Who killed the (steam/turbine-powered) car? ????!!





steam powered Grand Prix



Another Monday, another batch of very cool old press photos from David Greenlees. Where last week’s photos followed a streamlining theme, this week’s photos depict very early alternative-fuel concept vehicles from GM. First, above, a photo from May 7, 1969, depicting a bunch of techs installing a four-cylinder engine into a 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix. Yes, four-cylinder. The caption on the back elaborates:

General Motors researchers install the combustion system-steam generator in the first modern steam car developed by the automobile industry. The experimental vehicle – called the GM SE-101 – is a modified 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix. Already mounted in the engine compartment is the 160 horsepower, 4-cylinder expander. The SE-101 is one of two steam-powered vehicles shown to the press at the GM Progress of Power show and was developed by GM Research Laboratories to permit evaluation of the vapor cycle engine under actual operating conditions.

From other resources, we see that this was allegedly the first steam-powered vehicle with a complete set of power accessories, including air conditioning, thus making it more feasible for modern vehicles. We also see that the steam engine could run on any atomized fuel, making it a multi-fuel engine capable of running on diesel, kerosene or gasoline, and that it was backed up by the experimental 250-TT toric transmission. What prevented further development of the SE-101 were the size and weight of the steam powerplant (450 pounds heavier than the V-8 engine it replaced at less than half the horsepower), less-than-ideal water consumption from a too-small water condenser, and the likelihood of freezing.
As for the other steam-powered vehicle presented with the SE-101, we believe that was the SE-124 1969 Chevelle, fitted with a Besler Developments steam engine. Both were profiled in the July 1969 issue of Popular Science by frequent SIA contributors Norbye and Dunne.

Whirlfire going into Firebird III



The other photo shows an uncommon view of the Firebird III as it received its 225hp Whirlfire Gas Turbine engine. The photo dates to September 14, 1958, and also shows a rare glimpse of the interior structure of the Firebird III before its titanium body panels were attached.

Steam powered cars

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I know in the past there were steam powered cars, but that they pretty much lost out to IC cars early in the 1920's. My question is, could you build one using modern materials and technology that would be safe and have the performance characteristics desired by most people? I've seen Jay Leno showing off one of his steam powered cars and he was saying that it could easily go over 70 miles per hour...and that was in the early 1900's. I don't know what the range was, but 70 miles per hour would be a good benchmark for one of those performance characteristics that most people feel they need.

So...could you build a steam powered car, or use a steam engine in some way that would be practical in a modern vehicle? Say a steam/electrical hybrid (could drive using just the batteries until there was enough steam pressure to drive the car, thus getting rid of one of the drawbacks, that of having to wait while the steam pressure built, or dissipated). Or maybe some way to pressurize the pressure vessel in a similar way that a plug in battery or hybrid has it's batteries recharged overnight, so you can just drive away without having to wait for the pressure to get to the point that the vehicle will move?

It's probably not practical, since I assume if it were someone would be doing it, but I was watching a show on the History Channel about steam engines and thought it might be interesting to discuss it.


Popular Mechanics had an on-going quest to develop a steam powered car in the 70's and maybe in the decades before and after. There's been at least one car designed to run on compressed air which would be similar to building up steam pressure, and not subject to loss of heat. Then there are people seeking to break the land speed record for a steam engine powered vehicle, I guess because it's not that high.








part 9











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