For starters, we know absolutely nothing about this car but we do know that we’re very interested by it. You are going to watch it run down a makeshift drag strip in the middle of nowhere and makes couple of runs. Apparently this rig was built in the 1970s and while we have no idea what its actual performance is, the sound of the machine has us really intrigued. We’re thinking that the steam engine in this little contraption is a four cylinder car engine because it sure as hell sounds like one. The steam being sent through the mill is driving the pistons and making the very gas engine like sound as it heads down the course.
The little car is kind of slow out of the hole but that makes sense. There’s a really tall gear ratio here at work because the engine does not ever drop in RPM indicating that there is no transmission. In fact this thing could be about 1:1 with the rear axle on some sort of a chain drive.
Because of the steam engine’s massive torque making ability at extremely low RPM, it will pull the tall gear, giving up acceleration down low for a charge at the top end and some speed up top. Like the tall wheels on a steam locomotive that is slow to get underway but can run 100mph.
If anything this has us thinking and in these times, that is a good thing.
What could be better after a day of “steam ” racing?? Some nice 1lb “lobstas” and “cherrystone” (NJ)clams.
That thing is crazy! Got me intrigued though, so went looking for more info…
Some good stuff here:
https://stanleysteamers.com/danville.htm
For the lazy:
To give you a bit of background-the car has a 130 inch wheelbase, the frame is chromolly tubing, total weight is 775 lbs. The steam
plant consists of a Carter monotube generator and a 3 cylinder
converted outboard engine with dual overhead cams, a bore of 3-1/8″
and a stroke of 2.8″. The drive train incorporates a clutch with a
chain drive to the solid rear axle.
We did the 1/8th mile in 10.6 seconds, and feel the car has quite a
bit more potential….