Today is Jacks 98th birthday, He was at my place maybe 5 years ago to see the clone I have of his first turbonique rocket kart. here is a pic of the 65 Z16 Turbonique Chevelle he used to run the quarter mile in here is a video of him running the rocket kart here is a few pics of the rocket kart that I have
It would be, It was built with new old stock turbonique rockets. I have no intention of trying it nor do have any thermaline fuel
yes it is, a 1963 rupp dart kart. the reason that the original kart did not survive is that it was dismantled and parts used to build the laydown kart (that he still has!)
He was at Fremont Drag Strip in the 70s at the finish line bump the wheels were off the ground a inch or two its been a long time ago but the speed i believe the speed was 200 MPH.
That’s absolutely nuts going that fast in a short stock go-cart wheelbase. Without a roll bar to boot. Happy Birthday Capt Jack. You were lucky to make it that far. Mark,!have you ever taken your cart that fast?
I have never tried it. I don't have any thermaline rocket fuel and there is somewhat of a design flaw in the turbonique system. The fuel under pressure is forced into the cast iron spherical combustion chambers. the plugs fire as long as the switch is held down and it will have thrust until you run out of fuel. the problem happens if for some reason you let up on the pedal (the fuel is still being delivered under pressure) and if you get back on the pedal the pooled up fuel explodes and there can be cast iron shrapnel everywhere.... I don't have big enough gonads to try it, the real kart supposedly went 152 mph in the quarter mile. I have never tried it and the above is something I was told, I have no practical experience with it. This Kart hangs on the wall in my garage and will remain there until I decide to sell it. you can see it hanging above the blue 55 in this pic
Looks like Ford 3/4ton based quickchange with aluminum aftermarket "wide five" hubs. Common on circle track cars and some other stuff.
I remember when I was a junior in high school shop one of the seniors brought in a kart with a 650 bsa engine and transmission on the back, he said he never got out of second gear. Phil
Thanks for posting. Never seen anything like that before. He certainly had some gonads to get behind the wheel of that thing.
That video is WOW I remember going down hills too fast on my skateboard and getting speed wobble ... I fully expected that tiny little beast to do the same. Happy it didn't I would NOT drive that.
"Somewhat", yes - it sounds vaguely similar to the issues plaguing the Luftwaffe's WWII Messerschmitt 163 fighter plane. That fuel is a nasty stuff. I agree it should be kept hanging on the wall...
Saw capt. jack at new england dragway at the first new england fuel and gas championships in 1973 you had trouble seeing him as it was lower than the guardrail still it was one of the highlights of the day thanks jack
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Captian JACK!!! Thanks Mark for this thread, and video. I also watched all the other videos about Jack, the Turbonique Chevelle, and rocket cars ect. It's neat that he not only survived all the daredevil stuff. { The Joie Chit Wood Thrill Show } which by the way my dad took us kids to. But to live to see 100 plus years hopefully. One of my high school teachers told our class that I would NOT live to see 21! Because of my Hot Rodding at the time. lol I Proved him wrong too.
That’s a cool video,,,,,that soothing background music was what always made me enjoy these videos. A different time and a different place,,,,,,,those days will never return,,,,,the young people don’t know what they are missing ! Happy Birthday to a great man,,,,back when being a man mattered ! Tommy
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