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MR2 Turbine story.

To: "autox@autox.team.net" <autox@autox.team.net>
Subject: MR2 Turbine story.
From: The Narbys <narby@centurytel.net>
Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2001 20:42:12 -0600
I got this from the seller of the wacky turbine MR2 on Ebay.
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From: SHELDAHL77@aol.com
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Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 10:14:44 EST
Subject: Fwd: RE Ebay #566827966 Turbine MR2
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From: SHELDAHL77@aol.com
Full-name: SHELDAHL77
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Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:07:20 EST
Subject: RE Ebay #566827966 Turbine MR2
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OK here is the scoop
I have got some waaay cool emails Re the MR2 and Yes by the way I am crazy
I really like the turbines they r so cool, they sound cool , look cool and r 
soo
smooth. The principle fascinates me.
So
prox year ago i built a turbine engine from a Garrett Airsearch TV81 
turbocharger
which were used on the Detroit diesel truck engines, got the idea from the net
[there r a lot of cool sites out there, search turbine, turbojet etc] . 
put the turbine on a go cart and after much trial and error and many 
destroyed turbine wheels, compressor wheels, bearings, housings finally 
struck upon the right 
combination of compressor wheels and housings to produce 65lb of thrust.
easier than it sounds all parts r stock and still in production, however the 
combination of turbine and compressor wheels and housings were not produced
as a single unit by Garrett mfg.
PS thrust was measured by running the cart against a stationary scale, so the
actual thrust was a little more, but what is the calc of friction re weight 
of the cart
and tires between friends.
SO
the go cart went on the road, @ 85 mph it got pretty spooky not because the 
cart
couldnt but because of the weight dist @ the rear of the cart, engine is 
kinda heavy.
Speed as in the Mr2 was measured by a portable on board GPS unit.

MR2
I found a 1985 Toyota MR2 with prox 128,000 mi on it that had sat 4 about 3 
yrs
took the little car to the local Car-X service center and had them align the 
front end
and check the brakes, the rear brakes were removed and lines capped, [ I have 
the parts] because I wasnt sure that i was going 2 b able to use the same 
suspension
however all was well and it worked out fine. there was a little shimmy in the 
front end
after alignment @ prox 75 mph which was in the tire[s]  [car sat 3 yrs] tread 
was fair
and what the hey i wasnt sure the turbines would push it to 75

The Mr2 was i thought the cool car because it is mid engine [mid to rear] the 
engine
was cast iron [heavy] and knowing the turbines had 2 mount @ the rear i 
thought
it would balance. 

stock the car weighs prox 2350 lbs [its kinda a gocart w/ a big engine] by 
striping the non essentials out of the car the weight was reduced by prox 850 
lb, the turbines,
combustors,and support equipment weigh prox 500 lb so about 2000 lb total.

Knowing what i know now, might have left a few more things in as the weight 
seems to make little difference, it reacts the same whether full of fuel or 
1/4th full, 
PS the passenger seat has been removed, i have it, and with a little revision 
of
the start valves it could b reinstalled.

OK THE DEAL IS

there r three turbos and three combustors, the cool side is fabricated with 
3.5
in exhaust tubing, the hot side is fabricated with 3in Stainless tubing.
The 5 hp Honda engine under the hood powers an oil pump, for lubrication of 
the bearings in the turbos, and a fuel pump, which supplies pressure @ 450 
psi to the nozzles in the combustors, it also drives an alternator for the 12 
volt elect system
the radiator has been replaced with an oil cooler with 2 fans to cool the oil.

the fuel for the turbines can b controlled all together or separate 
[throttle] the 
interesting thing is 1 turbine will hardly move the car and three make it zoom

the ignition system [only needed 2 start] r spark plugs powered by a neon 
transformer powered by 110volt via an inverter from the 12volt elec system

turbines r started w/ a leaf blower, pretty good 1, can buy @ big box store 4 
prox $300, mine is an echo brand. start each turbine individually, on the 
idle nozzles
the rpm is prox 25,000 rpm, temp prox 900d @ idle. The max rpm is determined 
by the temp of the air feeding the turbine wheels, max 1700d, the rpm is prox 
75,000
its a guess because cant read with digital tach as the tape comes off @ prox 
50,000
rpm. 

Car start off the line slow like a jetliner then builds speed fairly rapid, 
it is not fast
off the line, it takes prox 1/2 mi 2 obtain 85 mph mabe a little more, only 
had it 2 
85 there is this little tire issue, dont want the turbines in my lap, there 
is a lot more speed in it and honestly dont know how much, if I was guessing 
120-130mph.
Interesting to maintain 60 mph pull the throttle back to a little more than 
an idle.
It will climb a hill and maintain speed with a little power. Afterburners 
would b
pretty easy 2 add, will give prox 50-60% more power @ sea level

RE Thrust 195 lb doesnt sound like much but 2 put things in perspective the 
Gloster aircraft with the Whittle first jet engine to fly, had 1000lb of 
thrust and flew
370mph @ 25000 ft and boy was it bulky looking, dont know the weight.

It is smooth and fast and sounds way cool, in the car its pretty quiet, behind
it is devastating, when running the car one needs to b cautious of livestock 
as they
will get spooked, and Mr farmer will b waay steamed..

The car is licensed and i run it on county paved roads, have run into a patrol
officer and he had 2 know every detail of how it worked, he thought it was 
cool
dont know how the next one might feel

Fuel economy Poor
jets r not efficient but the best thing going 4 speed, the fuel consumption 
is 2.25
gal per min @ full thrust, idle is prox .75 gal min. Fuel capacity of the MR2 
is
prox 21 gal, the good news, it doesnt use any oil. Jet A costs prox 2.00-2.50
gal, theoretically it should run on kerosene or diesel fuel, havnt tried it.

soooooo thats the deal, the car wants to go straight @ max thrust, probably 
not
an oval trac car, I have probably started and run the turbines 35-40 times 
and run
the Mr2 on the road 8 times, its dependable, starts easy [2man project] and 
starts every time.

If i get the reserve of $35,000, JUST KIDDING i will probably make about 5 
cents
an hr for my time but it was soooooooo much fun.

the body of the car is kinda rough but could b brought up 2 speed pretty 
easily
interior is pretty good.

it does not have reverse [ they must hv bn kidding when they asked that]

Reason 4 Selling: need room in the garage, but its gonna b kinda hard 2 see 
this 
little guy go, still have other projects,  I have a Garrett 85-67 turbine 
that i want to put in a perfect MR2 and think the only way 2 recognize its 
turbine powered will b the 
tailpipe, oh yeah and this little excessive noise issue
so 
if U know of a perfect Mr2 that can b bought reasonable let me know, 

I am vy serious about the liability waiver and hold harmless agreement

The car is in Des Moines Ia and will b glad to show and start it

towbar is included, Gps is not

will give hands on instruction to buyer, @ this location

I am amazed and fascinated @ the interest in this car and in turbines in 
general
although i think the honesty counter on ebay is probably in error or Ebay 
would
have called me and said, get that thing off our system

If U hv any more ? please email me

I remain
crazy

THANKS

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