In a message dated 9/30/01 12:06:20 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
wilden1@JUNO.COM writes:

>
> There was a memo put out the employees at the General Dynamics plant in
> Grand Prairie Texas about two years ago, I'm going to try to repeat as
> best I remember what the memo said.
>
> Recently the authorities discovered a large grey stain on a rock face of
> ,,, Mountain rock face. After further investigation it was discovered
> that the stain was comprised of a 64 Chevrolet and the remaining parts of
> the same vehicle.
> Upon further investigation the authorities discovered that the owner of
> the vehicle had recently attended a US Air force auction and purchased a
> surplus JATO cartridge. His friends said the man that purchased the JATO
> cartridge spent several weeks modifying the 64 Chevrolet to mount the
> JATO cartridge as a means of propelling the car to around 200 miles an
> hour.
> Air force officials speculated that the Chevrolet weighed approximately
> 3500 pounds and the JATO cartridge provide boost in excess of 50,000
> pounds. They further predicted that the Chevrolet became fully
> uncontrolled at approximately 140 miles per hour and shortly afterwards
> at about 235 miles per hour became fully airborne and crashed into the
> 800 foot rock face at the 500 foot altitude causing the grey stain on the
> rocks.
> Skid marks on the highway indicate that the vehicles driver tried to gain
> control and reduce his speed repeatedly approximately five miles from the
> impact point. It is estimated based on the thrust produced that the
> vehicle was traveling in excess of 1000 miles per hour at the point of
> impact on the rock face.
> The vehicle owner or any remains of his body have never been found and it
> has rained recently in the area causing the grey stain to rust and blend
> in with the colors of the natural stone color of the rock face.
> The wife of the deceased driver of the 64 Chevrolet said that her husband
> had purchased two of the JATO capsules and the remaining cartridge had
> been stolen from his barn.
> If any person currently working for this facility has any information on
> the location or the whereabouts of the missing JATO cartridge, please
> come forward or drop a note in any of the suggestion boxes so we can
> recover the JATO before another unfortunate accident occurs.
>
> Now that is supposed to be a true story.
>
> Stan Wilder
>
There is a picture on e-bay

( http://cgi.ebay.aol.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1009231709)

for auction of a PBY Catalina taking off using the JATO -if it can push an
aircraft-imagine what it can do to a car? The story is almost believable.
On a Vanagon, especially an air-cooled, the JATO would probably at least get
it to freeway speed and no more,lacking the assistance of the powerful V-8
engine!

Robert K
1982 Westfalia

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