My turbine powered collection...

What an enjoyable post. Great turbine models. Variety in amazing.

and one more,

@paul-rouffa That sounds about right for a 13 yr-old "engineering."    

I (we ) kind-of did the same - only with Estes blast-off  rocket engines.    It was fun to see a 1/25 model do 82 mph then disappear forever  into the overgrown field.    🙄 🙄  

Darn!  I knew I had a couple of more!  I just couldn't remember 'em!  LOl!  

@marty-johnson I either saw two in New Jersey... or the same one twice. LOL

I don't have a 1963 Chrysler Turbine car in my collection, perhaps in the future.  My uncle was chosen to get one of these cars back in the day.  On a visit to see my aunt & uncle I remember seeing the Turbine car parked next to our new 1963 T-Bird in their driveway.  I was only age 12 at the time, I only wish I had a photo of the two cars together.  But I do remember riding the the backseat of the Chrysler Turbine and it was a beautiful auto.

@abaucom - With your story, having one in your collection has gotta be a "Must have!" 

Here's one for $70 on eBay!  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/168016127108?_skw=1%3A18+chrysler+turbine&itmmeta=01KE7PF0YJX7KG65EXSARXBS3J&hash=item271e8aa484:g:yzcAAeSwX59pRbUp&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fz%2F9ZdMMUqs44XM5Z7YAYbymPVWA5VgUW32uFWvTSxiCxgK56fMt6jkd7twlhNmD4Q5fs4sIB3KYnSb8IYmYAeUHpZ1%2F5b14tMbrXbTbsSCaMimBpVbDD1Nznsw%2BOZdnog%2FvoPP9x3Wx6PLsXPfv1fUphrocE1XGcCYMeR1T3lAVTKr2ZEtwj93fL9F%2FMdNOThIglCPVqnIADR5uCUpZovX9gCO9oqxteOzh6bLeNW68WNElapcII1542t1PuNHV4%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_CPvPbxZg

@abaucom That's a fantastic story!  As I recall 50 families received a car - a mere drop in the bucket.   You're in rarified air  for sure - lucky you!  😎 😎

Posted by: @chris

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@abaucom That's a fantastic story!  As I recall 50 families received a car - a mere drop in the bucket.   You're in rarified air  for sure - lucky you!  😎 😎

Between 1963 and 1966, exactly 203 people were selected to receive a Chrysler Turbine Car to drive as part of a public user-evaluation program.

This program was a massive undertaking by Chrysler to test how "average" drivers would handle the jet-age technology of a turbine engine in everyday life.

Key Details of the Program

• The Participants: From a pool of over 30,000 applicants, Chrysler selected 203 individuals (including 20 women) from 133 different cities across 48 states.

• The Duration: Each driver was given the car for a three-month period free of charge.  They were only responsible for the cost of fuel, which was unique since the car could run on almost any combustible liquid, including diesel, kerosene, and even vegetable oil or perfume (though most stuck to diesel or gasoline).

• The Cars: Chrysler built 55 cars in total—5 prototypes and 50 "production" models.  The 50 production cars, known as the "Ghia" turbines because the bodies were hand-built by Ghia in Italy, were the ones used for the public program.

• Total Usage: Collectively, these 203 drivers logged over one million miles of testing.

Why You Don't See Them Today

After the program ended in 1966, the experiment was deemed a technical success but a commercial challenge due to high manufacturing costs and fuel economy issues in stop-and-go traffic.

To avoid high import duties on the Italian-made bodies, Chrysler famously crushed 46 of the cars. Only nine survived.

• Three are kept by Chrysler (Stellantis).
• Five are in museums (including the Smithsonian and the Henry Ford Museum).

One is in a private collection owned by Jay Leno.

Posted by: @chris

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@abaucom That's a fantastic story!  As I recall 50 families received a car - a mere drop in the bucket.   You're in rarified air  for sure - lucky you!  😎 😎

The point is, rather than bother with all the paperwork to sell the cars, Ford just crushed 'em.  EZ Peezy!  LOL!

Posted by: @marty-johnson

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"Chrysler famously crushed 46 of the cars."

Yes sir, they sure did.  😔 😔 😔