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Re: Tesla Car Article



Original poster: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>

It's interesting how many variants there are to this story, with
different dates, car brands, and descriptions of the power source.  In
some of the latter Tesla either "bought some tubes at the local radio
store" or "removed some peculiarly-shaped tubes from a suitcase", etc;
always twelve tubes though, even if their description is different in
different stories.  This article is better written than many - lots of
interesting details.  For instance, of the 12 tubes of "curious
construction" three have been identified as "70L7GT (rectifier beam
tubes)", which weren't developed or sold until many years later.  Time
warp?  [Actually the 70L7GT contains a beam power amplifier and a
separate rectifier, but guess the author is entitled to artistic
license.]  Another interesting detail - the motor is described as "40
inches long and 30 inches in diameter", which works out to be a volume
of about 16.4 cubic feet.  If it were half steel with a weight of about
490 pounds/cubic foot, the weight would be around 8000 pounds or 4
tons.  Remarkable car, remarkable motor!  [Hope I didn't slip a decimal
point there.]

	Is anyone aware of any direct statement about this car from Tesla
himself?????

Ed