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Topic starter
15/09/2024 7:49 pm
By the mid-fifties all the majors were looking to turbines to power their cars. Ford had already invested $188.000 for a Boeing 502 series small gas turbine. It only weighed 330 lbs and produced a respectable 175 HP making it better on paper than their Y-block V8s at the times. It was not without its problems especially the huge exhausts exiting the front bumpers with no room for heat exchangers to cool the exhaust emissions.
Ford had already designed the '55 Ford Mystere concept to envision what the future turbine car could be, but it hit the shows being just an empty fiberglass shell roller. The cockpit offered 4 bucket seat with a TV in the rear console (note the 'rabbit ears on the trunk deck). The steering yoke appeared to be borrowed from the Beechcraft Bonanza. Ford baled on the '55 Detroit Auto Show because the side spear trim, diagonal tail fins and tail lamps and was identical to the new '55 Fords. It finally debuted in the 1956 Chicago Auto Show to much fanfare even with its phantom drive train that was touted in the brochures.
Amazingly the 'car' still exists today at the Ford Heritage Vault.
15/09/2024 8:09 pm
The Mystere is a good-looking '50's dreamcar with a number upcoming styling cues and I am glad this one still exists. It makes a terrific replica and must display great !
15/09/2024 9:25 pm
Interesting car. Thanks for pictures.
Ed Davis
Inverness, Illinois, USA
16/09/2024 12:06 am
Interesting post - especially to see the T-bird. I imagine this had to be a running prototype rather than a serious design proposal, and it would be really good to see how designers might have addressed the issues you highlight, for 'main street' - so to speak.
Tony Perrone and Christopher Moroni reacted
16/09/2024 1:14 am
And before the well known Chrysler turbine car in the early 60s there was a 1955 Plymouth turbine car experimented with. Details here:
https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/video-engineering-the-1955-plymouth-turbine-car/
And even earlier, Rover in the UK, also worked with a turbine car circa 1949-50.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_JET1
John F. Quilter
Eugene, Oregon USA
16/09/2024 5:58 am
Awesome post Rich. The Ford Mystere has always been a personal favorite as well the "secrete" inspiration for 1959 Cadillacs. 😎
16/09/2024 6:15 am
And before the well know Chrysler turbine car in the early 60s there was a 1955 Plymouth turbine car experimented with. Details here:
https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/video-engineering-the-1955-plymouth-turbine-car/
And even earlier, Rover in the UK, also worked with a turbine car circa 1949-50.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_JET1
North American readers might be interested in a small detail concerning the Rover P4 body which their JET 1 Turbine was later adapted from.......
The car's styling was derived from the 1947 Studebakers. Rover executives purchased two such vehicles and fitted the body from one of them to a prototype P4 chassis to create a development mule. James Taylor's book 'Rover P4 – The Complete Story' says this vehicle was affectionately known as the 'Roverbaker'.
Frank Reed and Tony Perrone reacted
Topic starter
16/09/2024 11:32 am
@charles-rockett The chassis of the little T-Bird had no room for a robust, rear exiting exhaust system that could cool down the emitted gases.
Charles Rockett reacted
16/09/2024 1:33 pm
The Turbine project did not end with the '63. There was one in '77 and another in '81.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
