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It would keep one warm on cold days. I am impressed that the builder died while riding it but did not crash.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/11/30/ancient-1894-roper-steam-cycle-to-cr...
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Dec. 1, 2011 10:08 a.m. pilotbraden Dork
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Dec. 1, 2011 12:59 p.m. 44Dwarf Dork
berkeleyin cool E36 M3
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Dec. 1, 2011 1:01 p.m. N Sperlo SuperDork
A good way to roast your nuts.
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Dec. 1, 2011 7:57 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
Yessir, that would keep Little Jimmy and the twins nice and toasty.
The guy was brave (or stupid, we all know there's a fine line there); I honestly would be terrified to put a steam boiler between my legs, particularly given the level of metallurgy of the time.
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Dec. 1, 2011 10:56 p.m. Trans_Maro Dork
At the time, it was probably still safer than gasoline.
When that was built, gasoline (explosion) engines were fairly new but steam power was very well developed.
I'd bet gasoline engines then were received with the same level of enthusiasm as the Chevy Volt or CVT transmissions are now.
Shawn
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Dec. 2, 2011 11:36 a.m. wearymicrobe HalfDork
Trans_Maro wrote:
At the time, it was probably still safer than gasoline.
When that was built, gasoline (explosion) engines were fairly new but steam power was very well developed.
Yep, around that time they used to explain steam power like a kettle on the stove. Slowly boilding away with a hole for the steam to escape.
Gasoline engines were powered by explosions, hundreds of them a minute. Millions over the life of the car.
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Dec. 2, 2011 5:50 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
The folks explaining it that way left out the part about the steam being intentionally kept under pressure to drive a piston or pistons. Gotta close the sale, right?
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Dec. 2, 2011 7:39 p.m. Trans_Maro Dork
Bonus points if you can name the person who said "why would you trust fluid (brakes) to stop your car?"
Shawn
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Dec. 2, 2011 8:15 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
Wasn't that Henry Ford? I bet all those cables were a beeyotch to keep adjusted.
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Dec. 2, 2011 11:38 p.m. Trans_Maro Dork
Yup, ol' Henry resisted hydraulic brakes for quite a while.
If you keep up on them and get the adjustment right, the car will stop in a straight line, most times.
The '34 Packard I'm working on at the moment has vacuum boosted 18" cable drum brakes.
It stopped pretty damn well, all things considered (before I took the car apart).
Shawn
