Turbonique: for when life just isn't exciting enough.

Turbonique was discussed here in the "weird engines" threads, but I think this stuff is nuts enough to get its own thread. After all, I look at these pictures and I keep seeing repurposed turbochargers. C'mon, Challengers!

Details on the company

There's a fair bit out there, but if you don't know much about them, you have to take a stroll through "Hot Rotor" magazine. No descriptions, just pictures of ludicrous devices that keep getting better and better. I mean, how dull must life be for this to be a good idea?

More: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40605738@N03/sets/72157621777402033/

uh, what?

I like this photo better, but it's probably just my inner deviant.

The rear axle turbines are NUTS. I wonder what it would cost to re-engineer something like that.

Awesome. I want a rocket assisted rear end in something bad

also, I'll have one of these:

Hell yeah! http://jalopnik.com/373531/for-sale-turbonique-rocket-drag-axle-equipped-1964-ford-galaxie-500

I think the boat is cool

The thing I love about the boat is that it's basically a Sea Flea. Imagine what would happen if you hit the wake from another boat in that thing - you'd instantly find yourself doing 70 mph across the water with no boat, just a steering wheel in your lap (and it's driving me nuts!). That's if you're lucky. If you've ever done any kneeboarding, you know what happens when you dip the nose on one of those.

I just thought of something. Won't the rocket motors continue to work underwater? Imagine the potential for that ride.

C'mon, someone get a truck turbo and make a jet-powered rear end for the challenge.

" Nope it wasn't helping me one bit and I didn't want to loose any teeth on it when it drove me into the wall, so I got rid of it." From an old time northeast modified racer when asked after a crash if the steering wheel broke off on his ill handling race car after it comes flying out the window just before impact

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Has anyone found drawings or prints of what that death-star looking ball with a shaft exiting it really is? I'm guessing it's like the home-brew turbo rocket motor, but with a "PTO" off the impeller???

I keep looking at the boat, thinking, "Where do your legs go?"

But of course, the answer is "Who cares, you just reached R17 on water!"

David

I think the, umm, occupant straddles the center bulge. It'll be a small boat. You could make a Sea Flea out of a 4x8 sheet of plywood, apparently.

Atomic batteries to power! Turbines to speed! Roger, ready to move out...

Holy Jumping Catfish!! And THAT, ladies and gents, is why I love you guys. Crap that's cool. Man, can you imagine what one of those things sounded like when it lit off. I'm living in the wrong era.

I have a pair of Turbonique rocket thrust engines for sale on eBay:

eBay auction link

Mother of all things zombie threaded....

In reply to Duwem:

At this point you are bordering on being a canoe. Your stuff is awsome and cool, but zombie threading for another place to post the ebay link is going a little far.