Automotive

Pssst ... you wanna buy a jet-powered go-kart?

Pssst ... you wanna buy a jet-powered go-kart?
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
View 18 Images
The kart's Boeing 502-7 gas turbine engine
1/18
The kart's Boeing 502-7 gas turbine engine
The jet-powered go-kart's cockpit
2/18
The jet-powered go-kart's cockpit
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
3/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
4/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
5/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
The kart's Boeing 502-7 gas turbine engine
6/18
The kart's Boeing 502-7 gas turbine engine
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
7/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
The kart's butterfly steering wheel
8/18
The kart's butterfly steering wheel
The kart's N1 gas producer tachometer (top) and digital speedometer
9/18
The kart's N1 gas producer tachometer (top) and digital speedometer
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
10/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
11/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
12/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
The jet-powered go-kart's cockpit
13/18
The jet-powered go-kart's cockpit
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
14/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
15/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
16/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
The kart's auxiliary start kit
17/18
The kart's auxiliary start kit
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
18/18
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
View gallery - 18 images

Seth Kettleman is no stranger to high-powered vehicles. The surplus aircraft parts dealer provided the Boeing engine and technical support for the building of a jet-powered Batmobile replica, and more recently attempted to sell his own similarly-outfitted Datsun 280ZX on eBay. Now, you have the chance to buy another one of his monstrosities – a custom-built jet-powered go-kart.

The little vehicle can reportedly reach speeds well over 100mph (161 km/h), propelled by over 200 pounds (91 kg) of thrust from a reclaimed Boeing 502-7 gas turbine engine. The Batmobile and 280ZX, by contrast, were turboshaft-driven – this means that their jet engines didn’t move them by sheer thrust, but were instead used to turn their driveshafts.

“The kart’s performance is absolutely amazing,” Seth told us. “It's so light and when that Boeing breaths, it takes your breath away ... The low ground clearance and center of gravity makes it one with the road. The seating position and butterfly steering wheel start to make you think that you are piloting a fighter jet.”

Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart
Seth Kettleman's custom-built jet-powered go-kart

Kettleman is currently working on a new exhaust nozzle that he claims should further increase the top speed, and has offered to build an afterburner for the new owner – mostly just for the flames and smoke it would produce. Some of the kart’s existing features include spun aluminum fuel cells, a digital speedometer, a new N1 gas producer tachometer (which indicates turbine RPMs), and an auxiliary start kit.

“The kart build was humbling and brought me back to what its all about, having fun,” he said. “I also wanted to prove that I could do it, and add it to the portfolio.”

Unfortunately, Seth currently has no videos posted of the kart in action, but may add some if his current eBay listing doesn’t attract enough attention. At the time of this posting, bidding has reached US$6,200.

View gallery - 18 images
1 comment
1 comment
Captain Danger
Jet engine ... Go Cart ... Hell Ya! Makes sense to me!