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PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 2:06 am 
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Joined: November 11, 2013, 2:11 pm
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Location: Frankfort, KY(for now)
Hello everyone! As some members can recall, sometime back I was going around asking a bunch of questions pertaining to locost 7s (looking back on it, they did sound pretty crazy.) Well, those crazy questions had some reasoning. I am entering a rat rod build off soon and I'm entering with something fairly...unique. A real, live steam powered, futuristic decopunk/steampunk steam car, with a highly modified locost 7 chassis to my design. I will start building soon, and posting pictures, but I must say, this car is gorgeous and crazy looking. I do plan on winning this thing, but enough talking. Let the fun begin!


Last edited by jazz2561 on April 15, 2016, 1:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 10:06 am 
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Mid-Engined Maniac

Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
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Give steam and its pressure a lot of respect. Some or many (or all?) steam pressure vessels must undergo state inspections due to some very nasty explosions in the past. It still happens occasionally.

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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 10:09 am 
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Welcome back. I for one will watch a steam car build with great interest.

What steam engine and boiler system will you be using?

Did you know that the world land speed record for steam powered cars is still fairly easily attainable because it sits at only 139.842 mph (British team in August 2009)? Those runs beat out a 100 year old record set by a Stanley Steamer in 1906. Design and build carefully, head out to Bonneville and you could be a world record holder!

Good luck!

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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 2:21 pm 
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Location: Frankfort, KY(for now)
Believe it or not, not only was I building this car to win the rat rod build off, but to challenge the steam car world record. The steam generator(boiler) is a two stage high efficiency flash type of my own design. The Doble steam car gave me great inspiration for the drivetrain. The engine is a triple expansion, double acting steam engine with 9.75 inch Tesla turbine connected to the front wheels via continuously variable transmission (geared down first.) One of my main criteria for this car was safety, that is why I chose the flash type generator because it does not pose a explosion risk, unlike water tube and fire tube boilers. I also designed my water tanks to act as side crash structures (the car also has a riveted aluminum crash tub), front crash structure doubling as a condenser, and a integrated roll cage. Why all this emphasis on safety? My sister almost lost her life in a car crash, and recently, a former classmate and teammate passed away in a car crash. I take safety very seriously. That's why my first car was a 2002 Volvo S80. Did I mention this car was zero emissions? It took six months to figure it out, and its rather ingenious.


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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 2:23 pm 
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Joined: November 11, 2013, 2:11 pm
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Location: Frankfort, KY(for now)
Also, does anyone know the width of a locost in the survival cell and across the front and rear end?


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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 3:07 pm 
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Welcome back. Your enthusiasm is great and you're going to need it. I think steam is interesting. You've put a lot of stuff on your plate though, so I think we may land up moving your thread to the "In Theory It Could Work" section until you make physical progress.

You've asked twice now about frame dimensions and/or the vehicle's track. That sets me back a bit because you're talking about designing everything and it only took me 10 seconds to get the info with a Google search. Seriously the second hit was a collection of blueprints. And really what good are they going to do a person with a roll cage, an aluminum tub and a front frame that's a steam condenser? So it's a little hard to answer, lots of us change the frame dimensions

How much horsepower are you trying to make? Do you have or can you make some type of a test bed for an engine/boiler?

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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 3:28 pm 
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Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
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Zero emissions? Definitely belongs in "In Theory..."

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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 12, 2016, 6:51 pm 
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I apologize if I sound redundant but I just want to make sure everything is perfect. I was worried about deviating too much for the locost frame design. As far as the zero emissions part, its complicated and challenging, but I know it will work. And yes, I will be building a test bed for the steam engine, turbine and steam generator.


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 Post subject: Re: I'm Backkkk!!!
PostPosted: April 13, 2016, 12:25 am 
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Joined: July 29, 2006, 9:10 pm
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jazz2561 wrote:
As far as the zero emissions part, its complicated and challenging, but I know it will work.
Oh come on, just go ahead and tell us--there's only one zero emissions fuel combustable in air at surface pressures.

And may I request you go back to your first post, click the 'edit' button, and change the name of this topic to something more related to your subject, e.g "Steam powered steampunk rat rod"? This is going to be quite a project, and I for one will be following it great interest, but only if I can find it by topic name...and a month from now, will I remember that "I'm Backkk!!!" is the guy building the Locost-chassis steamer? Not likely; heck, I don't even remember if I took my short term memory loss pills this morning.

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PostPosted: April 15, 2016, 1:30 am 
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I cant tell you out right, surprises, man.


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PostPosted: April 15, 2016, 2:22 am 
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Okay...but if it's hydrogen powered, I'm not going to be surprised...and if it's not hydrogen powered, I don't see how it's going to be zero emissions...but that may reflect my lack of imagination rather than a flaw in your plan. Either way, I'm looking forward to this build. Go for it!

PS--good choice on the new topic title.

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PostPosted: April 15, 2016, 7:27 am 
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We are Slotus!
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and if it's not hydrogen powered, I don't see how it's going to be zero emissions...
Electric! Plug-in recharge of on-board batteries that power the boiler. Zero emissions, if you don't look at that big ol' smoky power plant behind the curtain. :shock: :mrgreen:

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PostPosted: April 15, 2016, 8:17 am 
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Are radioactive isotopes considered zero emissions?

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PostPosted: April 15, 2016, 9:03 am 
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The Mr. Fusion reactor unit fits the bill.

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PostPosted: April 15, 2016, 9:18 am 
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I wonder what the pulse jet land speed record is.

I'm pretty sure natural gas is zero emissions.

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Driven5 wrote:
Forced Induction + Magic Spinning Doritos = EMod


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