The Granatelli Turbine-Engine Cars Took the

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The Granatelli Turbine-Engine Cars Took the World by Storm.
A name steeped in racing tradition and automotive innovation, Granatelli is driven into the minds of car
enthusiasts everywhere. With over 70 years of expertise in speed, the Granatelli legacy has dominated
Indy 500s, broken world records and thrilled multiple generations of racing fans. Among the family’s
greatest achievements are the world-famous Granatelli Turbines.
First, under motosports icon Andy Granatelli and his collaboration with Lotus Cars founder Colin
Chapman, the STP-sponsored #70 Lotus 56-3 Turbine Indy Race Car entered into the 1968 Indy 500 as
one of the first cars to race the event with a turbine engine—a radical feat even by today’s standards.
Ten years later Vince Granatelli, son of Andy, would follow his father’s passion for high speed by
engineering a Chevrolet Corvette to house a ST6B turbine engine. The grand experiment led to the
world’s fastest street-legal Chevy Corvette at the time—nicknamed the “Jet-Vette”—cranking 0 to
60 mph in only 3.6 seconds.
Under the stewardship of the Granatelli name, the turbine engine changed the sport of racing forever. It
transformed a conventional engine that revs to a turbine that roars supremacy on and off the track. It’s
an unmistakable sound. A powerhouse in both name and machine, the Granatelli Turbines represent an
integral part of automotive history that would be the ultimate addition to any car enthusiast’s collection.
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OWNERSHIP HISTORY OF LOTUS #70
www.granatelliturbines.com
1968—1969: ANDY GRANATELLI/STP
1969—1996: STP HEADQUARTERS
1996—2012: RICHARD PETTY
2012—PRESENT: MILTON VERRET
For more information call or text:
Gary Bennett at Barrett-Jackson:
Scott Black at TimePiece PR:
(480) 216-3963
(214) 566-6458
1968: Graham Hill makes history driving the jet turbine Lotus 56 #70 car in the Indianapolis 500.
Salon Lot#
5070
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Saturday,
For more information call Asher Trimble:
(512) 994-4424
January 17, 2015
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America, start your turbines!
On May 30, 1968, over a quarter of a million restless race fans
packed the grandstands to witness Andy Granatelli and Colin
Chapman’s #70 STP Turbine Indy Racer become the first car to
break the qualifying record at the Indianapolis 500, reaching the
unprecedented speed of 171.208 mph.
A marvel of automotive engineering, the iconic Lotus 56-3 housed
one of the first turbine engines ever used in an Indy car and
employed the latest aeronautical engineering techniques—vital
towards achieving the technical advances Granatelli and Chapman
were so famous for championing.
Perhaps nowhere else was this historic event more poetic than in
Indianapolis, Indiana—home to the legendary Indianapolis Motor
Speedway and the famed Indy 500, often considered the most
prestigious motorsports event in the world.
The very moment British racing legend Graham Hill fired up the
jet-turbine engine, Granatelli and Chapman’s #70 Lotus not only
launched a new breed of race car—but forever kick-started the
sport of Indy racing in the hearts of Americans, far and wide.
OUT IN FRONT: The turbine race cars take the lead at the 1968 Indy 500 with the #70, driven by Graham Hill, in the middle front row.
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The racing world would never be the
same again. The turbine engine captured
the imaginations of a whole generation
of auto racing fans.
Motorsports icon Andy Granatelli partnered with England’s Lotus
Cars founder Colin Chapman and his team to design and build
four race cars powered by state-of-the-art turbine jet engines.
A FIRST OF ITS KIND: For the first time, a turbine engine was situated directly behind the driver, giving the car greater balance.
Produced at Pratt & Whitney Canada, the ST6N-74 gas turbine
engine found in the Lotus 56 race car was developed as a 500
bhp powerplant variant model of the PT6 engine for specific use
in the 1968 Indianapolis 500. With a modular design, the engine
can be used for any number of applications through the use of
various gas generators and reduction gearboxes. But above all,
the engine is safe. As one of the most popular turboprop engines
in all of aerospace, the PT6 family of engines absolutely has to
be up to the task. Aviation, both military and commercial, places
the lives of millions in the hands of PT6 engines. They are known
for being incredibly reliable, with some models going 9,000 hours
before requiring maintenance.
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A first of its kind—#70 Lotus turbine
engine race car ran in the 1968 Indy
500 breaking a track-qualifying record.
One of the turbines that ran in the ‘68 Indy was Lotus car #70 driven
by racing legend Graham Hill who proved the car’s incredible
speed by being the first to break the one-lap qualifying record.
As Granatelli had set out to prove, turbine jet engines produced
tremendous torque and power. Utilizing around 80% fewer parts
than a piston car, the turbines ran very smoothly. In fact, the rumble
of the conventional piston-powered race car was replaced by the
deafening build of a jet-engine turbine. Small parts malfunctions
took the turbines out of the race at the ‘68 Indy 500, but their
ferocity and power on the track had put the piston cars on notice.
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“Anything can happen at Indianapolis, anything. The best thing that ever
happened to me was losing that race with the turbine. Thirty thousand articles
were written on it. It added to my fame and fortune immensely by doing that.
We’re talking about it today. Why? Because I lost the race. If I won the race, it
would just be another win.”
—Andy Granatelli
The only turbine race car to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. 11
It was racing legend Graham Hill—a Classic Team Lotus veteran—
who would find himself behind the wheel of the Lotus 56 #70 car
in 1968 after winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1966. Hill took to the
car immediately, setting a new track record with an average speed
of 171.208 mph over four laps in qualifying.
RACE DAY:
After setting the track record in qualifying, Graham
Hill was ready to represent STP and the turbine
With the whole world watching on race day, Hill pushed the
turbine car to fourth place as late as the 110th lap when a minor
crash forced him out of the race. But the statement was made:
these jet-engine cars could compete with any car on the track.
The legend of both the #70 car and the late, great Graham Hill
live on. To this day, Graham Hill is the only driver to ever win the
Triple Crown of Motorsport.
engine’s tremendous power.
GRAHAM HILL: Winner of the 1966 Indy 500 and the only driver ever to complete the Triple Crown of Motorsport, Graham Hill was
the perfect driver for the #70 car and an exciting draw for racing fans in 1968.
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The wedge design of the Lotus 56 cars
would become the basis for modern
front and rear-winged Indycars.
THE “WEDGE” CAR:
The “wedge” shape of the Lotus cars designed by Maurice Phillippe
had superior aerodynamics compared to the cigar-shaped cars of
the day, and was a precursor to today’s standard winged design.
The aluminum monocoque chassis was dubbed “the wedge”
and helped keep the weight of the car under 1,350 pounds. With
four-wheel drive, double-wishbone suspensions and the turbine
engine, the #70 car was a force to be reckoned with on the track.
In addition to the turbine engine, the Lotus 56 cars
were remarkable for their uniquely shaped aluminum
The #70 Lotus 56-3 broke the conventions of the cigar-shaped cars of the day, employing new principles in the name of aerodynamics.
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monocoque chassis weighing just 1,349.2 pounds
and measuring 174” x 75” x 32”.
“The 1968 STP Lotus Turbine was very, very, very modern, for
sure. It was modern all the way around, chassis and engine.
You’ve got to remember at that time, Lotus was at the top of the
heap designing race cars. Combining Chapman, Granatelli and
Lotus, you just knew the car was going to be real good and even
with the regulations. And they said it didn’t, but the Turbine had
more power than the year before.”
—Bobby Unser
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Classic Team Lotus’ entries into the 1968 Indianapolis 500 were
triumphs of automotive engineering. The ST6N-74 engine was
mid-longitudinally mounted in the lightweight fiberglass body,
giving 500 brake horsepower to a refined suspension design
with all-wheel drive. In other words, the Lotus 56 cars had
fantastic control over unbridled power. The overall design has
been described as “the most innovative race car ever seen” with
the turbine engine requiring around 80% less parts, including
a radiator, leaving the clean lines undisturbed by what would
normally be a large opening for the radiator.
Originally designed as a three-stage compressor and converted
to a single-stage to comply with USAC regulations, the Lotus
omitted a conventional gearbox because of the turbine’s wealth
of torque across the entire rev range. As a result, the Lotus 56
cars employed minimalism at its optimal efficiency.
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GROUND-UP RESTORATION:
Passed down from Richard “The King”
Petty—the Lotus 56 #70 has been
down a prestigious road.
The #70 car was fully restored to its original specs by
Classic Team Lotus’ Clive Chapman and Vince Granatelli,
sparing no expense, nor detail in achieving authenticity.
Owned for years by NASCAR legend Richard Petty, the #70
Lotus 56-3 turbine was purchased by Austin, Texas-based car
collector Milton Verret who ordered a ground-up restoration of
this historic race car. Impressively, Clive Chapman, son of original
Lotus Cars founder Colin Chapman, and Vince Granatelli, son of
Andy Granatelli, were commissioned to oversee the complete
restoration back to its original 1968 specs. Calling upon the
original design plans and archived photographs from decades
ago, the #70 Lotus was meticulously restored to the exact period
specification. The several hundreds of hours invested in rebuilding
this revolutionary classic to its former glory was honored in 2014
with a nomination for “Car of the Year” at the International Historic
Motoring Awards as well as Octane Magazine Editor’s Choice at
the Quail Motorsports Gathering in Pebble Beach, California.
RICHARD PETTY: “The King” was proud owner of the #70 Lotus Race Car for over 15 years.
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The world-famous #70 STP Lotus 56
is a revolutionary turbine-powered
Indy 500 race car uniquely available
today for private ownership.
The #70 1968 Lotus 56-3 Indy turbine race car was never altered
or converted to a piston-powered vehicle. Its only race was the
historic 1968 Indy 500. The amazing restoration of this rare, iconic
car is a powerful tribute to the innovative turbine-engine program
that had been created nearly 50 years earlier.
Along with the #20 and #60 cars, the #70 was featured at the
2014 Indy 500 pre-race festivities when the three original cars
took a parade lap around the speedway driven by Parnelli Jones,
Vince Granatelli and Mario Andretti.
REUNITED: Classic Team Lotus honors the Lotus 56 turbine cars and their historic 1968 Indy run with a photo on race day 2014.
Parnelli Jones parade lap in 2014.
The crowd erupted when it saw history repeating before its very
eyes. Cheers followed the unique whoosh of the jet-turbine
engines taking the straightaways. The parade lap was a historic
tribute by the IndyCar series, the drivers and the car owners that
reinforced the proud tradition and history of motorsports ingenuity.
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MAY 25, 2014: Parnelli Jones, Vince Granatelli, Mario Andretti honor the IndyCar series with a parade lap.
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Car #70 was recently on loan to the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall
of Fame Museum where it could be
enjoyed by everyone.
Thousands of people flocked to the most sacred auto racing
museum in the United States to get a glimpse of the car that shook
the foundations of the Indianapolis 500 nearly 50 years ago.
The #70 car was last displayed alongside its surviving two Lotus
56 counterparts protected by security and a caring staff, wowing
car enthusiasts of the next generation and appreciating in value.
Now, the Lotus #70 is ready to take a new turn in its remarkable
journey. Available for upcoming public auction, the famed turbineengine race car is steeped in historical importance, engineering
genius and automotive excitement. The Lotus #70 has its place in
auto racing history, but you can carry on its legacy into the future.
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“It’s fantastic…a real hot rod. The torque of this
engine is tremendous…I’ve built and driven
some of the fastest racing cars in the world, and
I gotta tell you, I got a real kick in the butt out of
driving that Corvette.”
- Parnelli Jones, racing legend
For more information call or text:
Gary Bennett at Barrett-Jackson:
Scott Black at TimePiece PR:
(480) 216-3963
(214) 566-6458
Salon Lot#
5069
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Saturday,
January 17, 2015
www.granatelliturbines.com
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Forever unique, never replicated:
Vince Granatelli’s legendary Jet-Vette
is a driving experience unlike any other.
It’s the stuff of legends. One man set out with a purpose to do
something unheard of, and in the process, he forged a beast of
modern engineering. Vince Granatelli, son of Andy “Mister 500”
Granatelli, had the vision in 1978 of bringing his father’s turbine
engine to a modern muscle car. Enter the Chevrolet “Jet-Vette”
Corvette—the world’s only Granatelli turbine-powered Corvette.
In the late 60s, Andy Granatelli had challenged the conventions
of the Indianapolis 500 by installing a Pratt & Whitney ST6B
turbine engine into STP’s race car. It shook the racing world
and proved to be a successful experiment, with the #40 STP car
coming within 7.5 miles of winning the Indianapolis 500. Over a
decade later, Vince would see to it that the turbine engine wasn’t
finished in the auto world.
Vince Granatelli’s idea was unprecedented. He wanted to convert
an ST6B turbine engine to fit into a street-legal Chevy Corvette—
the only consumer vehicle capable of housing the length of the
engine. What he didn’t know was that his work would lead to the
world’s fastest Corvette at the time, nicknamed the “Jet-Vette,”
capable of doing 0 to 60mph in 3.6 seconds.
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“Anything can happen at Indianapolis, anything. The best thing that ever
happened to me was losing that race with the turbine. Thirty thousand articles
were written on it. It added to my fame and fortune immensely by doing that.
We’re talking about it today. Why? Because I lost the race. If I won the race, it
would just be another win.”
—Andy Granatelli
Featured on the cover of Motor Trend magazine, November 1979. 27
Built by one of the greatest mechanical
masterminds in motorsport history:
Vince Granatelli’s Jet-Vette is a marvel
of automotive engineering.
VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA 1978:
Vince Granatelli—son of the late, great STP and Indy 500
figure Andy Granatelli—introduces the world’s fastest
street-legal Chevrolet Corvette.
TURBINE POWERED
There’s supercharged…and then there’s this turbine-powered
880hp machine capable of hitting 60mph while idling. But Granatelli
didn’t just snap his fingers to achieve this. He put his racing
pedigree and extensive knowledge into building this car. He started
by disassembling the brand new 1978 Corvette and fabricating a
sub-frame, replacing the factory structure. He installed NASCAR
oversized disc brakes in order to handle the unusual power of the
car, and then needed to account for the turbine engine’s massive
torque. Granatelli solved the problem with a special transmission
with a fortified drive shaft and 3.03:1 gearing. The next challenge was
bringing down the engine’s 37,500 RPM with a reduction gearbox,
which set the RPM at 6,230.
Granatelli also installed extensive wiring, gauge modifications, an
interior dash that looks like an airplane instrument panel, fuel lines
and a muffler system—all built from the ground up. The result is a
successful conversion from a stock 1978 Corvette to an entirely
unique engineering masterpiece.
THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPH: The only Granatelli turbine-powered Corvette in existence is the world-famous Jet-Vette.
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Experience the ultimate fast track with
the world-famous Granatelli Turbines.
The impact of the Granatelli Turbines is undeniable. These turbine
cars remain among the most popular, technically advanced and
highly controversial cars ever created. Andy Granatelli’s master
experiment wowed racing audiences with his STP-sponsored
#70 Lotus 56-3 Turbine Indy Race Car from 1968. The ’78 turbinepowered Chevrolet “Jet-Vette” Corvette engineered by Vince
Granatelli challenged the conventions of street-legal cruising.
A COLLECTOR’S MASTERPIECE: From living legend Vince Granatelli, comes a breakthrough in ingenuity, performance and speed.
A jet-turbine engine in one of the most beautiful car chassis ever
created is everything you would imagine. According to Motor Trend
magazine, this one-of-a-kind car does 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds, but
according to its creator, Vince Granatelli, it has been recorded going
from 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds. It tears up the pavement while howling
the sounds of a jet plane, creating enormous public enthusiasm
everywhere it goes. Today, such a car would cost millions to build.
Its past is in the rear view, but its future is a wide, open road.
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Make no mistake about it. Starting this car feels like starting up
your own private jet. Turn on the igniters. Engage the starter to
draw power and begin spinning the turbine. Push in the T-handle
to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine. When the
engine reaches operating speed, turn off the igniters and starter
motor. Now, you’re ready for take-off!
With a legacy starting with Granatelli, greatness is guaranteed. The
pride in owning these prized vehicles is shown by the meticulous
care taken by previous owners over the past several decades. The
sounds roaring from each of the jet-engine turbines only accelerates
the enthusiasm car collectors have for it. And now it’s your turn. It’s
time to learn to fly without ever having to leave the pavement.
www.granatelliturbines.com
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Salon Lot# 5070
Salon Lot# 5069
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
www.granatelliturbines.com
For more information call or text:
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Gary Bennett at Barrett-Jackson:
Scott Black at TimePiece PR:
(480) 216-3963
(214) 566-6458