poci1957 Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 WHOA and I thought I was into obscure automotive history! Don, you are on a roll, great reference that I had never heard of. Todd C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 Hey Todd, Besides being a Pontiac-Olds-Cadillac-Buick fan in that order, I'm also into VW-Porsche. BTY that mixed car I mentioned above was a car that Porsche himself raced and won the Exelberg hill climb in 1902. The HUB motors provided literal front wheel drive, which also counteracted to provide electric brakes, with "completely nose- free driving" and none of the disadvantages of other designs using clutch, chains or gears ! Did you know that Porsche also designed the famous Tiger Tank ? and of course the 200 plus mph Auto Union Grand Prix race cars of the late thirties. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kingsting Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Why no mention of so called "power enhancing" or fuel saving devices like the magnets on fuel lines or the intake inserts like the Tornado air management system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldenguy Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Or the little fan that spun in the choke venturi at the rear of the carbureter which was, ready? A "Supercharger"!! chuckle, chuckle--Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD in KC Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 (edited) How about the rectangular steering wheel from Chrysler Corp? I remember the first time I saw one as a teenager and thought to myself... Why? Edited October 13, 2010 by Peter J.Heizmann (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 How about the rectangular steering wheel from Chrysler Corp? I remember the first time I saw one as a teenager and thought to myself... Why?To help fat men get behind the wheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrspeedyt Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 i wonder.... what happens to the fat man when he turns the wheel??:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 i wonder.... what happens to the fat man when he turns the wheel??:eek:Belly blister? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LINC400 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Nine pages and no one has mention the Chrysler Hyway Hi-Fi record player? Works great unless there any bumps or potholes in the road. But how often does that happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 GM's PR department seems to like to claim they invented everything, but 4 wheel steering was offered years earlier in the Mitsubishi 3000. The front and back wheels turned in the same direction or in opposite directions depending on vehicle speed.Some early WWII Jeeps were made with 4-wheel steering but they were deemed impractical.I believe a few still exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrpushbutton Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 The Chrysler Turbine was not a flop because it was never offered for sale. Chrysler pursued the project for 12 years, and had hopes to be "the Turbine company". The engine uses far fewer moving parts than a piston engine. The men who worked on that project were brilliant, and were an elete core of engineers. Unfortunately the technology available to them at the time did not help counteract the negatives as seen by the 200 families that took part in the test program. The universal negatives from the surveys were1) very slow off the line, at a time when cars were getting really good at that2) No descernable engine braking when you let off the accelerator, so all of the braking was on the car's service brakes, which were more than adequate for the task, they compensated for the lack of engine braking by oversizing the service brakes. It just felt weird to the test subjects as it reacted differently than any other car they had driven before. 3) Fuel economy--11-13 mpg, not ideal. Many test subjects said that this was the deal breaker.Chrysler thought they were close to taking the product to the market, they had Engel designthat unique body, Ghia fabricated the 50 units and shipped them to Detroit where they were finished.I have met many of the surviving engineers, a great bunch of men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Today, a gas turbine would work very well in a turbine/electric situation with no battery pack (Prius type). In other words like how a diesel locomotive works. The engine would run at a steady state, good for emissions and efficiency and provide steady power for the dynamo supplying current for the electric traction motor.Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 That is how the Chevy Volt works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Chevy Volt has a gas turbine?:eek: Just kidding.Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 60electra225 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 What were some of the most memorable auto inventions or innovations that eventually became unsuccessful Flops ! Shouldn't that be SUCCESSFUL flops ? If it was an unsuccessful flop, it wouldn't have been a flop ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Shouldn't that be SUCCESSFUL flops ? If it was an unsuccessful flop, it wouldn't have been a flop ! Well, irregardless................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Well, irregardless...................Perhaps you meant "regardless". Or maybe "irrespective". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambarn Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 The 1949 Keller "cradled in rubbber: elastometric suspension. fancy words for big block of rubber. 18 units made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Perhaps you meant "regardless". Or maybe "irrespective". If the jokes are going over your heads, stand up:pirregardless is a pet peeve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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