<VV> Fwd: Why Chrysler abandoned the turbine (No Corvair)

[Ken Pepke]

Back in the day my brother was working for Chrysler Engineering and one day he came to our dad's house with a salmon colored 54 Plymouth ... It had a clear hood and a turbine engine / motor.  Later he was driving a light blue 55 Plymouth, also powered by a turbine but there was no way to tell on the outside.  The instrument panel had a host  of special gauges.

Chrysler worked on those turbines for years.  They must have believed there was potential and it must have seemed like it was close at hand.  Has anyone heard an official explanation  from Chrysler?
Ken P
Still trying to catch up.

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Begin forwarded message:

> From: Wrsssatty at aol.com
> Date: December 16, 2010 6:05:30 PM EST
> To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
> Subject: <VV> Why Chrysler abandoned the turbine (No Corvair)
> 
> My understanding is that Chrysler abandoned the turbine project due to poor 
> gas mileage.
> 
> My further understanding is that the turbine engine was most efficient when 
> running at a constant engine speed leading me to wonder whether it might 
> have  some modern day application running at a constant speed, at its most 
> efficient  rpm, perhaps using an alternative fuel, and generating electricity 
> for electric  motors at all four wheels.
> 
> ~Bill Stanley