1968 Howmet Turbine

Much of the experimental engine is missing. Only ten were built, to win a government contract, so replacement parts are on intergalactic backorder

by Thor Thorson

Throughout the past century of automotive progress, the turbine engine was perceived as a possible alternative to the internal combustion engine. The two most famous American turbine programs are the Chrysler Turbine and the Andy Granatelli Paxton-STP Indy racers. Yet, the most successful and only race-winning turbine cars ever built were neither of these two, but rather the lesser known, but significantly more important, 1968 Howmet Turbine racing coupes. The moving force behind the Howmet TX was racing driver and engineer Ray Heppenstall and his racing buddy Tom Fleming, vice president of marketing at Howmet. While running at Daytona in 1967, the two decided to build a turbine-powered race car. Heppenstall discovered that Continental Aviation had designed a small turbine engine when they bid on a U.S. military helicopter engine contract. The contract had failed to materialize; so ten engines were left over. The unique powerplant weighed a mere 170...