VIDEO: The Demented Rocket-Propelled Genius Of Turbonique (Rocket powered VW, Ford Galaxy)

Jalopnik.com ^ | 3/8/10 | Ben Wojdyla

[Reaganesque]

Are you the kind of person who has thought at some point about his or her own car: gee, I wish I could just flip a switch and give my car an extra 1,000 horsepower? Well, take heart campers, such a thing did exist. LOL!

Honestly, I had never heard of Turbonique until I read this story. Too cool by half! For the life of me though, I cannot imagine anyone stupid enough to sit down in a go-kart and taking it to 253mph. LOL! Very, very cool stuff!

Here's a picture of the Rocket Drag Axle equipped 1964 Ford Galaxie 500:

Go here for the video.

[knews_hound]

I saw a match race with a car equipped with one of these at the old Lyons Dragstrip back in the early 70’s.

As the article said, too much wheel spin to be practical for the time.

Impressive as hell to watch however.

Cheers,

knewshound

[Disambiguator]

That looks more like a Chevy Nova or Malibu than a Galaxie.

[bigbob]

Very Cool!

Now all we need is a bunch of gummint subsidies to make “Bio-Thermolene” out of recycled cellphone batteries or something...

[Vigilantcitizen]

Something tells me tork had sumptin to do with this.

[BubbaBasher]

I think the photo is a 65 Chevelle. The Galaxy is the car that is for sale.

[tubebender]

This came along after my time on the strip but I question the wisdom of doing a 1,500 HP burnout with the front wheels turned hard left...

[Vigilantcitizen]

Awwww c’mon. No guts...no glory. LOl

[tubebender]

Actually I was racing my 1965 Tri-Power GTO in 65 66 and 67. There were four of them on eBay over the weekend and I don’t think any met the minimum bid. One was up to $34,500

[Vigilantcitizen]

I got a buddy with a basement full of old goat parts. He says it’s his retirement package.

[martin_fierro]

Getten sie uber hier.

[tubebender]

This one went off eBay yesterday and the bid of $37,000 did not meet reserve and has been relisted... GTO

[Vigilantcitizen]

That is sweeeet.

[RoadGumby]

Lyons Drag Strip? Was that the one in Long Beach, just off Wardlow I think it was ? Grew up real close to there.

[knews_hound]

The one and only !

[SouthTexas]

I don’t think you’re supposed to turn left in drag racing or that’s what a friend told me after he put is Firebird into the concrete wall.

[Tainan]

More on this from IowaHawk:

The Real ACME:The Glorious Insanity of Turbonique

[Constitution Day]

Thanks for the ping, Marty. I was SO excited to see the Turbonique story on Jalop the other day!

I have been following this since Iowahawk wrote a couple of pieces on the company and his quest to find surviving equipment. Totally bad ass!

Thanks for posting this, too, Reaganesque! I would have posted it, but I was under the weather on Monday.

[exit82]

I agree with you—that is a GM body, not a Ford Galaxie.

The flat dual headlight grille in the front and the square rear taillights make the 1965 Chevelle the best candidate.

The Galaxie 500 had a severe roof angle in the rear and large round tailights, and a rear with rounded edges.

Aside from that, the article was news to me as well. I remember the Chrysler Turbo cars from 1962 or so that were going to revolutionize automobiles.

[Constitution Day]

You've gotta read Iowahawk's take on this company (linked below. When I first read that, I was enthralled by the story and still am.

So, I was really excited to see this story on Jalopnik the other day!

The Real ACME: The Glorious Insanity of Turbonique