Looking at this 1960 Volkswagen Beetle, it’s almost unbelievable that it has been transformed into a complete dragster. Of course, it’s not just any type of dragster, it releases hot flames through the rear. The flames come through a massive jet engine strapped to the back of the vehicle.
The most interesting part of this flame-throwing car is that it’s street-legal. California man Ron Patrick built the vehicle. According to him, the 1960 Volkswagen was redesigned “for a bit of fun.” And the vehicle produces a swooping 1,350 horsepower.
Patrick has a PhD in mechanical; engineering. He said he wanted to build “the wildest street-legal ride possible.” And he has done it with his Volkwagen redesigned.
This flame-throwing Volkswahen has two engines—the production gasoline engine at the front and the jet engine at the back.
“The idea is that you drive around legally on the gasoline engine, and when you want to have some fun, you spin up the jet and get on the burner,” Patrick said.
He added that the jet could actually be started while driving on the normal gas engine.
“To light a big fire or the afterburner, you hold a button down and half a second later press the hot-streak button on the floor. Then things happen!” He added.
California first needed to source a jet engine to transform the Beetle into a flame thrower. That’s where the General Electric T58-8F comes in.
Patrick converted a helicopter turboshaft motor into a jet engine.
Converting the motor was one thing for Patrick, but attaching it to the tiny Volkswagen was another thing altogether.
“The hole was tricky because it goes through three layers, the bumper and two layers of metal,” he said.
With the jet engine attached, the little Beetle could spin up to 26,000 RPM and churn out a massive 1,350 horsepower.
He said he had never punched it because the car was built to thrill him, not kill him.
He said, “That doesn’t stop me from the occasional blast on the highway, though.”
Patrick, who has his site dedicated to the build, admitted his jet beetle attracted a lot of wanted and unwanted attention on the road.
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