Today, adopting a cat can require a full background check, complete with bank records to ensure you can adequately support and said feline. In the ’60s you could get a 1000-plus horsepower rocket engine by mail order. Heck, no one even batted an eye when you bought the accompanying Thermolene rocket fuel to run it! My phone reminds me where I parked and undoubtedly records my grocery habits. The ’60s seem wild beyond belief!
At the 2023 Muscle Car and Corvette Nations, one special exhibit pays homage to the largely unrestricted motorsports of the decade, and the collection of Turrbonique rocket-propelled dragsters, parts, and motorcycles of Darryl Weflen and Jim Kramer sits center stage.
“I actually found a pallet of [Turbonique parts] on Hemmings,” said Darryl Weflan. “There was an ad and I bought it all. My dad was involved in drag racing and a hot rodder, too. I read about [Turbonique] in car magazines as a kid and then really forgot about it until the mid-2000s when I found a [Turbonique] supercharger at a swapmeet. It rekindled my interest in it and I started searching for parts.”
The Turbonique, Drag-Axle-powered Odyssey Dragster ran from 1968 to early 1971 and was competitive with the fuel dragsters of the day. As time went on fuel (nitromethane) dragster technology progressed and Turbonique cars were stalled with the technology available. The car would run in the mid 7s at low 200mph and Weflan says they were light, and simple to work on with few moving parts.
Turbonique drag axle powered Odyssey Dragster
The Turbonique, Drag-Axle-powered Odyssey Dragster ran from 1968 to early 1971 and was competitive with the fuel dragsters of the day. As time went on fuel (nitromethane) dragster technology progressed and Turbonique cars were stalled with the technology available. The car would run in the mid 7s at low 200mph and Weflan says they were light, and simple to work on with few moving parts.
The Turbonique, Drag-Axle-powered Odyssey Dragster ran from 1968 to early 1971 and was competitive with the fuel dragsters of the day. As time went on fuel (nitromethane) dragster technology progressed and Turbonique cars were stalled with the technology available. The car would run in the mid 7s at low 200mph and Weflan says they were light, and simple to work on with few moving parts.
The Turbonique, Drag-Axle-powered Odyssey Dragster ran from 1968 to early 1971 and was competitive with the fuel dragsters of the day. As time went on fuel (nitromethane) dragster technology progressed and Turbonique cars were stalled with the technology available. The car would run in the mid 7s at low 200mph and Weflan says they were light, and simple to work on with few moving parts.
Turbonique Rocket Speed Parts
In its short business run, Turbonique manufactured all sorts of rocket-powered speed parts. They offered rocket-prolled superchargers, which would spin a compressor and hyper-pressuize a conventional internal combustion engine for a short spurt as well as conventional rocket engines that would add thrust to anything they were bolted to. One of their most innovate products was the Drag Axle which combined a rocket motor with a quick change differential. Once fired off the rocket motor would directly drive a pinion shaft, providing an insane boost of horsepower. “The drag axle was fairly reliable,” said Weflan. “Most of the failure’s were in the turbine itself which would typically result in no power, but some of the other engines did have a history of coming apart at the wrong time.”
In its short business run, Turbonique manufactured all sorts of rocket-powered speed parts. They offered rocket-prolled superchargers, which would spin a compressor and hyper-pressuize a conventional internal combustion engine for a short spurt as well as conventional rocket engines that would add thrust to anything they were bolted to. One of their most innovate products was the Drag Axle which combined a rocket motor with a quick change differential. Once fired off the rocket motor would directly drive a pinion shaft, providing an insane boost of horsepower. “The drag axle was fairly reliable,” said Weflan. “Most of the failure’s were in the turbine itself which would typically result in no power, but some of the other engines did have a history of coming apart at the wrong time.”
In its short business run, Turbonique manufactured all sorts of rocket-powered speed parts. They offered rocket-prolled superchargers, which would spin a compressor and hyper-pressuize a conventional internal combustion engine for a short spurt as well as conventional rocket engines that would add thrust to anything they were bolted to. One of their most innovate products was the Drag Axle which combined a rocket motor with a quick change differential. Once fired off the rocket motor would directly drive a pinion shaft, providing an insane boost of horsepower. “The drag axle was fairly reliable,” said Weflan. “Most of the failure’s were in the turbine itself which would typically result in no power, but some of the other engines did have a history of coming apart at the wrong time.”
Turbonique-Powered Phsycodelia Dragster
Now owned by Jim Kramer, the Phsycodelia, ran low 8s at around 180mph in 1968.
Owned by Jim Kramer, the the Phsycodelia, ran low 8s at around 180mph in 1968.
Turbonique-Powered Psychodelia Dragster
Owned by Jim Kramer, the the Phsycodelia, ran low 8s at around 180mph in 1968.
Turbonique Rocket-Propelled Kart
This is a one off kart had two, Turbonique rocket engines that made a combined 3000lbs of thrust (about 6,000 horsepower). It was commissioned by a welding shop in New Jersey and it only ran once in 1964. The engines were installed in Orlando Florida and it was run at a track nearby The story goes that on the first pass, about 2 and a half seconds into the run, the kart got airborne, pitched the rider off, and went off track.
How Did Turbonique Work?
The systems ran on a fuel branded as Thermolene, which was an isopropyl nitratemonopropellant Onboard Nitrogen tanks would pressurize the Thermolene fuel tanks. Once the throttle button was pushed, oxygen and Thermolene would mix in the chamber and ignite. Once the chamber pressure reached 300psi the oxygen would shot off and the motor would run purely on Thermolene, a self-oxigizing fuel. The systems were either on or off, with zero ability to operate at partial throttle. Turbonique failures could spell a simple case of no power, or disastrous, fiery explosions.
Turbonique was short lived, largely dangerous, and utterly astounding in its performance. The NHRA banned use of the product in its events in 1967 and Turbonique’s founder, Clarence Eugene “Gene” Middlebrooks Jr., eventually found himself in jail for mail fraud, but the products that did end up in the hands of racers certainly made an impression. We’re glad that folks such Darryl and Jim are preserving them so the tale of the world’s most insane speed parts will live on.
Turbonique Rocket-Powered Speed Parts
Commercials Cooperation Advertisements:
(1) IT Teacher IT Freelance
立刻註冊及報名電腦補習課程吧!
电子计算机 -教育 -IT 電腦班” ( IT電腦補習 ) 提供一個方便的电子计算机 教育平台, 為大家配對信息技术, 電腦 老師, IT freelance 和 programming expert. 讓大家方便地就能找到合適的電腦補習, 電腦班, 家教, 私人老師.
We are a education and information platform which you can find a IT private tutorial teacher or freelance.
Also we provide different information about information technology, Computer, programming, mobile, Android, apple, game, movie, anime, animation…
(2) ITSec
www.ITSeceu.uk
Secure Your Computers from Cyber Threats and mitigate risks with professional services to defend Hackers.
ITSec provide IT Security and Compliance Services, including IT Compliance Services, Risk Assessment, IT Audit, Security Assessment and Audit, ISO 27001 Consulting and Certification, GDPR Compliance Services, Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), Penetration test, Ethical Hacking, Vulnerabilities scan, IT Consulting, Data Privacy Consulting, Data Protection Services, Information Security Consulting, Cyber Security Consulting, Network Security Audit, Security Awareness Training.
Contact us right away.
Email (Prefer using email to contact us):
SalesExecutive@ITSec.vip