Jet Trikes
 

It will be a hot time in the junkyard this episode as the Auto Amigos take on the Dirty Drivers in a fast and furious challenge to build a trike powered by a jet-engine. The race will consist of three trips down a one-eighth mile track...one at a time. The team that records the fastest time in any of their three trips will advance to the semi-finals.
 

The Dirty Drivers are building a true jet engine on a lightweight frame. A propane tank will provide the gas and a spark plug will act as the ignition source. The key ingredient will be a turbo-charger from a truck. The turbo charger has two fans that turn in opposite directions. One fan will suck the propane into a combustion tank while the other will suck the heated air out and through a nozzle. If there's time, they also want to build an afterburner which should increase their speed. An afterburner ignites any remaining gasses in the chamber for added thrust. Time is NOT on their side.

The Auto Amigos, on the other hand, are going for a thermo-jet engine. A car engine will be attached to a large fan. The fan will suck air into a large tube which will be funneled out the back. Around the back side of the fan are a series of nozzles which will spray a mist of gasoline into the tube. A spark plug will ignite the propane causing a jet of hot air (and flames) to shoot out the back. This is going to be heavy so a big, beefy, sturdy frame will be necessary. The weight might slow them down and cost valuable seconds.
 

 
 
The Auto Amigos 
clockwise fr top lt; Capt Junior, 
Ralph, Shorty & expert Mark Nye
The Dirty Drivers 
clockwise fr top lt; Capt Jen, 
Sam, Karen & expert Chris Crew
 
 
The Auto Amigos thermal-jet
The Dirty Drivers jet turbine
 
 
Bicycle parts will make up the bulk 
of the frame for the Dirty Drivers
In addition to a car axle, this motorbike 
will provide a sturdy frame
 
 
Bunches of barrels make up the 
bulk of their jet tube
And this V6 engine will provide the 
power for their fan
 
 
This turbo-charger from a diesel 
truck is the key part of this jet
As is this muffler which will be used 
as a combustion chamber
 
 
This special fan is one piece of their 
jet-propelled puzzle
Judge Kimberly Enochs
 
 
The flame tune provides just enough 
air to the flame without putting it out
These injectors will put the gas 
into their jet
 
 
The safety seat goes onto a frame 
that looks very unstable
On goes the modified turbo-charger 
cum jet turbine
 
 
If the drive-shaft isn't aligned, then 
there will be no blow or go
This is where it all happens...the 
ignition switch
 
 
By igniting any remaining fumes, this 
afterburner increases power by 40%
Time for one last cut to a final 
piece of tubing before time runs out
next set of images
 

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