Thursday 14 May 2015

The Rocket Car

The Rocket Car, was created from an authentic space rocket swinging ride, salvaged from the old "Euclid Beach Amusement Park" that existed in the Cleveland area until about 1969. Ron Heitman took a dream and did what he likes best, turned it into a car!! A 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado drive train was used to transform The Rocket Car into a legal street vehicle. The original rocket frame was mated to the Toronado sub-frame. The engine is a modified 455 cu.in. Olds with an automatic front wheel drive transaxle. This conversion gives The Rocket Car disc brakes, power steering and a torsion bar suspension with Carria coil over-shocks. The steering is coupled together using gears and chain from some heavy equipment. The rear axle is a solid tube axle with coil springs and airbags from the rear of the Toronado. The Rocket Car is 28 feet long nose to tail, and covered entirely with polished stainless steel panels. Along with the driver it will seat 10 adults or 15 kids very comfortably. All of the seats are upholstered in heavy red naughahide with seatbelts and automatic lock bars. To make life even better, Ron found another one of the old Euclid Beach rockets and created a second Rocket Car! The two are almost indistinguishable going down the road.

No, this isn’t a light-speed limo with flames shooting out the back, but it was once a rocket of sorts. This unique ride was created from a space rocket swinging ride that entertained kids at the Euclid Beach Amusement Park in Cleveland until the late 1960s. The rocket ride was turned into land-based transportation courtesy of an Oldsmobile Toronado drivetrain. Completely covered with polished stainless steel panels, the 28-foot Rocket Car can seat 10 comfortably and will certainly be a blast for all passengers.
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