Steam Cars

[Skynet12]

Just a test to see if youve heard of steam cars. Just wondering cos people seem upsettingly ignorant about such a vast subject.

Speed in 1905: 197mph.

Torque: 6 times that of a V8.

130 Manufacturers at turn of century.

Gears: None! (its 1 to 1)

Power: Vapourized Petrol

Pressure: 200-1000PSI

Summary: better than Internal combustion as the only reason you need a gearbox and clutch is to compensate for the weaknesses of I.C.E! The only reason ice caught on was cos it was more reliable.

[Smoke]

Wouldn't steam cars have a bunch of flaws, like massive heat, and not being able to controll the speed all that well, ?

pressureization of the steam would have to be controlled, I dont know much about them but it would seem like your controlling a rocketship thats my guess,

But if they can make them just like modern day cars, then why the hell not go for it.

It sounds like a pretty good idea.

[Mezurashi]

I've seen a German steam car from the early 1900's on TV - maybe it's even a Mercedes-Benz product (I'm not sure about this) - but they fired 'er up and let her run at a stately ten kph for a short distance. the car was pretty much a hundred years old but it still ran.

there are many modern ideas about steam powered vehicles, just Google 'steam powered cars' and browse - or go to Wikipedia for links to a lot of current projects.

and, just to diverge a touch, check this out - http://www.theaircar.com/

[Skynet12]

Wouldn't steam cars have a bunch of flaws, like massive heat, and not being able to controll the speed all that well, ?

pressureization of the steam would have to be controlled, I dont know much about them but it would seem like your controlling a rocketship thats my guess,

But if they can make them just like modern day cars, then why the hell not go for it.

It sounds like a pretty good idea.

Actually, theyr'e better to control than modern cars-Ive driven an original 200mph Vanderbilt steamcar racer and it was amazingly easy. Course you have the accelerator, or 'regulator' on the wheel making it different from a modern car, but the flaws are less in quantity than a modern car! My dad has a 1902 Stanley locomobile replica. Heat isnt really a problem-cos the boiler is actually like a flash steam boiler. So its more pressure than heat. Britain and America made them, then Germany took over Stanley and White. I was just whod actually heard of them cos we get seom stupid questions at steam rallys. Sad really. Then the model T ford came out and pretty much spelt the end-but they were being made in us right until the 50's. They just looked like normal cars by that time-just much faster!

mezurashi, the first one was built in 1760s france. So yes-it most probably was over 100 years old!

Sky