Untitled

Winged Wednesday

Chrysler 300 coupé 1962.- source Bring a Trailer.

1964 Imperial Crown Convertible

61 Plymouth Belvedere

Chrysler returned to turbine power in 1977 for a special one-off "M-body" LeBaron that was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE). It was powered by a Gen-7 turbine engine that produced 125hp, successfully met strict 1975 federal emissions standards, and achieved a competitive 22-25 mpg in DoE testing. However, by the late 1970s, Chrysler faced financial collapse. The government bailout committee, led by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, decreed that the turbine programme was too risky and expensive to productionise. 

Chrysler had a long history of experimenting with turbine power, beginning in the late 1930s with the world’s first turbine-powered car, a Plymouth Belvedere, beginning testing in 1954. By 1963, they were entering customer trials. Fifty-five cars were built by Ghia in Italy, designed by Elwood Engel. They were powered by the 130hp A-831 turbine engine that could run on virtually any combustible liquid. The engine operated with roughly 80% fewer moving parts than a standard V8, providing a vibration-free, smooth gliding ride. Chrysler launched a massive public relations and engineering user programme, lending 50 of the cars to 203 everyday families across 133 U.S. cities for three months at a time. The programme officially wrapped up in January 1966 after some glaring drawbacks were highlighted, including a complex, multi-step startup procedure and inconsistent power delivery. Of the original 55 test vehicles, 46 were scrapped, leaving 9 still in existence. 

Chrysler 300 Convertible 1966. - source The Chrome Lot.

1966 Chrysler 300

1961 Plymouth Fury

'68 Dodge Super Bee

1939 Plymouth PT81 Pickup

1970 Plymouth GTX