VIDEOS: Jet-powered Dodge Caravan earns its Sports badge
Chris Krug has what we think might be the most bad-ass late-90's Dodge Caravan in the world. Like us, he apparently thought the 150-hp V6 just wasn't enough and added some supplemental power via a 1,000-hp helicopter jet engine. But he left the original piston powerplant in place to retain its street-legal status.It's not easy to describe the rapidity at which Krug's green Caravan explodes off the line and down the track. It's seriously disconcerting to watch almost two tons of toddler-hauling mediocrity running an 11.17-second quarter mile with flames shooting out the back hatch. The black and white soccer ball sticker on the liftgate only further cements the surreal feeling that this van is just not right.
The turbine is government surplus and the flames are courtesy of judicious use of fuel sprayed into the helicopter engine's exhaust. Though the pyrotechnics make for a good show, Krug says they provide no boost in acceleration. The whole thing only cost about $17,000 to build. Krug says his Vanzilla tops out at only 113 mph because he still needs to do some work on the rear axle ratio. If it were us, we'd see about getting some wider rubber on those back wheels, too.
After you've watched the video above several times, click through to the jump for even more footage of this unholy amalgam of military might and mom-approved mobility.
[Source: Hacked Gadgets via Gizmodo]
And Chris Krug continues to make alterations to his beast of a van.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jim 7:09PM (3/06/2008)
This is a turboshaft engine, not a jet engine.
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DS 7:09PM (3/06/2008)
wow.
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Jim 7:10PM (3/06/2008)
Oh, and that's a Rolls-Royce Nimbus engine, BTW.
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Joe C. 7:12PM (3/06/2008)
BEAST!
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Neil Schelly 7:15PM (3/06/2008)
Why would you put wider tires on it? It's not moving because the tires are spinning and propelling it forward; it's moving because of the big turbine engines and the thrust they generate.
-N
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Joe 7:26PM (3/06/2008)
Its a helicopter engine, not an airplane engine. The turbine drives a shaft which powers the rear wheels. Hence, wider rubber, and the top speed issue.
Neil Schelly 7:31PM (3/06/2008)
A-ha! I missed that.
-N
MajorGeek 7:44PM (3/06/2008)
Guess I could Google this, but wasnt this also done with a Toyota MR2 that was on Ebay a while later? Now thats pretty funny!
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StickShift 7:51PM (3/06/2008)
"The jet exhaust is at wide angles for the helicopter application it was in. They wanted the exhaust to go away from the tail boom and have just enough velocity to keep the hot exhaust from being recirculated into the intake. The exhaust provides no thrust, it’s all shaft driven but I do spray fuel into the exhaust to make some smoke and fire. It’s funny how people think a jet engine isn’t working properly if fire isn’t spewing out the back, unless it’s the engine on the passenger jet they’re sitting in. The engine is a Rolls Royce Nimbus 105 with about 1000 shaft horsepower at 2100 rpm. The chain drive steps it up by 1:2.25 and the rear axle has 3.50:1 gears soon to be replaced by 3.25:1 gears. I don’t know about letting anyone drive it but you’re all welcome for a ride. It handles really nice. I’m in Augusta Georgia. I’m looking for a certian jet powered VW for a match race :)"
/\From the source/\ This guy is officially my hero.
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rektide 8:52PM (3/06/2008)
"this guy is officially my hero"
thats what i said on his post to the DIY-GasTurbines list.
KazO 8:04PM (3/06/2008)
As cool as it is, I like the much older 'Turbovan' from the 90s better. Granted, it's not quite as quick (1/4 in the 12s), but the cargo area was still all stock and usable as an actual van.
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Danny Boy 8:26PM (3/06/2008)
Not how I would spend 17 grand...
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SPG 8:29PM (3/06/2008)
Driving with the sliding doors open voids the insurance.
...Or maybe that's not important to this guy.
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Matt 8:52PM (3/06/2008)
there is no way that thing would pass NHRA tech which would limit it to 10 sec or 130mph on a legal drag strip.
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almost Dr. G.. 10:02PM (3/06/2008)
wow that sucked.
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ugg.tryptophan 11:11PM (3/06/2008)
THIS IS MADNESS
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PhReaK 11:39PM (3/06/2008)
No! This is Dodge Caravan!
LoneWolf 7:22AM (3/07/2008)
Very cool,indeed!
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Bob-omb 10:17AM (3/07/2008)
He had to keep the original powertrain to keep it street legal? He won't be moving around with it much longer. That 150hp 3.0L V6 was the most trouble-prone engine I've ever owned. I don't miss my Caravan days.
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GTX141 11:07AM (3/07/2008)
1/8 mile drag strips are so freakin lame.
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