Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale) • Hacker News Board

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#31

Post by nodesocket » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:11 PM UTC

danw1979 wrote: post #27

nodesocket wrote: post #10

Thanks for the great laugh. The picture at night with the flames and fire shooting out of a beetle is just amazing. Registration up to date.

"street legal" afterburners perfectly sums up how nuts America seems from over the pond.

USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#32

Post by alangibson » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:11 PM UTC

klintcho wrote: post #8

I don't want to start another "SF vs Miami/Austin rest of the US" but! An awesome thing in the Bay-Area is all the insane stuff you get on eBay and Craigslist. I bought a Velodyne VLP-16 LIDAR for my mobile robot side project and met up with a guy in SF. He had a startup that ended up using vision only so they sold off their LIDARs.

When I read the headline, the first thing I thought was "definitely in California." Not even a question.

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#33

Post by oedoedxef » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:11 PM UTC

I'm all for awesome engineering projects, in which this project is not deficient, however if this thing can be street legal then I don't understand why so many other cars are not allowed to be.

Even when this thing is working as intended. it's shooting hot flames out the back.

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#34

Post by notional » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:13 PM UTC

rmason wrote: post #24

I'm out in the Valley quite regularly. People here in Michigan ask me all the time about the difference between the two places outside of weather. This is a prime example. I've tried real hard but I can't imagine seeing this ad in Detroit. If it happened the press would get ahold of it and make fun of the guy. ;<(

Detroit is an odd example given that it's 'Motor City'. Chrysler built a jet powered car back when the original Beetle was in production. Then again nowadays it's all about FCA putting the biggest engine in every model they can before they die off.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Turbine_Car

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#35

Post by jey » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:14 PM UTC

oedoedxef wrote: post #33

I'm all for awesome engineering projects, in which this project is not deficient, however if this thing can be street legal then I don't understand why so many other cars are not allowed to be. Even when this thing is working as intended. it's shooting hot flames out the back.

I'm pretty sure it's only street legal while the jet engine is turned off. Then you're just transporting a jet engine on the back of a Beetle, right?

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#36

Post by flyGuyOnTheSly » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:14 PM UTC

oedoedxef wrote: post #33

I'm all for awesome engineering projects, in which this project is not deficient, however if this thing can be street legal then I don't understand why so many other cars are not allowed to be. Even when this thing is working as intended. it's shooting hot flames out the back.

It's definitely not street legal... not with the jet engine running at least.

You're not allowed to incinerate the guy behind you when the light turns green.

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#37

Post by alangibson » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:14 PM UTC

I'll be interested to see what this sells for. Passion projects like this often have surprisingly little resell value.

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#38

Post by birdyrooster » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:15 PM UTC

notional wrote: post #3

I remember seeing this car on car tv shows all time years back. I can't imagine he'll get close to his asking price, but it's still a really amazing piece of engineering and the juxtaposition of a jet sticking out the back of an otherwise stock Beetle will always be fun. I wonder what it would fetch on BaT since that's kind of more the platform for these weird/unique cars

He’s probably hoping someone like Leno scoops it up after hearing about it in the news

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#39

Post by rococode » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:15 PM UTC

jey wrote: post #35

oedoedxef wrote: post #33

I'm all for awesome engineering projects, in which this project is not deficient, however if this thing can be street legal then I don't understand why so many other cars are not allowed to be. Even when this thing is working as intended. it's shooting hot flames out the back.

I'm pretty sure it's only street legal while the jet engine is turned off. Then you're just transporting a jet engine on the back of a Beetle, right?

That's what I thought too, but then the post says "That said, I do enjoy the occasional blast down the highway." and suddenly I'm not so sure...

Re: Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle – $550k (sunnyvale)

#40

Post by waterside81 » Wed, Dec 16, 2020, 7:16 PM UTC

ijustwanttovote wrote: post #4

There's videos too. https://www.leithcars.com/blogs/1421/lifestyle/jet-powered-v...

Usually when there's an "oddball" or "eccentric" person on, Letterman had his way with them, but I thought Ron more than held his own. Right mix of self-deprecation and confidence.