That article is all sorts of Freudian. Just sayin'.

Obligatory (new window)

FYI, I can't find any stories on it, but Virginia Tech just got an email about gunshots fired on campus and to stay inside. I was going to submit the VT main page because they had a warning about it, but it disappeared after about 2 minutes.

Don't know any more than that so if someone can find any details, submit a headline.

"Once a reliable 1967 Chevrolet barely able to top 100mph, the Jet-Impala 67 can now reach speeds of up to 300mph, fires out 30ft flames and leaves massive clouds of smoke in it's wake."

I don't think the rope he has tied the rocket motor down with is certified for anything over 275mph.

I'm pretty sure there was an urban legend about a guy doing this when I was in high school. He strapped the rocket to the roof of his old junker and the damn thing lifted off the ground and he crashed into a mountainside several miles away.

welp... i reckon there'll be some holes in the radiator. might need to replace the main cylinder. also might want to take a look at that there crews mis-syle above the drivers compartment there. looks a little weathered.

cgraves67: I'm pretty sure there was an urban legend about a guy doing this when I was in high school. He strapped the rocket to the roof of his old junker and the damn thing lifted off the ground and he crashed into a mountainside several miles away.

Yup, and the article points out that this was the urban legend that propelled this guy to do it.

I'm calling shenanigans. I think it highly unlikely that the roof supports on a 67 Chevy would be able to stay intact with that much thrust applied - at least not without some serious deformation.

TheManofPA: FYI, I can't find any stories on it, but Virginia Tech just got an email about gunshots fired on campus and to stay inside. I was going to submit the VT main page because they had a warning about it, but it disappeared after about 2 minutes.

Don't know any more than that so if someone can find any details, submit a headline.

warning message still there.

SnarfVader: Those ropes aren't doing anything. Just sayin'.

Those have to be just for show, right? To make it look more ridiculous?

cgraves67: I'm pretty sure there was an urban legend about a guy doing this when I was in high school. He strapped the rocket to the roof of his old junker and the damn thing lifted off the ground and he crashed into a mountainside several miles away.

FTA: Their latest invention is based on an urban legend about a hillbilly farmer who crashed into the side of a mountain after he bolted a missile engine to the roof of his car.

Also:It follows hot on the heels of their jet-powered toilet and their jet-powered school bus which could reach speeds of over 750mph.

LUDICROUS SPEED!! GO!!

/gone plaid

FTFA: Their latest invention is based on an urban legend about a hillbilly farmer who crashed into the side of a mountain after he bolted a missile engine to the roof of his car. It follows hot on the heels of their jet-powered toilet and their jet-powered school bus which could reach speeds of over 750mph.

Um, no. Not even close. The Impala can't do 300 mph either- the tires simply can't handle it, the aerodynamics won't keep it on the road, etc

Look at the guys who really are designing cars that can do that kind of speed (new window): the wheels are solid discs of aluminum. They're doing tons of CFD modeling to make sure the airflow under the vehicle and around the wheels won't destabilize everything.

Simply saying you can do 300+ mph because a cruise missile with the same engine can is absurd.

cgraves67: I'm pretty sure there was an urban legend about a guy doing this when I was in high school. He strapped the rocket to the roof of his old junker and the damn thing lifted off the ground and he crashed into a mountainside several miles away.

No no, man. It was his brake pads burned right through and he couldn't stop. At least where I come from.

scottydoesntknow:

*shakes fist*

plc5_250: I'm calling shenanigans. I think it highly unlikely that the roof supports on a 67 Chevy would be able to stay intact with that much thrust applied - at least not without some serious deformation.

This is complete and total unadulterated bullshiat. It looks like he stuck a flamethrower inside an empty rocket motor. If that was for real he would tear up that roof like a piece of Aluminum foil.

Mythbuster did it

h3cubus: plc5_250: I'm calling shenanigans. I think it highly unlikely that the roof supports on a 67 Chevy would be able to stay intact with that much thrust applied - at least not without some serious deformation.

This is complete and total unadulterated bullshiat. It looks like he stuck a flamethrower inside an empty rocket motor. If that was for real he would tear up that roof like a piece of Aluminum foil.

Wouldn't the roof and attachment need to be just strong enough to be greater than the force necessary to overcome the friction to move the car?

cgraves67: I'm pretty sure there was an urban legend about a guy doing this when I was in high school. He strapped the rocket to the roof of his old junker and the damn thing lifted off the ground and he crashed into a mountainside several miles away.

Yeah, although I seem to remember it being a JATO engine, the same kind that C130's use to take off on a short runway.

Either way, those with the means to do this are smart enough not to try it, and those who are dumb enough to try it don't have the means to do it.

Combustion: cgraves67: I'm pretty sure there was an urban legend about a guy doing this when I was in high school. He strapped the rocket to the roof of his old junker and the damn thing lifted off the ground and he crashed into a mountainside several miles away.

No no, man. It was his brake pads burned right through and he couldn't stop. At least where I come from.

You're both right but the story is BS (new window)

h3cubus: plc5_250: I'm calling shenanigans. I think it highly unlikely that the roof supports on a 67 Chevy would be able to stay intact with that much thrust applied - at least not without some serious deformation.

This is complete and total unadulterated bullshiat. It looks like he stuck a flamethrower inside an empty rocket motor. If that was for real he would tear up that roof like a piece of Aluminum foil.

If you look close enough, it appears there's some pretty serious reinforcement hidden in that Impala. The jet is bolted to the roll cage more than the roof.

Glockenspiel Hero: Look at the guys who really are designing cars that can do that kind of speed (new window): the wheels are solid discs of aluminum. They're doing tons of CFD modeling to make sure the airflow under the vehicle and around the wheels won't destabilize everything.

The car you linked is going more than twice that fast, at 650 mph. For something a little closer to an apples to apples comparison, look at the aerodynamics of a top-fuel drag racer.

mtpagan: FTA: Their latest invention is based on an urban legend about a hillbilly farmer who crashed into the side of a mountain after he bolted a missile engine to the roof of his car.

Except it wasn't a hillbilly farmer (retired USAF enlisted) and it wasn't a missile engine (it was a pair of RATO bottles) strapped to the sides (not roof). It was also supposedly a cliff face, not a mountain, but I'll give them a pass on that.

They seem to have gotten the car part right, though.

/at least that's the legend I've heard a million times

You know who else had a cruising missile?



Brad Hamilton, that's who.

croesius: cgraves67: I'm pretty sure there was an urban legend about a guy doing this when I was in high school. He strapped the rocket to the roof of his old junker and the damn thing lifted off the ground and he crashed into a mountainside several miles away.

Yup, and the article points out that this was the urban legend that propelled this guy to do it.

The alleged real one. (new window) Suposedly this is the story the urban legend is based on.

As the owner of a 1967 Chevy Impala (the Land Ark) I have to say that I am not amused.

What is stupid is anyone who believes this hooey. It simply isn't possible. A 67 Impala could not be controlled at 300 mph. More, a jet engine (which is what this is, not a cruise missile) that could produce 10K bhp, would probably rip the top off of the car at about 60% thrust. And even if it didn't, it would flip the car. So we have the makings for another urban legend.

Here's a story (new window) I first read about ten years ago that claims to be the real story behind the urban legend. I've always thought this could be turned into a fun movie.

Shouldn't that have been on Short Bus.com? 'Cause thats just retarded.

750 mph... in a school bus.
The last and most awesome shattering of the sound barrier any of those children will ever witness.

It's always funny when they say could reach speeds. Sure, my car could do a million miles and hour, but I don't run it out of respect for the other people racing.

FWIW. I believe the current speed record is about 760mph and held by the Thrust SSC. And that's basically just two jet engines strapped to a little cockpit. I highly doubt a jet powered school bus is going to even come close.

h3cubus: plc5_250: I'm calling shenanigans. I think it highly unlikely that the roof supports on a 67 Chevy would be able to stay intact with that much thrust applied - at least not without some serious deformation.

This is complete and total unadulterated bullshiat. It looks like he stuck a flamethrower inside an empty rocket motor. If that was for real he would tear up that roof like a piece of Aluminum foil.

I agree. That is definitely NOT a cruise missile. The whole story is crap.

Jet powered school bus here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/12/earlyshow/main20104811.shtml
320 mph ... not 750
If the author is inflating the speeds consistently the car might hit 128 mph ... somewhat more believable

Sounds a bit like part of this movie. (new window)

/not a great film, but not too bad either
/it is on Netflix to stream

Sin_City_Superhero: JackieRabbit: More, a jet engine (which is what this is, not a cruise missile) that could produce 10K bhp, would probably rip the top off of the car at about 60% thrust.

If I were doing this, I would put a full roll cage in the car, and bolt the jet engine to the roll cage, not the roof.

You'd still have to counterweight. Ever watched a fighter a brakes-on spool-up to 100% and hit the afterburner at the end of the runway? The nose starts to come up and this is countered by adjusting the thruster vanes to direct the thrust up and push the nose back down.. If this didn't happen, the aircraft would flip over backward. Now why do I think a billy-bob from Texas isn't going to know this?

I've often wondered about the possibility of adding a pulse-jet engine to a car. That would be a real cruise-missile engine (the original, the V-1), with the bonus of being a very simple design.

And his wife is hot (new window)

Labrat407: [i.dailymail.co.uk image 634x393]

And his wife is hot (new window)

And now we know the truth. He's producing fap materials for rednecks.

Harold_of_the_Rocks: I've often wondered about the possibility of adding a pulse-jet engine to a car. That would be a real cruise-missile engine (the original, the V-1), with the bonus of being a very simple design.

It's been done. Just google "pulsejet car".

Looks like the kind of things that perform at air shows. I've seen jet powered cars ans semi trucks. My guess is he got an old J-85 which was used for some drone/missiles and a bunch of aircraft. I'm sure it's bolted on a dragster type chassis. The junk around it is for show. Jet powered dragsters have been around for years.