In 1963 Chrysler Corporation began a limited production of fifty special experimental turbine-powered passenger cars for consumer evaluation. Two hundred and three users selected at random in 43 states and the District of Columbia used the cars for a period of three months each.
In addition to market evaluation, careful records were kept of user field experience and car operation and regular inspection periods of each vehicle were provided to determine fuel and lubricant experience.
Subsequent examination of powerplants following completion of the program was made to determine component endurance and life.
In addition, progressively advanced parts and components were installed to assist in the development of possible future automotive gas turbines.
Field test conclusions and resulting progress with regard to fuels and lubricants are discussed in this paper.
En 1963 la Compagnie Chrysler s'engagea dans la production limitée de cinquante voitures expérimentales à turbines à gaz destinées à une évaluation publique. 203 usagers qui furent choisis au hasard à travers les Etats-Unis utilisèrent ces voitures pour une période de trois mois chacun.
En plus des renseignements obtenus sur les possibilités commerciales, des dossiers furent maintenus par l'intermédiaire des usagers sur le fonctionement des voitures. Chaque vehicule fut soumis à des inspections regulières pour établir le comportement des carburants et des lubrifiants dont on se servait. A la fin du programme, les moteurs furent examinés soigneusement en vue de déterminer la solidité et la longévité des éléments mécaniques.
Pendant le programme, des pièces de plus raffinées furent utilisées afin de permettre une amélioration continue dans le domaine des turbines à gaz.
Ce rapport contient une discussion des conclusions tirées durant les essais et aussi du progrès qui en résulta en ce qui concerne les carburants et les lubrifiants.
As a result of a number of years of research, development and testing on automotive gas turbine powerplants and following several successful demonstrations of vehicles equipped with successive generations of these units, it was announced in 1962 that Chrysler Corporation would build fifty experimental turbine-powered vehicles for public evaluation.
These special vehicles were to be equipped with Chrysler's fourth generation turbine. The car was publicly announced and a prototype shown in May of 1963. Production of the fifty hand-built units was started in June of the same year.
On October 28, 1963, the first user delivery was made. From that date until the end of 1965 the cars were delivered to randomly selected users in all 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia of the United States of America. Users were loaned the cars without charge for a three-month period and were by GEORGE J. HUEBNER, Jr., Director of Research, Chrysler Corporation, U.
