00:00 00;01;10;12 00;01;12;12 This is truly one of history's most
00:04 incredible street cars.
00:05 00;01;12;12 00;01;15;12 It's scary fast, the sheer rawness of it, the excitement and the
00:11 acceleration.
00:12 00;01;15;12 00;01;20;12 When you do hit the accelerator pedal, you better be holding on
00:16 because this thing is going to take off.
00:21 00;01;20;12 00;01;27;12 The Rock and Roll Car Museum in Austin, Texas, is home to a Chevy
00:28 like no other.
00:30 Modified by legendary Indy mechanic Andy Granatelli, this 1978 Corvette is powered by a Pratt & Whitney
00:38 ST6B turbine engine.
00:41 00;01;27;12 00;01;39;10 Packs 880 horsepower, pushes 0-60 in less than 3 seconds, and is
00:48 capable of speeds over 180 miles per hour.
00:52 00;01;40;10 00;01;50;10 It's a marvel, it really is, it's an amazing piece.
00:55 What we like to call the wolf in sheep's clothing.
00:58 00;01;50;10 00;02;00;10 It uses a compressed gas to turn turbine blades.
01:02 This one instead of using thrust actually uses a shaft that turns the drive shaft through
01:08 the transmission just like a normal car would.
01:10 But it is still a true jet engine, it's absolutely stunning.
01:14 00;02;00;10 00;02;05;10 And being in a class of its own, it's no surprise that this is
01:20 the pride of the museum's collection.
01:22 When you have something that's so unique like this, it really stands out.
01:26 You can have a lot of Porsches or a lot of Ferraris, but there's only one Jetvette.
01:31 This car approximately cost $550,000 and it was purchased in 2005.
01:37 If I was to guess its value today and what it would cost to build this, I mean you could
01:42 spend 6, 7, $800,000.
01:48 Because it differs so much from a normal V8 engine, the engine extends all the way from
01:52 the very front of the car where the radiator normally would be, all the way into the firewall.
01:57 Under these covers would be the exhaust side of the turbine engine, in the center is the
02:03 compressor side.
02:05 This series of fins that looks like a radiator is actually the condenser for the air conditioning.
02:09 This car actually has functioning air conditioning and because this engine acts like a giant
02:14 fan, it sucks in the air at such a high rate.
02:18 Even with a high ambient temperature, the AC in this car works flawlessly.
02:22 And a turbine engine presents unique issues met with unique solutions.
02:30 The biggest problem with this car is trying to vent the hot exhaust gases.
02:38 A turbine engine will produce enormous temperatures, we're talking over 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.
02:45 It has a very remarkable exhaust system that was very well engineered and built.
02:50 The turbine engine, because they burn so much fuel at such high temperature, it has to have
02:56 so much surface area in order to get this exhaust out of the car.
03:00 So they built this massive flat exhaust system.
03:03 It's all made out of a material called Inconel, which is similar to stainless steel in many
03:08 ways, but it has a much higher operating temperature and it dissipates heat a lot better.
03:13 So it enters right here, it comes around and then bridges back together, and it fans out
03:19 and then out of the diffuser.
03:21 And there is nothing else that's ever been built this way.
03:25 Up front here we have a series of switches and gauges which are completely different
03:29 from the road going car.
03:34 To drive this car, it's not easy.
03:40 You have to put a little work in.
03:41 There's actually a fifth brake that is installed in order to help slow this car down.
03:47 You can start out by holding the brake very firmly.
03:50 Some people maybe would have to use actually two feet.
03:53 The car will idle between 70 and 90 miles an hour depending on conditions and the road
03:59 you're on.
04:00 It can be a handful, but when you get on the throttle, it makes it all worthwhile.
04:04 Once you drop the car into gear, you would slowly let off on the brake pedal, just like
04:08 any other car.
04:09 It will actually start going without touching the accelerator pedal.
04:14 When you do hit the accelerator pedal, you better be holding on because this thing is
04:17 going to take off.
04:19 It's going to snap your neck.
04:21 This is truly one of history's most incredible street cars.
04:28 This car accelerates so smoothly and so quickly that before you know it, you're surpassing
04:34 130 miles an hour.
04:35 You have to be very careful when you're driving it because it just really wants to stretch
04:40 its legs and run.
04:42 Awe-inspiring.
04:43 Just a marvel of engineering.
04:46 It's scary fast.
04:49 The sheer rawness of it, the excitement, and the acceleration.
04:54 It will put a smile on your face every time.
04:57 It's a lot of fun to drive.
04:59 Truly an amazing vehicle.
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