Lot S139 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 “Tobacco King” Rocket Car
Dana Mecum’s Original Spring Classic Auction – 21st Year May 15 – 18, 2008 SPECIFICATIONS Year 1964 Make Ford Model Galaxie 500 Body Exterior Color Black Interior Color Black Seats Bench Type V-8 Engine Size 427 Horsepower 425 Transmission Auto Trans. Speeds 3 Drivetrain RWD Options: Latham Axial Supercharger, 850hp Turbonique Rocket Drag Axle, AM radio
One of the best looking Ford’s ever. The static appeal alone just makes you want to stare. Imagine driving that scary S>O>B on the street! Not only that she would deep-fry a Hemi Roadrunner w/that rocket.
funny how they only had a single brake res!
I am kinda surprised that Jay Leno doesn’t already own this jewel.
some kids get a bike, some kids get the old family car.. this guy got this..
Okay, somebody needs to preserve this piece of history………really.
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{Also, I never heard of Turbonique before today. I guess I’d better look them up sometime
Any video of it being run?
Garage magazine did a well written article on this car and Zach’s life. Garage rules.
what a god damn beast!
look up galaxie 500 burnout return of the beast it might have 1000+ hp if it doesnt its close
Thats all it sold for?? Bullshit.. there is no way thats all it sold for…
damn
Fantastic…
Galaxies were a heavy car but the big blocks made them roar. I can’t imagine what 1000+ hp in a Galaxie would be like.
Awesome bit of history.
This car sold for $325,000. at the Mecum auction.
Turbonique of Orlando Florida was the brainchild of an aerospace engineer by the name of C.E. Middlebrook. The rocket and turbine engines that they manufactured produced tons of power but they were tempermental, high maintenance (needed new bearings after one or two runs), and dangerous if not used exactly as per instructions and sometimes even if used correctly. Faced w several lawsuits & fter nondelivery of orders they met with their demise in 1968 after a mail fraud conviction.
Hey thats a beautiful car u got their. I got one just like it and was wondering if u had any tips or suggestion where i would find books for this year and where to began. I’ve had the car since i was 11 and would like to know that the job is done right when it is all done.
I would love to see this kind of car agains a MoPar Hemi Hurst Dart/Barracuda in dragracing, would be one spectacular race no doupt, someone like the idea? =)
Turbonique made superchargers, turbine and rocket engines. Only the superchargers used solid fuel. “Thermolene” was, in fact, a liquid fuel composed mostly of n-propyl nitrate. The differential unit shown on this car is not a rocket but a turbine (the pipe is just an exhaust). Thermolene was burned in a cumbustion chamber which drove a turbine wheel. Through a set of gears and a sprag clutch, the turbine drove the rear axle directly. There were various models up to 1000hp…
Highest bid so far is $375,000. Dayum!
I think that this car should be sent down the track using it’s rocket engine once. Just once for official records purposes. We have much more advanced equipment now, it’d be interesting to see what this thing could do.
damn this is a sweet Galaxie for sure. Would’ve enjoyed some action shots but I guess this thign is too valuable to even drive??
bid on this in INDY may 15th
CORRECTION: The narrator is incorrect in his description of this rocket drag axle’s use of the solid propellant “Thermolene” or N-Propyl Nitrate.
The narrator is incorrect in his description of this rocket drag axle’s use of “Thermolene” or N-Propyl Nitrate.
Thermolene is a liquid fuel. The system used tanked oxygen only to get the Thermolene combustion process going.
Tanked nitrogen was used to keep the thermolene flowing into the combustion chamber.
I want to see more video’s please
I want one.