Some friends and I got to talking around the shop one day and somebody threw out "Turbonique drag axle". Now, I had never heard of such a creature, and started a little research when I got home, stumbling upon the "Tobacco King" in the process. I read all I could about the Turbonique, but never really got an understanding of HOW it worked, or how many there are in existence. This has now gotten to the point of obsession, and if I can't FIND one, maybe with a little understanding of how it worked I could build something similar in function. Then it occurred to me that if that was a possibility it surely would have been done already. A) Has anyone had any experience with this mystical creature, B) is anything made today similar to the Turbonique, and C) is the theory behind it one that could be comprehended and built in a machine shop? I just don't know anything about it (despite finding everything from magazine adverti*****ts to write-ups) and am unbelievably curious to learn more about it.
Strange as it may sound, there was also a go kart with one of those engines on it. http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2006/04/the_real_acme.html
Search is your freind. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=654864&highlight=turbonique If you build it where are you going to use it? Every form of racing outlawed them because once you light the sob it goes like stink until the fuel is gone. Not to safe. The fuel is the hard part to find now.
The drag axle is not the same as what the gocart ran. Same company, different product. The drag axle jet motor did not propel the car but rather turned the ring/pinion at extreme RPM's. Very extreme.
It appears to be built off of a frankland or winters deep cover type q/c housing, so thats a start...
It isn't a matter of using it... ever. It's a matter of DOING it. You ever just DO something for the satisfaction of DOING it? My wife's car has air-bags... I don't hope to ever use them, either. But somebody built them...
Won't be much help, but, if you haven't seen this write-up in Popular Hot Rodding (Mag's missing the cover - but I think it's an early '66 issue?) you can add it to your file: -Dave
They also made a selfe powered supercharger. There are a few U tube videos on them and the drag axles.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgzGSf45c4I
In 65 or 66 one called the Ozark Mule which was an early mustang ran one at Green Valley Raceway. When he came to the line the announcer said it was running but you could not hear anything. When the tree lit up all hell broke loose, fire out the rear a roar like sitting beside a jet engine. I remember a speed of 195 in 7 seconds which was fast in that time frame. Now my memory might be slipping some on the speed and time but the noise is still fresh after 50 some odd years.
1964 Ford Galaxie 500 "Tobacco King" Rocket Car <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/f1ebbzZUa40" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ...
You can not get the Thermoline propellant and if Homeland Security hears that you are trying to make it...you`re screwed !
I'll add a couple pics. Father was Lyle Marsh. As a kid dad, Harrison Arthur and Driver Ray Finn let me tag along.
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