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turbonique rocket kart is for sale

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by unclescooby, Jun 22, 2007.

  1. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 5,009

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

  2. toadfrog
    Joined: Dec 2, 2006
    Posts: 299

    toadfrog
    Member
    from Arkansas

    That's sick.....
     
  3. ricknroll
    Joined: Mar 8, 2007
    Posts: 78

    ricknroll
    Member

    I give my left nut to drive that thing just once.
    I'm sure the story would end with "........and he was last sighted going in excess of 200mph into oncoming traffic before going airborne and into the cloud cover. Back to you Bill..."
     
  4. oldandkrusty
    Joined: Oct 8, 2002
    Posts: 2,141

    oldandkrusty
    Member

    Jesus, do people ever read their ads. First this guy says it is one of a kind, then he says only a couple are left then he says that only three remain. How the many hell are there???

    Notwithstanding the above, I do remember the Turbonique carts and thought at the time that they were the epitome of off-the-wallness! Something that E. J. Potter the Michigan Madman would drive for certain. Ahhhhhhh, hotrodding at its wackiest. It's a beautiful thing!
     
  5. G V Gordon
    Joined: Oct 29, 2002
    Posts: 5,722

    G V Gordon
    Member
    from Enid OK

    There is a great article in the current Garage magazine on Gene Middlebrooks Jr. and the Turbonique company. Worth picking up.
    GV
     
  6. chuckspeed
    Joined: Sep 13, 2005
    Posts: 1,643

    chuckspeed
    Member

    Scoob - thanks for the link.

    If you ever wanted to duct-tape yer nuts to a rocker motor - this would pretty much do it.

    and yes - this IS rocket science. The downside? The fuel needed to make this thing go is now a controlled substance, you have to have all sorts of permits to handle the stuff, if I recall based on some research I did a year ago.
     
  7. G V Gordon
    Joined: Oct 29, 2002
    Posts: 5,722

    G V Gordon
    Member
    from Enid OK

    According to the article it is fueled with "Thermolene". Don't know if that is a brand name for something generic or the actual, official name.
     
  8. jmn444
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 410

    jmn444
    Member

    you'd think that a better braking system might have been adapted to something like that... maybe protect the fuel lines a little too...

    bad ass though!
     
  9. jusjunk
    Joined: Dec 3, 2004
    Posts: 3,138

    jusjunk
    BANNED
    from Michigan

    I would think if your dumb enuff to go 200 mph in that you wouldnt worry too much about the fucking brakes :)
    Dave
     
    Mark Hinds likes this.
  10. SinisterCustom
    Joined: Feb 18, 2004
    Posts: 8,277

    SinisterCustom
    Member

    Very cool.....But I don't think the karts were made until mid-late 60's.....
    The latest issue of GARAGE has a good article on Turboniques, and the fact that something like this wouldn't ever get passed for manufacture in this 'day and age'......it's a shame.....
     
  11. rodknocker
    Joined: Jan 31, 2006
    Posts: 2,265

    rodknocker

    0 to 200mph in 7 seconds on 8" wheels=diarhea
     
  12. InDaShop
    Joined: Aug 15, 2004
    Posts: 2,796

    InDaShop
    Member
    from Houston

    5 ever built, 3 left known in existence.

    200mph in 7 seconds on a dinner tray with wheels. FAWK THAT.
    If I was a rich man though, I'd own it just to hang it from the ceiling.

    That thing is just sick!!!
     
  13. chuckspeed
    Joined: Sep 13, 2005
    Posts: 1,643

    chuckspeed
    Member

    Thermolene:

    N-propyl nitrate
    Nitric acid, propyl ester
    Monopropyl nitrate
    C3H7NO3
    http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/0539.pdf
    http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng1513.html
    which Turbonique called Termolene, a name since appropriated for other products. It is a monopropellant rocket fuel with no industrial uses, classified as highly flammable, and shock sensitive whether impure or not.

    It's the shock sensitive part which gives me the willies. I'm gonna duct-tape my nuts to a go-kart fueled by a chemical which is inherently unstable?

    I may be crazy - but not THAT crazy. Was really interested in these things until I read that.
     
  14. I want to take it for a spin! Any one have a really long flat driveway and a parachute?
     
  15. COOP666
    Joined: May 8, 2007
    Posts: 724

    COOP666
    Member
    from Austin TX

    Yes, and when you're ready to take off, I'll dial 9 and 1, then wait...
     
  16. budd
    Joined: Oct 31, 2006
    Posts: 3,478

    budd
    Member

    i dont see in this add that you can only run that special fuel? Termolene
     
  17. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 5,009

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

    I talked to Ky a few years ago when I first got a Turbonique and he said there were better fuels to run this on now. He didn't specify what but I'd guess than nearly anything is better. I've still got a quart of the original oil. I think I REALLY screwed up selling my last one. If this cart is worth $20k, then that 1000HP unit is probably worth my left nut. Oh well.
     
  18. i have a magazine called Hot Rotor
    it basically a turbine car pictorial of dragsters, roadsters, stockers, cycles, karts, aircraft, boats, industrial equip, and snowmobiles
    it is an awsome mag
    and hell if the parts are going for some big $$$ is the mag worth anything
    tk
     
  19. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 5,009

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

    and hell if the parts are going for some big $$$ is the mag worth anything


    The mag is worth about $20. Not terribly uncommon but pretty neat.
     
  20. Rat Rod Roach
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 261

    Rat Rod Roach
    Member
    from Aurora CO.

    DSC04666.jpg DSC04667.jpg DSC04668.jpg DSC04669.jpg This must be one of the three.
    I found it in Big Daddys museum, looks like a fun ride :eek:

    I always say " Why didn't they have things like this when I was a kid "
    THEY DID..........

    Roach
    [​IMG] [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 12, 2019
  21. Jimv
    Joined: Dec 5, 2001
    Posts: 2,924

    Jimv
    Member

    i remember these when i was younger, it was in every "rod" magazine for a year or 2 .they would match it up against dragsters all the time.It was the "flavor of the month" for awhile.
    But the "iron balls" award still has to go to EJ Potter( no relation to harry).I saw him once & i still am impressed by him & his SBC bike!!
    JimV
     
  22. hdwilly
    Joined: Jun 29, 2005
    Posts: 15

    hdwilly
    Member
    from fla

    saw one run about 1964 at tampa dragway guys last name was mclurg or something it was fast
     
  23. Driving that would automatically nominate you for the "Darwin Award".HEY YA'LL WATCH THIS!!!:eek:
     
  24. Captain Jack Mclurg went 215 mph on his laydown Turbonique kart!
     
  25. alsancle
    Joined: Nov 30, 2005
    Posts: 1,574

    alsancle
    Member

    unclescooby, I wouldn't sweat it as I think you did o.k. with that drag axle - a bird in the hand is worth more... as they say. My feeling is the kart is worth more then an un-used axle engine. If that engine had provenance of coming out of a known car that had done something neat, well maybe that would be different. As somebody that agonized over your axle, I can say that we are ultimately talking about garage displays because I think someone would really have to be out of their mind to ignite one of those engines while on board. Although I'm sure there a are a few guys on this board that would do it :).

    A.J.
     
  26. jangleguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2004
    Posts: 2,668

    jangleguy
    Member


    I'll say it again: I may not be nuts enough to drive it, but if someone wants to put one together, I'm nuts enough to help. As long as we have bail money, etc...
    Scotty
     
  27. 39cent
    Joined: Apr 4, 2006
    Posts: 1,569

    39cent
    Member
    from socal

    yep read some articles 'way back' and they stuck these on the rear of a quickchange differential. it was an insane machine a VW turned 168 in 9 something! look up 'turbonique' on google. Also on big cars!
     
  28. Hey I have a couple of Parachutes, and a good place to run, mail that sucker to me and I will be landing in the US in a couple of weeks in it..............
    Doc.
    (Hey, I jumped out of planes for a living, this is just the next step.....)
     

  29. I just spoke to Jack last weekend , Ky came up to our vintage kart display at the GSTA show in St Paul . I had a signed pic of Jack and his kart with our display that I bought from Ky . I was talking to Ky about it,,, he got his sons cell phone out and called Jack down in Florida and we spoke for about 5 minutes . I would say that it is a hi point in my life . I think Ky said that Jack is 83 now .
    Prety cool.
    Brian
     
  30. hemi
    Joined: Jul 11, 2001
    Posts: 1,959

    hemi
    Member

    I'm nuts enough to drive it..... with few exceptions, all the cool, fast stuff is wasted on the wealthy chickens... :D
     

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