Eric Farley Posted November 22, 2012 Posted November 22, 2012 WOW awesome pic find! I wonder if the driver plans to test drive it thru bees? Hey! mayb e its nuclear!!!!!!!!!
Moparmike90 Posted November 22, 2012 Posted November 22, 2012 I have to chuckle whenever I see that picture of the test driver in the ironworker fire suit. Makes ya wonder how much faith they actually had in the turbine they were using.
acem Posted November 22, 2012 Posted November 22, 2012 These tractors were built about the same time as the chrysler turbine prototype cars. Was there any sharing of technology? Did they use the same or similar engines? Dad got to drive a chrysler turbine car back in the day. He thought it was a great concept the should be developed. He was concerned about the exhaust temperature on the cars though! Thx-Ace
BZtractor Posted November 22, 2012 Posted November 22, 2012 This is a photo that I was giving at the IH display at one of the farm shows back in the 60's, Enjoy
FARMALL51 Posted November 22, 2012 Author Posted November 22, 2012 The HT-340 (for Hydrostatic Turbine), a product of International’s experimental group, was never intended to go into production – and didn’t. International began working on development of a hydrostatic drive tractor in the 1950s. When a 340 prototype tested well, the engineers cranked up the volume, installing a small gas turbine engine from the company’s Solar Aircraft Co. subsidiary (which was named not, apparently, for an energy source but for the sunny skies in San Diego, where the company was founded in 1927). The HT-340 made its debut on the show circuit in July 1961. But on the return trip from Lincoln, Neb., where it was displayed at the University of Nebraska’s 10th annual Tractor Day, the tractor was extensively damaged in a traffic accident. Emergency repairs were made and the 340 was displayed at several events that summer. Later that year, more extensive repairs and modifications were completed. The retrofitted prototype was unveiled in 1962 as the HT-341, complete with three-point hitch, stabilized steering, larger tires, rear lights, enhanced controls, a new fuel-filtering system – and a new color scheme. The 340 was blue and white; the 341 was red and white. The 341 was used in displays and demonstrations. In 1967, it was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Ken Ryan Posted November 22, 2012 Posted November 22, 2012 I was working in the implement group when the tractor boys were running that around. It was a little loud. At the time we thought it was mostly a research vehicle. We didn't expect it to go into production. Anybody know how it did on fuel consumption. Do you think we will ever replace the diesel in traction vehicles? Ken Ryan
ryan wegman Posted November 23, 2012 Posted November 23, 2012 I was working in the implement group when the tractor boys were running that around. It was a little loud. At the time we thought it was mostly a research vehicle. We didn't expect it to go into production. Anybody know how it did on fuel consumption. Do you think we will ever replace the diesel in traction vehicles? Ken Ryan never went into production. replace the diesel? in a word. No.
660 driver Posted November 23, 2012 Posted November 23, 2012 In my opinion fuel economy would be the real issue with a gas turbine. I think the engine could be made to work in a tractor cause after all our main battle tank is powered by a gas turbine. It did encounter some issues in the sandy enviornment of the middle east but I think they got the issue fixed.
FARMALL51 Posted November 24, 2012 Author Posted November 24, 2012 I have to chuckle whenever I see that picture of the test driver in the ironworker fire suit. Makes ya wonder how much faith they actually had in the turbine they were using. Yeah
TimsIHtractors Posted November 27, 2012 Posted November 27, 2012 I think something like that would sound pretty awesome looking like a 88 series at about 200 horsepower pulling a forage chopper across the field.... THAT would make my neighbors turn their heads!!!!
DR.EVIL Posted November 27, 2012 Posted November 27, 2012 IH & FORD were playing with turbine powered over-the-road semi-tractors around that same time too. Fuel economy was the reason both companies stopped working on them. They burned about as much fuel as gasoline powered trucks, but it was lower cost fuel, similar to kerosene. Even with all their moving parts the turbo-charged diesel is still one of the better ways to produce power. One of my books says the Solar turbine engine in the HT-340 only weighted Ninety pounds, probably have to add a bit of weight to put all the power to the ground on that little tractor.
TomH Posted November 27, 2012 Posted November 27, 2012 I wish IH had produced it with conventional power 35hp or so.I just think they are cool looking and maybe they would have sold well ?? who knows.
aar Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 IH & FORD were playing with turbine powered over-the-road semi-tractors around that same time too. Fuel economy was the reason both companies stopped working on them. They burned about as much fuel as gasoline powered trucks, but it was lower cost fuel, similar to kerosene. Even with all their moving parts the turbo-charged diesel is still one of the better ways to produce power. One of my books says the Solar turbine engine in the HT-340 only weighted Ninety pounds, probably have to add a bit of weight to put all the power to the ground on that little tractor. I believe the Ford was called the typhoon
Scott! Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 I don't really understand why you would prop the right front up with a tree stump when restoring the one and only HT-340. Some people...
FARMALL51 Posted November 28, 2012 Author Posted November 28, 2012 I don't really understand why you would prop the right front up with a tree stump when restoring the one and only HT-340. Some people... haha I just noticed that .... wow
John-Oh Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 I don't really understand why you would prop the right front up with a tree stump when restoring the one and only HT-340. Some people... That pic is in a farm shop where they built the replica of the 340. The actual 340 raises lots of questions. Looks like only 3 operating levers. One on the left, throttle? Inside right, the hydra control. Outside right maybe the 3 pt? The blue one has brake pedals extending forward from the rear axle,one each side. The replica has 2 pedals on the left floor. Maybe it was built on an IH 300 utility chassis. All 3 models pictured show a hydraulic cylinder under the front axle. A major improvement to a 300. The T340 is called hydrostatic, but is it really just hydraullically powered with those outboard radial hydraulic motors???? I don't believe there is rear pto, again would have to be hydraulicilly powered. The replica shows a rear shaft, again a 300 chassis? May or may not be powered? Dr. Evil-The signage above the display, doesn't it say turbine 40hp weighs 14 lbs?
DR.EVIL Posted November 28, 2012 Posted November 28, 2012 JOHN - The only info I can find is in my "Farm Tractors 1950-1975" by Lester Larsen. Only a couple paragraphs but says the engine weighs 60 pounds and turns 57,000 RPM geared down to run a hyd pump to run the motors on each rear wheel. I thought I remember reading somewhere it was much more HP than 40. AAR - You are correct, the Ford turbine ag tractor was called the Typhoon. Looks like Ford had the idea first too, in 1957. Allis did an elec. power cell tractor in '59, and the HT-340 was in 1961. But 50 yrs ago I remember the article in the Ford Times magazine about the turbine powered semi-tractor Ford worked on for a while. And I think somebody did an article in RPM about IH's turbine powered road tractors too.... Maybe Jim Becker?
acem Posted November 29, 2012 Posted November 29, 2012 The sheet metal on the front of the tractor looks like todays styling. Thx-Ace
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