'What on Earth' ......and I don't mean the TV show.

[John Z Goriup]

Really don't know exactly where this should be posted. Driving through wine country the other day I ran across this apparition and stopped to take a couple of snaps, but I'm no wiser having seen and photographed it. My usual question when I see something like this is always the same....................."Why ?".

A small handwritten sign says it's a WW II, propane-fueled tank engine making 440 HP, but even after staring at this image for a long time trying to figure out the propeller arrangement I haven't come up with an answer / solution that satifies me yet.......................as it appears in the photo, it should be traveling backwards when you give it throttle.

Explanation, theory, suggestions, guesses ?

JZG

[uai]

I prefer a mid engined layout...

[SD Swede]

A 911 is a 911...right? True hotrod...?

[trdking]

Really don't know exactly where this should be posted. Driving through wine country the other day I ran across this apparition and stopped to take a couple of snaps, but I'm no wiser having seen and photographed it. My usual question when I see something like this is always the same....................."Why ?".

A small handwritten sign says it's a WW II, propane-fueled tank engine making 440 HP, but even after staring at this image for a long time trying to figure out the propeller arrangement I haven't come up with an answer / solution that satifies me yet.......................as it appears in the photo, it should be traveling backwards when you give it throttle.

Explanation, theory, suggestions, guesses ?

JZG

It would depend entirely on the rotation of the engine.

[John Z Goriup]

It would depend entirely on the rotation of the engine.

In theory that may be the obvious answer, but I submit it's hardly that simple.

The airscrew, configured and installed as shown in the photo would pull the car backwards.

If engine rotation is such that it would push the vehicle in the normal driving direction, it's the wrong propeller because it would be operating backwards....................which raises the question - at least in my mind - why not start out with the the correct propeller.

I suppose my problem is attempting to rationalize something as extreme as this, and apply reason, logic and a little common sense.

JZG

[Frank Beck]

I suppose my problem is attempting to rationalize something as extreme as this, and apply reason, logic and a little common sense.

JZG

John, that's exactly your problem! The "outrageous" factor is so up there that people like me don't care if it works. I would proudly hang it from a ceiling if it were mine.

Rationalizing and uber cool collide on this one.

[John Z Goriup]

John, that's exactly your problem! The "outrageous" factor is so up there that people like me don't care if it works. I would proudly hang it from a ceiling if it were mine.

Rationalizing and uber cool collide on this one.

Frank, I think you're absolutely correct. If you were to hang it from your ceiling, I would suggest hanging it vertically, ass-end down, making it the most powerful ceiling fan in the neighborhood to battle the summer heat.

all the Best,

JZG

[RSTarga]

So how does that puppy pass the CARB tests?

[trdking]

Frank, I think you're absolutely correct. If you were to hang it from your ceiling, I would suggest hanging it vertically, ass-end down, making it the most powerful ceiling fan in the neighborhood to battle the summer heat.

all the Best,

JZG

YEEEESSSSSSSS!!! It looks like an aircraft engine not like any tank engine I have seen

[Jim Breazeale]

YEEEESSSSSSSS!!! It looks like an aircraft engine not like any tank engine I have seen

Looks like a Continental tank engine to me. They just bolted a prop on it. I have seen that thing. It resides on Main St in St Helena. Most of the wine country crowd walk right by this beast, paying it no attention, on their way to an overpriced lunch.

Regards

Jim