Helivan, clips, dodge caravan, jalopnik, jet, omfg, rolls royce, top, turbine, van...

Jet-Powered Minivan Is Probably Batman's Aunt's Car

This van has been retrofitted with a Rolls-Royce Nimbus helicopter jet turbine by Chris Krug, who should really be working for Tony Stark. The jet turbine has about 1,000 shaft horsepower at 2,100 RPM, which allows it to do 1/8th of a mile at 103mph in 7.14 seconds. Not bad for a Dodge Caravan, especially one that can ride with the normal combustion engine, then reveal the turbine flipping its rear window. The turbine exhaust doesn't provide any thrust, however:

The jet exhaust is at wide angles for the helicopter application it was in. They wanted the exhaust to go away from the tail boom and have just enough velocity to keep the hot exhaust from being recirculated into the intake. The exhaust provides no thrust, it's all shaft driven but I do spray fuel into the exhaust to make some smoke and fire. It's funny how people think a jet engine isn't working properly if fire isn't spewing out the back, unless it's the engine on the passenger jet they're sitting in.

According to Chris, it can do the 1/4 mile in 11.17 seconds, and it topped at 113mph because he hasn't adjusted the rear axle ratio yet. "I have about $17,000 in the whole thing," Chris told us, "I got the turbine from a friend who deals in Government surplus. This all came about after being on the TV show 'Junkyard Wars' where i built a jet powered tricycle with a jet engine made from an old truck turbocharger." [RunRyder via Hacked Gadgets]

9:50 AM on Tue Mar 4 2008
By Jesus Diaz
14,130 views
23 comments

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Curves at 09:38 AM on 03/04/08
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In a Dodge Caravan? For the car pooling soccer mom that needs to go 103 mph.
discounteggroll at 09:44 AM on 03/04/08
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gimme a second while I put her into gear...
ANoel at 09:44 AM on 03/04/08
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*T*A*I*L*G*A*T*E*R*S *B*E*W*A*R*E*
dufus at 09:47 AM on 03/04/08
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'Propulse' the car??? Try propel....
cruiserman1 at 09:50 AM on 03/04/08
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1/8 mile @ 103mph
1/4 mile @ RIP
necrolingua at 09:53 AM on 03/04/08
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It is a regional thing to use the word "Propulse" in this way?
Jesus Diaz at 10:04 AM on 03/04/08
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@necrolingua: no, it's just an error.
oyumurtaci at 10:07 AM on 03/04/08
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Shouldn't this thing have warning signs saying you aren't supposed to stand too close to the doors or risk being sucked into a soccer-mom vehicle? Or is the suction through the doors not that great?

I wonder how long it takes to get it into jet-propelled mode... and how long it can last in that manner.
Mowogg at 10:22 AM on 03/04/08
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Boy, is the Lizard Man going to get a surprise!
solareclipse2 at 10:33 AM on 03/04/08
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I guess it's cool but it's not as well done as the guy @ [www.ronpatrickstuff.com] that did the Jet Beetle.
dingus at 10:39 AM on 03/04/08
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<< WIN indeed!
thirdchild at 10:54 AM on 03/04/08
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Does "The Darwin Awards" ring a bell??

I see pain in this dudes future.
FreeMan at 11:01 AM on 03/04/08
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the soccer ball magnet sticker is perfect!
flyboy at 12:35 PM on 03/04/08
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The caravan is a great body shape for this.

Its not the first time we hear about the no flames issue either...

its not that new teh Rover company did it well before others/...[www.rover.org.nz]
DeeJayQueue at 01:07 PM on 03/04/08
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I wonder if that thing folds down into the Stow-n-Go compartment. Ultimate Sleeper!
LuciferV8 at 01:29 PM on 03/04/08
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When you absolutely, positively, must get the kids to soccer practice on time...
honk4RC at 04:02 PM on 03/04/08
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Comes with options too:
1. Parachute kit
2. ventilated disc brakes
Vagabum at 05:43 PM on 03/04/08
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Chili Palmer says: It's the Space Shuttle of Mini Vans.

If you are going to go that far with propulsion (in a mini van), why not add a afterburner to add some thrust to the exhaust?
potentato at 06:26 PM on 03/04/08
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Now soccer moms can cut you off at 100mph while talking on their cellphones and turning around to reach the back seat and smack their kids for making them drop their cigarette
nutbastard at 06:53 PM on 03/04/08
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@potentato:
whatever, i wish those bitches would haul a bit more ass. I just want to scream in their faces, "USE THE FUCKING PEDAL ON THE RIGHT! ON THE RIGHT!!!
Knight at 08:51 PM on 03/04/08
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@Vagabum: Because that isn't how helicopter turbines work. Dumping fuel into the exhaust like an afterburner would just create a big old ball of fire, which I believe he already has in this system.
UrbanDEV at 03:37 AM on 03/05/08
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@solareclipse2: I wonder if having the intake in the middle of the cabin creates an ear killing vacuum pressure issue...
TheDeadPuppet at 03:24 PM on 03/10/08
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I don't want to be around when he installs the Flux Capacitor.
I guess this minivan is good for quick trips to the store. Bring it up to the northeast where he can de-ice windshields in a jiffy.