A few blogs back I mentioned that Pebble Beach would have a class for cars with big-really big-engines, one of which was entered by Jay Leno. At the time I didn't have a photo of Jay's 20+ liter 1953 Chrysler Tank Car but here it is as it appeared at the 2008 Concours last Sunday. Says Leno: "This is an M47 Patton Tank engine with twin turbos, it has 1,600 horsepower and weighs about five tons. That's not really much when you consider the engine is meant to move a 120,000-pound tank. Maybe you build cars like this when you have more money than brains, but I've driven it to work and it's gotten up to 145 mph at the GM Proving Grounds. Actually, most people don't know this is really a hybrid. It starts off running on gas…then you get on the freeway and it runs on even more gas." If a bike was to hit that kind of speed – which they can – imagine the cost of the bike insurance!
[Photo: © Ron Kimball Studios]
why did you make the tank car, its for a class project.
February 5, 2009 @ 10:51 am