Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

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REAR
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Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by REAR » Sun Mar 29, 2020 8:14 am

Podcast history of Captain Jack McClure, good stuff.

https://dorkomotive.podbean.com/e/episo ... d-go-kart/

Click on at the bottom to hear.

R.E.A.R.

ted johnson
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by ted johnson » Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:27 am

We all in Central Florida kept track of Turbonique Engineering in the Orlando area. They made both straight hydrogen peroxide pure rocket engines, and axle mounted peroxide turbine engines you could mount in the trunk of your "normal" street automobile. There was a '64 Ford that ran at the Florida drag strips. Captain Jack ran the modified Dart rocket kart at Florida strips where we saw it several times. Hydrogen peroxide can be nasty stuff. The Nazis used it a lot, mixed with other chemicals and called it "T Stoff" There was a guy at Kennedy Space Center playing with H2O2 and water, injected through a tiny perforated platinum ball into the venturi of a normal carb. I drew up a number of his design drawings. I was there when we blew a Mac 91 into so many tiny pieces they were still finding bits of it in corners years later. It was mounted on a heavy steel table in the test lab, and it actually lifted the table off the floor when it let go. Ted

dean kanocz
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by dean kanocz » Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:48 pm

Bill Venditti's follow up to the Pegasus Mustang sponsored by Ed Pike Lincoln.
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Ed pike 2.jpg
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dean kanocz
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by dean kanocz » Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:51 pm

The Turbonique Pegasus Mustang driven by my uncle Bill Venditti. Based out of northeast Ohio.
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REAR
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by REAR » Tue Mar 31, 2020 6:49 pm

Dean,

Thats a wild unit your uncle had. I was too young to remember it.

Where did he run it, Thompson ?

I think Ed Pike is still around maybe with a name change.

R.E.A.R.

Chris Marchand
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by Chris Marchand » Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:53 pm

Capt. Jack is in the Tampa area. I talked to him several years ago. He related his time as a factory driver for Rupp in the early 60s , plus was the S.E Distributor for Rupp.I forget all the details but the Jet Kart went missing for years but he got it back . Again don t remember what the deal was but he had it in a trailer at his home when I talked to him about bringing it over to Jax to the Vintage event.

Dick Teal
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by Dick Teal » Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:29 am

Brian Espeset brought this kart to the Brodhead vintage event in 2008.
Brodhead 2008 016 resized.jpg

dean kanocz
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by dean kanocz » Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:43 am

Hi Bob,

Yes, he ran it at Thompson Oh. and around the country in an experimental class. The first Mustang test run lacked the crude wheelie bars pictured. Uncle Bill says the front end lifted straight in the air when they lit it off. The exhaust tube crushed and prevented a complete rollover. The Mustang was used in Turbonique ads along with Capt. Jack.

The bugs were never worked out of the Cougar before Turbonique went under.

Good to hear Ed Pike building still in Mentor. Worked there when I was 16 y.o. cleaning and buffing his used cars until we moved west.

Dick Teal
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by Dick Teal » Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:04 pm

Here's a view showing the fuel info and the year.
Brodhead 2008 015 resized.jpg

REAR
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Re: Jack McClure Rocket Kart History and....

Post by REAR » Thu Apr 02, 2020 1:32 pm

Dick,

Do you know if thats a repop or the real deal ?

R.E.A.R.

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