I remember Jay Lenno saying his steam car does about 80 or so because a steam engine produces huge torque numbers.
All you steam guys should get togeather and build a steam Bonneville car. 145mph dosn't sound very fast. And that is the record. Come on guys. Talk is cheap. Step up.
Well, something's screwy. They got one up to 127 one hundred years ago. Maybe you have to use bottled water for the big numbers.
Wow! I didn't expend this kind of response. I'm in awe of the knowledge here on the hamb. I am very, very interested in converting a newer ( up onto the 1950's) car to a modern style steam system and also in the stationary steam system for "living off the grid" and powering a workshop. That would be amazing! It's hard to do research when I can only get on the Internet for about an hour a day at work and not at all nights and weekends. Please keep the info coming. I am loving this!!!
Hey RichFox... Breaking the steam speed record seems like a natural progression to me. Its been in the back of my head this while time. I think some people make things more complicated then they need to be. I mean come on if guys could build these things 100 years ago in their basements then why can't I?? Haha
Yeah, talk is cheap, and racing is expensive. . . which is why I have not yet built a steam powered LSR car. Having the urge, and having the cash in hand to fund it are two very different things. Hell, I've got lots of urges . . . . If I win the lottery though, I'll be calling a few guys in this thread to render assistance, you can be sure of it.
It's interesting that the British land speed steam car in 2009 didn't exactly shatter the record that was 100 years old, considering the amount of money and technology poured into it, and the expectations it had early on of acheiving 250-300 mph. Pontiac built a steam prototype in 1969-70 on a Grand Prix chassis if memory serves correctly. I'll try to find the article and post it or a link. Even in the height of the muscle car era, they must have seen some merit in that technology.
I think you are on to something here. The recent steam record cars that I have seen (2) were steam turbines. Sure ask any aircraft carrier and it will tell you that's the best way. But we don't want an aircraft carrier and steam locomotives with pistons went faster that 145. I believe that if you just tried to do a little better that the Stanelys you could have a real World Record.
steam is great stuff , the problem with steam equipment is it needs to be maintained , most people , ( not us ) dont want to have to do any maintenance , thats why steam isnt at the top of the equipment food chain anymore , steam locomotives produced a ton of tractive effort , but required way more maintenance than diesels , basically it came down to the bottom line , cut cost make proffit , id love a steam powered car , or a steam launch boat like the african queen
Old school steam required lots of maintenance. A large part of the developmental effort expended on modern steam powered devices will be aimed at eliminating maintenance whenever possible.
Hey if you ever want a lesson on steam I do work for JLCC out of Lindale and they build industrial boilers and I build the burners for the systems. One of thier staff worked for Hollman Boiler works for 50 years and is steam engine fan. He retro fitted the boilers in the locomotives at 6 flags these guys hold several pattens in combustion. the owner invented the pvc system thats still used today.And they know steam !!. Steam is used everyday still to process oil gas and petrochemicals and in industry.Look up Geet engines on you tube they are using common gas engines running them on water and gas mixed the cylinder becomes the boiler because when it fires the water in the mixture it becomes steam. Check it out !!
General Motors researchers install the combustion system-steam generator in the first modern steam car developed by the automobile industry. The experimental vehicle called the GM SE-101 is a modified 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix. Already mounted in the engine compartment is the 160 horsepower, 4-cylinder expander. The SE-101 is one of two steam-powered vehicles shown to the press at the GM Progress of Power show and was developed by GM Research Laboratories to permit evaluation of the vapor cycle engine under actual operating conditions. This was allegedly the first steam-powered vehicle with a complete set of power accessories, including air conditioning, thus making it more feasible for modern vehicles. We also see that the steam engine could run on any atomized fuel, making it a multi-fuel engine capable of running on diesel, kerosene or gasoline, and that it was backed up by the experimental 250-TT toric transmission. What prevented further development of the SE-101 were the size and weight of the steam powerplant (450 pounds heavier than the V-8 engine it replaced at less than half the horsepower), less-than-ideal water consumption from a too-small water condenser, and the likelihood of freezing. Not to be outdone Chevy also had a steam powered Chevelle project.
The Jalopy Journal
