In the mid-1960s, Ford finally unveiled its large experimental gas turbine truck as the vehicle of the future, suitable for the new highways stretching over 65,000 kilometres across America, facilitating travel to every corner of the vast continent. The gas turbine was compact, powerful and could use any type of fuel; the truck would have an ultra-modern cab with every comfort and on a very high position.
Ford had been working on the gas turbine since 1925, when Henry Ford, together with William Mayo and Charles Sorenson, developed a small turbine that ran at 30,000 rpm on a mixture of air and gas that, as recalled in the memoirs, spewed fire everywhere. Further studies date back to the 1950s, when new materials were found that could withstand high temperatures and, at the same time, ways to reduce manufacturing costs. In 1955, a low-pressure gas turbine was completed with the aim of installing it in a car, and a year later it was tested in a truck. From then on, Ford focused on developing the turbine for use in the industrial vehicles of the future.However, Ford was not satisfied with the results of its low-pressure turbine and, starting in 1957, conducted a major study using the most modern computers to determine what type of turbine would be ideal for lorries. The result was a supercharged turbine, as this system reduced the need for air and significantly improved fuel consumption. In addition, the important components could be smaller and run at high revs.
In 1958, the first turbine of this type was released, with 300 hp. Three years later, Ford won a military contract to develop a turbine with 600 hp, a version which, with the agreement of the military, was incorporated into an experimental high-speed lorry designed for the future. The idea was very promising. It was predicted that by the 1970s, every American city with more than 50,000 inhabitants would be easily connected to a network of motorways on which cars and lorries would travel at controlled speeds, most of them powered by gas turbines.
The concept envisaged that lorries would also be able to reach the speed of cars, so as not to be an obstacle. To this end, a 600 hp turbine engine was developed, which was very compact and smaller than a powerful diesel engine, and combined with an aerodynamic and very modern cabin. Power delivery could be immediate. In terms of the cabin, Ford placed the driver in a raised seat, with the co-driver slightly further back and lower down on the right-hand side. Comfort included not only comfortable seats, with the co-driver's seat reclining, but also a toilet, sink, refrigerator and microwave, plus a television for the co-driver, so that there was no need to stop on long journeys.
At the push of a button, the turbine would start up, and an automatic gearbox with selection control would find the ideal ratio for each situation. The major advantages were that it did not require a radiator, lubricant or any oil, which reduced pollution, and thanks to complete fuel combustion, pollution was greatly reduced. The major disadvantages were, on the one hand, the need for mechanical workshops with experts in these concepts and specific tools to ensure constant operation, and on the other hand, the expensive replacement components in the event of breakdowns. At the end of the 1970s, the euphoria surrounding this type of propulsion began to subside, and except for a few sporadic attempts, to this day the turbine has not been able to replace the piston engine.
The history of this unique truck you can see in the attached YouTube video, documentation rescued a few years ago from Ford's press archives.
Among other smaller documents, there is a 16-page catalogue with a lot of detail, which could be valued at over €100 due to its uniqueness and rarity.
