The Incredible Steam-Injected, 12 Second 1/4 Mile, 75 MPG 1978 Mercury Bobcat

[Chris]

Before you think this is all some BS hype to jack up our stats or some old recycled April 1 post, I did take pictures of his steam injection system from a photo in his album, and we popped the hood to confirm evidence of his currently partially-dismantled set up. There’s the steam “distributor”, copper lines, kaneuter valves, etc…this is not just some glorified water injection system; the “steam” will be 500 degrees hot, and rapidly expand in the cylinder. Damn; in all my excitement, I forgot to ask him how he was going to heat it up, without using a boiler of some sort. I’m sure he’s got it covered though.

He showed me detailed drawings and photos of numerous valves, manifolds and other components worthy of an overly complicated home hot-water heating system. And I heard his sad story of living on disability income; how he was using food money to try to finish building the components so that he could qualify for a $270k DOE grant or something like that. And he assured me that when (if) the Bobcat was completed, twelve-second quarter miles and 75 mpg economy were a slam dunk. Sure, I see no problem; but he might consider some bigger rubber on the rear wheels before he sets out to prove his claim on the drag strip and vaporizes those little 13″ tires.

You might be wondering just what drove him to using a Mercury Bobcat for his little steamy wonder (I was), other than a quirk of personality. There’s a reason. Well, it didn’t exactly have to be a Bobcat, just any of the millions of the Ford vehicles that used the 2.3 OHC Pinto-derived engine, which still powered Rangers until quite recently. The later versions of that engine had a twin-plug setup, and held the key to fitting the steam injectors, which are clearly visible in the picture. His engine came from one of these Rangers, but because its fuel injection system was too complicated not suitable to the inventor, he went to considerable length to convert it back to a carburetor set up. Steam injection: good; fuel injection: not.

He anticipates a four-fold increase in combustion chamber pressure as the result of the steam injection. He made reference to the Crower six-stroke engine, which I’ve read about, but somehow he had invented the solution to incorporating the gasoline combustion and steam expansion cycles into one. Maybe I was just hungry and had low blood sugar, but his explanation is all a bit hazy today, despite this encounter taking place just yesterday. I’m just not going to make a good venture capitalist. I’m sure the DOE will have an easier time of getting it.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/curbside-classic-incredible-steam-injected-12-second-14-mile-75-mpg-1978-mercury-bobcat/

[LC EFA]

LOL

Ever read about something called the Lutec Generator ?

Free Energy ! *snicker*

[Thor]

I've seen a Dodge Omni/ Plymouth Horizon do an under 10 sec quarter mile. That was in Dinwiddie, Va back in 93/94. He was running some majorly tweaked 4 cyl engine with slicks on the FRONT!! He may have had nitrous injection, I don't know.

[Carl]

I did water/alcohol injection into the intake manifold of the pulling tractor for years.

Used some Methanol once but it was stale so not sure it was any better then store bought Isopropyl  (rubbing alcohol) or just straight water to keep the fire in the cylinders down.
I am not sold on the theory of steam expansion making combustion pressures increase for more horsepower but since it cools the incoming charge of air in a diesel adding to oxygen density which will allow for more combustion then it is good.

Saves expensive turbochargers too.

[Oceander]

Seems like everyone's got a story about those gawd-awful little cars of the 70s.  My next-door neighbor when I was in HS once helped a friend shoehorn a 350 V-8 into an AMC Gremlin; some of the "mods" included extensive use of a sledge-hammer to remold the firewall so the whole contraption would fit.

My favorite story of all time, however, has to do with electric cars - not the pansy little POS'es that Zero-bama and the liberals want us to buy; no, this is an electric with cojones so big, it eats just about everything for lunch, a 1972 Datsun B210:

White Zombie