Rocket Car History



		ROCKET HISTORY

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.

It has been inspected by the Ohio State Police and is registered and licensed in Ohio as a legal street vehicle. It is highly maneuverable and very smooth riding. It can do 98 MPH in a standing quarter mile in 17.58 seconds and has a confirmed top speed of 136 MPH! The Rocket Car is covered with a one million dollar insurance policy and the passengers are also insured.

The Rocket Cars have been featured in the New York Macy's Thanksgiving Parade for 10 years. It is also seen very often in various Ohio parades and events. It has been used by Goodyear at the Indy 500 Race, Shopping Center openings, Weddings, parties, movies and gatherings were people needed some form of entertainment or transportation. And they play calliope music, similar to that heard at Euclid Beach (if you are old enough to remember)