The Steam Car works by burning liquid petroleum fuel at 750° F, which heats 10.5 gallons of water, converting into steam. The steam passes through lagged pipes before it is injected into the 360-hp Curtis turbine at extremely high pressure and speed via compressed air hydraulics. It spins the turbine at over 13,000 rpm, powering the rear wheels, allowing the car to reach speeds higher than 150mph. The car itself is 25 feet long and uses about 1.86 miles of tubing. All of the hot pressurized steam is ejected from the exhaust, which means the car is only capable of running for about 3 minutes, and requires an 8-minute warmup.

The attempt to break the speed record will occur in late August at Bonneville.

[via Newlaunches]

[Steven Laurie] is a native of Whitby, Ontario, where a local art gallery called the Station Gallery is exhibiting his motor-powered artwork. There [Laurie] demonstrated his Posi-Track Burnout Machine, which looks something like a souped-up lawnmower sitting on top of a car axle. Instead of being pushed along the grass, though, the burnout machine revs against the pavement creating skid marks on the asphalt as it pulls forward against the grip of the driver.

Another of Laurie’s machines, the Handheld Rubber Burner, does much the same thing as the Burnout Machine, except instead of making long skid marks, it is intended to create user-designed skid marks. This custom machine is small enough to be held and directed using two hands. He also designed a similar device called the Stationary Rubber Burner (also called the Donut Machine) with the same purpose in mind, but it can only create circular skid marks since it pivots around center post. All three machines create skid marks, but the true art is in the performance, with the tires squealing, the engine revving, and the smell and the smoke of burning rubber fill the air.

For the pure visceral sensation of revving engine sounds, Laurie created the Boom Tube. It is a lawnmower engine mounted on a stand with an exhaust tube jutting upward. It does nothing more than idle and create a distinctive sound.

A slightly more interactive take on the concept is his Stationary Revving Machine. It is little more than an engine with a gas pedal, but like his other creations, it is intended to evoke the sounds and smells associated with muscle cars.

Laurie is nothing if not thorough, as evidenced by a smaller revving machine he named Wild Thing. It’s just a chainsaw with a large exhaust tip and no cutting ability.

Two other machines, the Ape Hanger Rumbler and the Grass Ripping/Grave Diggin’ Machine are also part of the exhibit. Even though we know you like machines that do practical things, we recommend that you contemplate your gear lust at this exhibit if you’re in the Ontario area. If not, check out [Steven Laurie]‘s Flickr stream.