c wrote:
> Bill,
> Do you know the difference between a rocket car and a jet car?


Bill can be incredibly difficult to communicate with when you are
saying something that does not agree with what he thinks and he will
drive you nuts if you do not really, really know your stuff. I concede
that in general he knows more about the details of drag racing than I
do, because I have little interest in drag racing, it's just not my
sport. I'm sure it's a fine sport just like curling, jai alai, or
whatever. I just don't really care about those sports, or spectator
sports in general.

What I have figured out is that the current TF or Funny Cars are now
faster than the jets, but the jets had them beat until relatively
recent times, and that all the trhust based cars-jets and rockets-are
slower off the line and build their speed down the track. But that's
apples vs. oranges because you are comparing a bizarre specialized
propulsion system unique to fuel drag racing to a surplus engine sold
for scrap price that is 50+ years old. Any jet engine made by
Westinghouse is every bit of fifty years old, they quit making jet
engines after the Korean War. Now if the Navy released Ottofuel II
torpedo engines surplus and they started appearing drag cars maybe the
solid block Hemis would be obsoleted overnight! In principle jet or
rocket cars could beat even the current wheel driven cars with enough
thrust to weight ratios, but not in 50 feet. Turboshaft engine
dragsters, like the one Don Garlits built for exhibition, which use
wheel driven power might be another matter too. Like the jets they are
also apparently outside the rules.

But even if you spend hours doing the homework, line up the results,
and have it all notarized Bill will just change the subject if it isn't
what he likes to hear. So why bother?