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Jay Leno's EcoJet: Soaring on a freeway near you? [Biodiesel fueled jet turbine automobile]
Yahoo! Autos / Road & Track Magazine ^ | August 1, 2009 | John Lamm

Posted on 08/01/2009 2:13:09 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

We first saw Jay Leno's EcoJet mid-engine turbine coupe at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Leno, with General Motors' Design Chief, Ed Welburn, and Frank Saucedo, who heads the automaker's west coast studio, penned the design concept.

Leno has both a motorcycle and a pickup truck powered by "jet" turbine engines, so the plan was to create an automobile that would run on a similar powerplant fueled by biodiesel.

The EcoJet was initially a static exhibit, but one thing about Jay's Garage is that everything runs. So Jim Hall, Bernard Juchli and the other wizards in the Burbank shop set about to turn the EcoJet from a barely rolling display into a complete running automobile.

What they were mating were a Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine with some 700 bhp and upwards of 500 lb-ft of torque to a GM 4-speed automatic transmission. This driveline was installed amidships in a reworked Corvette aluminum frame surrounded by the carbon fiber body.

Think about the challenge of turning a static show car into a running automobile. Problems like mating the electronics of the turbine to those of the gearbox and then creating a dashboard display so Leno can monitor functions when driving.

And all this while the crew was working on other projects from steam machines to muscle cars, because unlike some shops, in Jay's Garage things get done.

Now the EcoJet is a runner...like 150-plus mph in one test. We had a chance to spend a day with Leno and the jet machine and can confirm it is impressive.(continued)


(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alternativefuels; automakers; biodiesel; diesel; leno
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What were they paying him?
1 posted on 08/01/2009 2:13:10 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Other way around i bet


2 posted on 08/01/2009 2:15:42 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom ;))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Some chin on that wagon.


3 posted on 08/01/2009 2:17:46 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Same Jim Hall who ran the Pennzoil ‘Sucker Car” at Indy?


4 posted on 08/01/2009 2:22:33 PM PDT by ridesthemiles
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Naturally it sounds like a taxiing jet even at idle, great coils of heat roiling out of exhaust vents behind the engine.

Notwithstanding the name, I betcha it doesn't get very good mileage. Jay probably has to baby that thing a bit or he'll wreck his power-train (unless he beefed that up too).
6 posted on 08/01/2009 2:23:42 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics.)
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To: al baby

Hey! That looks just like YOUR car!!!!!!!


7 posted on 08/01/2009 2:30:34 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (BG x 2 (and a heartbeat was heard today....))
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To: Brad's Gramma

In my dreams baby How are you today ?


8 posted on 08/01/2009 2:31:33 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom ;))
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To: al baby

I am fine, thank you! And yourself?


9 posted on 08/01/2009 2:32:15 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (BG x 2 (and a heartbeat was heard today....))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Tail Fins!! Cool. Haven’t seen those in, what? 48 years or so?

Jet engines (Brayton cycle) have notoriously poor efficiency for the duty cycle required in ground transportation — hence, the “great coils of heat” coming out of the exhaust.


10 posted on 08/01/2009 2:34:04 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Dr. Sivana

Rated not in miles per gallon but lbs. per hour. Eco friendly my a$$. LOL


11 posted on 08/01/2009 2:35:49 PM PDT by tommyboy
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To: tommyboy

“Rated not in miles per gallon but lbs. per hour. Eco friendly my a$$.”
Sounds eligible for zero’s ‘Cash For Clunkers’.


12 posted on 08/01/2009 2:44:43 PM PDT by duckman (Jesus I trust in You. Mary take over)
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To: Brad's Gramma

Im a little slow sadly


13 posted on 08/01/2009 2:48:06 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom ;))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

not very attractive


14 posted on 08/01/2009 2:58:25 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I wonder if it smells like french fries.


15 posted on 08/01/2009 3:26:58 PM PDT by Minn (Here is a realistic picture of the prophet: ----> ([: {()
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To: tommyboy; Dr. Sivana
They no doubt picked the name "EcoJet" to distract attention from the heat (and carbon!) pouring out the exhaust and from the rapidly dropping fuel gauge.

"Fill 'er up with JP4. And don't touch the red button marked AFTERBURNER."

16 posted on 08/01/2009 3:29:42 PM PDT by Sender (It's never too late to be who you could have been.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I have long wondered why turbines aren’t used in trains, automobiles, and other motor vehicles. Turbines burn fuel constantly, and are therefore always producing power; in reciprocating engines, fuel burning starts and stops with each power cycle, making for increased complexity (fuel injection timing, linera-to-rotary power conversion, et al). Turbines also have only one moving part (the rotor) and one friction surface (the bearing), whereas reciprocating engines have plenty of opportunities for power to be lost (piston friction, incomplete combustion, mismatched detonation timing, increased number of moving surfaces in contact, etc.). A diesel-fueled turbine driving an electric generator would seem to me to be an ideal compact powerplant for vehicle applications.


17 posted on 08/01/2009 3:37:39 PM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Texan. Monarchist. Any questions?)
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To: al baby

.....so welcome to MY world....

:(

You’re feeling OK, though, right? As in, not ill???


18 posted on 08/01/2009 3:38:27 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (BG x 2 (and a heartbeat was heard today....))
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To: B-Chan
-- I have long wondered why turbines aren't used in trains, automobiles, and other motor vehicles. Turbines burn fuel constantly, and are therefore always producing power ... --

Turbines ARE used in the larger fuel consumers. Some "steam"ships, power generation, for example. My guess is that recips (and their drivetrains) are cheaper to produce, and the lost efficiency and consequent lost dollars over the lifetime fuel consumption don't make up for the increased initial outlay cost.

The difference in efficiency isn't huge - the largest "steam"ships use diesel recips.

Shorter version, "follow the money."

19 posted on 08/01/2009 3:45:04 PM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Brad's Gramma

Yeah hangin in there


20 posted on 08/01/2009 3:46:14 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom ;))
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