it this way.

1. Forget the thrust, that would fry anyone behind you. 2. A CVT could not take the power of a turbine. 3. power an electric generator from the turbine and have electric motor windings built into the wheel hube (4 wheel drive). This is effecient at well as making it ease to change out an electric motor if it fails. The electric approch will do away with the lag issue since the turbine will run at a constant speed. The car's speed is varried through varistors powering the electric motors along with a capistor bank used to store inused power for out of the corner burst.
-- dlapham, Jun 23 2004


One of the London Universities was secretly working on this idea (the constant speed gas turbine powering a generator/motor set up) in 1995...it should be with us shortly.
-- originalsen, Jun 24 2004



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