Cool, Awesome & Amazing Custom/One-off/Prototype Cars
- Thread starter RocZX
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Castrol96
(Banned)
- 2,899
- Southampton, UK
Castrol96
(Banned)
- 2,899
- Southampton, UK
Couldn't find any more pictures but I discovered where it came from, it's a render. Sorry.
http://gtspirit.com/2013/02/25/render-giallo-ferrari-f70-milano-torino-on-the-streets/
McLaren
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- 45,755
- Texas
- 597
- America's Land of Dairy
- ShobTheGrob
- Shob The Grob
The GM Coal Dust Turbine
As part of GM's long running program of attempts to have a production model equipped with a turbine engine, the coal dust powered variant cropped up when the fuel crisis hit the US in the '70s. The first prototype was a 1978 Eldorado, chosen due to the size of its engine bay and trunk; perfect for running all of the experimental equipment.
The system was very complex: you had a conveyor belt moving the dust around, a diesel/kerosene ignition system to start the engine, and it was all geared down to a 3-Speed Hydramatic. The reason coal dust was chosen is because, at least in the late 70s and early 80s, the US had roughly 600 years worth of usable dust. The initial program was ended with the experimental Eldorado being sent to one of Allison's facilities and is presumed destroyed. Although there was another coal dust powered turbine dropped into a Delta 88 in 1983 or so (which had some monitoring components taken directly from a Boeing 727, might I add), GM completely went away from coal powered turbines for the rest of their jet propelled prototypes as other forms of fuel were deemed cleaner and didn't require complex delivery systems.
As part of GM's long running program of attempts to have a production model equipped with a turbine engine, the coal dust powered variant cropped up when the fuel crisis hit the US in the '70s. The first prototype was a 1978 Eldorado, chosen due to the size of its engine bay and trunk; perfect for running all of the experimental equipment.
The system was very complex: you had a conveyor belt moving the dust around, a diesel/kerosene ignition system to start the engine, and it was all geared down to a 3-Speed Hydramatic. The reason coal dust was chosen is because, at least in the late 70s and early 80s, the US had roughly 600 years worth of usable dust. The initial program was ended with the experimental Eldorado being sent to one of Allison's facilities and is presumed destroyed. Although there was another coal dust powered turbine dropped into a Delta 88 in 1983 or so (which had some monitoring components taken directly from a Boeing 727, might I add), GM completely went away from coal powered turbines for the rest of their jet propelled prototypes as other forms of fuel were deemed cleaner and didn't require complex delivery systems.
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- 4,763
- Houston, TX
In case the 500 cubic inch V8 wasn't dirty enough, lets try coal power!
- 597
- America's Land of Dairy
- ShobTheGrob
- Shob The Grob
It was dirty more in the "getting disgusting black grease everywhere when you refueled" sense than polluting the environment. You also couldn't just shoot dust into a turbine and expect it to burn; it had to go through a "gasifier" to be agitated before being sent into the engine.
If you think about it, coal power sorta made sense then: oil was expensive, and coal dust was abundant on top of having one of the best energy to cost ratios of any form of fuel.
Alas, even if the engineers did get it reliably working it probably would have been a very expensive engine to produce (subsequently making it a very expensive option) and likely wouldn't see mass production. All that was compounded by the fact the Eldorado and most of GM's large boats were getting downsized anway, which would have meant shrinking the whole thing; basically, it was doomed from the start.
- 4,763
- Houston, TX
XK150 Shooting Brake
- 24,082
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
That's terrible. And not just the red wall tyres 
- 2,107
- Massachusetts
- CreamyNute11a
- 3,023
- Peruibe, SP
Then I'm in freaking hell because I'd buy that.
And this weird other piece fo machinery i bring you!
The Colani Corvette Charisma.
And this weird other piece fo machinery i bring you!
The Colani Corvette Charisma.
- 1,928
- San Bernardino, California
- Gerarghini
- Gerarghini
- 3,461
- Melbourne
Then I'm in freaking hell because I'd buy that.
And this weird other piece fo machinery i bring you!
The Colani Corvette Charisma.
Looks like it's gurning. Lol.
- 30,142
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
- 3,023
- Peruibe, SP
- 30,142
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
Relax, I was adding.
- 3,023
- Peruibe, SP
Fair enough.
Obelisk
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- United States
- RMedia_Obelisk
Then I'm in freaking hell because I'd buy that.
And this weird other piece fo machinery i bring you!
The Colani Corvette Charisma.
That is just bizarre.
INEEDNAWZZZ
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- 1,838
- Lincoln
- EGGSBAWCKS
- DigitalLuke64DD
Those windscreen wipers! 
- 30,142
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
They had some legs, too. Here's another of his designs that used the same wipers:Those windscreen wipers!
And then there's this wiper:
He's an odd duck...
- 4,763
- Houston, TX
Probably one of his tamer creations, based on the Dodge Stealth.
- 24,082
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
I love the massive diffuser. As if a GTO/Stealth needs any help sticking to the ground.
