A few months back while cleaning out my tool box, I came across two items
from my past. These small mementos brought back memories of the excitement and
the promise in the future of automobiles in the
1960's. As my father worked for Chrysler back then, I had the opportunity to see
literature on new models and prototypes. The most exciting project at Chrysler
in the early 1960's was the on-going "Turbine-car" project started
almost ten years earlier.
Although Chrysler had been installing turbine engines in test vehicles for
years, 1963 was different....Fifty Ghia built bodies had been shipped 
from
Italy and were fitted with the Chrysler turbine designed engine for the public
to drive. I was too young back then to drive, but I was old enough to recognize
that if public tests were being performed now, surely I would have one in my
garage someday.
Living near Chicago in the mid-1960's I was lucky enough to "hang-out" at the Chicago Auto Show while dad worked there, and also attend some functions where the turbine car would be driven in for publicity. As the Chrysler Mid-West Regional office was in Northlake, IL. at that time, there was frequently a turbine car on premises for repairs or storage as the program wound down.
It was unbelievable to me when I learned that the cars were being scrapped
with only a few saved from the crusher. The program was 
being
terminated with no further word on development. The turbine car dreams would
have to be put on hold. My first car was a '62 Ford Thunderbird, so if you take
that Elwood Engel designed vehicle and drive it backwards, it does resemble his
turbine design for Chrysler.
After finding that long-lost Turbine car hood ornament and horn center, I dug out other artifacts tucked away for years. So my personal start on a turbine car consist of the parts above, a promotional model (which ironically is missing it's hood ornament), promotional brochures and some corporate press-releases.
To view a complete listing of all the "civilians" lucky enough to drive the turbine -click here-
Please check out the following sites devoted to the Chrysler turbine which are very well done and have interesting stories.
http://www.turbinecar.com/turbine.htm Mark Olson's web site devoted to his dads test drive participation.
http://www.carnut.com/thrill/_bigthrl.html Lucky winner of a ride in one of the surviving cars.
http://www.barracudamagazine.com/turbine.html Magazine re-print of a short history on the turbine car.
http://www.motionalmemories.com/Chrysler-Turbine.htm Great high-resolution scans of publicity photos.
