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P-51-engined Cramer Comet goes on the block at Pebble Beach
Click above for high-res gallery of the Cramer Comet
There are hot rods, there are hot rods, and then there's "Um... what is that?" Tom Cramer, an ex-GI and mechanic in Omaha says, "I wanted to see what would happen if you put a really high powered engine in a chassis." Sound familiar? That was in 1953. So he found a fresh 12-cylinder 1,710-cubic-inch Allison airplane engine that produces 1,350-hp/1,500 ft-lb and got to work.
The body of the Cramer Comet was Frankensteined from De Sotos, Dodges, Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Studebakers, Cadillacs, Lincolns, and Fords. Part of the tubular chassis is made up of four-inch refrigerator tubing filled with coolant that runs to a rear-mounted radiator. The engine is mounted in reverse and is heavily insulated -- it gets hot in there. Power is sent through a drive shaft mounted between two truck universals and on to a four-speed transmission. The top speed is said to be 160 MPH, which is low for so much power, but probably sensible considering it's hand built.
Check out that center console. To start the car, the driver (pilot?) sets the throttle quadrant to ten-percent, cranks the fuel mixture to full rich, turns the spark lever to retard, flips the master switch, turns the magnetos on, turns the fuel boost and primer switches on, flips the starter control first to energize and then to on. And then it's time to fly, hopefully not in the literal sense.
Tom didn't get rid of the car until 1991 and it's now up for auction for the first time at this year's Sport & Classics of Monterey held by RM Auctions August 15 and 16. It's expected to fetch up to $300,000. Even if you don't plan to buy, you should check out the gallery of high-res photos below for evidence of how powerful elbow grease is.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Benfolio 7:04PM (8/05/2008)
I bet that thing really flies.
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Xcountryflyer 7:26PM (8/05/2008)
It is 1953 technology...160MPH was blazing fast back then considering lack of aerodynamics, high-speed tires, and the whole lot. Were they expecting Bugatti Veyron?
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davet 9:27PM (8/05/2008)
The speed record for a public road was set in a Mercedes Benz W125 streamliner, at 268.9 mph, or faster than a Veyron. In 1938. Just thought you might like to know.
Actually, I'm surprised Jonathon Ramsey didn't mention the M-B T80, a 4wd, 6 wheel special with a 3000 hp Messerschmitt engine. They were hoping to reach 750 km/h (something over 450 mph) but WWII started and it never turned a wheel in anger.
old blighty 3:41PM (9/03/2008)
More like 1942 technology.
That is when the P-51 mustangs w/ the Allison engines were rolled out.
Torrent 7:44PM (8/05/2008)
Kinda ugly, but when you're going 160, can anyone really see you?
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AMcA 8:58PM (8/05/2008)
Looking in the engine compartment there, I bet that's genuine asbestos insulation!
Only the finest . . . .
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Mike Lee 9:06PM (8/05/2008)
Too bad he copied GMs showcar 'LeSabre' and didn't build a one-off custom bodied car. His is bulbous looking where GMs was actually stunning. But, there's never any accounting for taste (or lack thereof).
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j-dawg 9:09PM (8/05/2008)
Cool! and I bet that start sequence could keep a few would-be drunk drivers scratching their heads.
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Quicksilver 9:23PM (8/05/2008)
I think the lack of high speed has more to do with the max rpms of that engine. Most airplane engines redline at low rpms, almost like a diesel. If the engine could rev to 6000 rpm's 200 mph isn't out of question.
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ambientFLIER 10:36PM (8/05/2008)
Couldn't you just gear it appropriately? There are diesel race cars that top 200mph, and they only rev to 4000...If it makes a lot of torque, then you could just use really tall gearing.
Quicksilver 10:42PM (8/05/2008)
Yes, it could be regeared to get a higher top speed, but the way it is built now I think the top speed is rpm limited.
BTW, Bonneville World of Speed is happening in September. I hope to be there.
ohenn01 12:47AM (8/06/2008)
the engine itself is worth a ton of money.. those WWII era engines are really hard to find nowadays
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mr.ed 10:12AM (8/06/2008)
Okay, what's the engine worth? The rest of the car has scrap value. Would a P-51 driver pay 300 grand for a motor that would have to be torn down and rebuilt to FAA specs, or is it a bargain at that price today?
SPG 10:28PM (8/05/2008)
I'd probably feel more safe in a Cadillac Sixteen but half as cool.
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PauloBecker 12:12AM (8/06/2008)
That's the coolest way to start a car I've ever seen.
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youcouldntfindme 9:18AM (8/06/2008)
Yeah really, it should take 15 steps to start something this awesomely cool!
3seriesisking 1:44AM (8/06/2008)
You guys did well to leave the Mustang out of P-51 Mustang because first thing you know, there would have been someone whining about "another Mustang post" as the Cretans might refer to it as. Really cool stuff though, thanks for the post.
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CH 7:39AM (8/06/2008)
Meeh. another Mustang post...
Sorry I had to ;-)
btw it's Cretin except you're referring to someone from the Greek island Crete.
3seriesisking 11:50AM (8/06/2008)
Thanks CH, I noticed that after the post. Perhaps if they were from that wonderful island they wouldn't complain about mustang posts so easily. haha.
mazda_justice 9:32AM (8/06/2008)
They should get Jack Roush to build a mod kit for this. He already modifies the P-51 engines.
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