1968 Howmet TX: the only turbine-powered racecar to ever win a race.

[-]

legal_stylist@reddit

Featured in the car chase scene in George Lucas’s other 1970s Sci-Fi movie, THX-1138

[-]

Onivlastratos@reddit

Wasn't that a Lola T70?

[-]

Hot_Elevator7800@reddit

Seen this warming up in the pits at le-mans classic amazing car but never did much in the race but interesting to follow in the racing that it managed

[-]

Gryge669@reddit

Fun to see at le mans classic, all other cars from the same years do much noises and then this passes by and just wooosh

[-]

Hot_Elevator7800@reddit

Yes sounds early forerunner to the diesels that one at lemons 24 hour audio and the like ! But far better

[-]

SpinningYarmulke@reddit

What kind of horsepower on it out of curiosity? I’m not looking it up.

[-]

TurboDeez_Nuts_54@reddit (OP)

350 BHP and 880 Nm (650 lb-ft). Redline is at ~57K RPM.

[-]

LilAbeSimpson@reddit

I assume the turbine connects to the transmission with an output shaft?

Rather than pushing the car with thrust like a jet dragster?

[-]

Ingeneure_@reddit

Abrams, T-80, Leo 2 are powered by a gas turbine

And yes, they are not like a jet dragster

[-]

Johnny-Cash-Facts@reddit

It’s turbine, not jet. It’s phrased correctly.

[-]

LilAbeSimpson@reddit

Turbo fan vs Turbo shaft. They’re both turbine engines.

[-]

Fragrant-Inside221@reddit

Yes a turboshaft.

[-]

LilAbeSimpson@reddit

Got it. That must be a weird driving experience. Next level turbo lag. Haha

[-]

JohnWilliamStrutt@reddit

They installed a wastegate (exhaust pipe on left) to try and keep the turbine spooled and minimise lag.

[-]

Cars-And-Lego@reddit

THISE TAILLIGHTS AGAIN THEYRE EVERYWHERE. tvr Griffith 300 I think and lotus Cortina and I'm pretty sure a gen of the escort had it

[-]

Cake-Over@reddit

Lamborghini Diablo using Nissan 300z headlights after Lambo dumped the pop-ups

[-]

Cars-And-Lego@reddit

Yeah but the taillights on this are like generic I'm pretty sure from some mass produced company

[-]

durhamdale@reddit

Yes your right, they're Ford cortina mk1tail lights .

[-]

KeeganY_SR-UVB76@reddit

That company is probably Lucas.

[-]

AlfaZagato@reddit

They're actively Cortina taillights. No reason for one-offs or cottage industry to tool up their own fixtures.

[-]

FletcherCommaIrwin@reddit

The top-facing exhausts in image 2 (#22 car) remind me of the McLaren (not sure of exact model) I was behind in traffic today.

I was mesmerized by the heat shimmer it was putting out, the turbine must have quite a bit more.

[-]

saliczar@reddit

In any racing series? I know one almost won at Indy.

[-]

TurboDeez_Nuts_54@reddit (OP)

The Howmet TX won 2 races in SCCA. What you're talking about is the STP-Paxton Turbocar, which indeed almost won the 1968 Indy 500.