Bud Light Night Light Exhibition Jet Powered Budweiser Delivery Van
Here we have the world’s only jet powered Bud delivery van! 
This is a 1989 Chevrolet one ton van that started it’s life as a delivery vehicle for the Bud distributor in Mohave County, Arizona. In 2000 it was acquired by DSM Events LLC as a part of Bud's sponsorship of the monster truck shows and motorsports events produced by DSM in anticipation of adding a jet engine and making it into an exhibition vehicle.

At that time DSM produced various motorsports events and as a “Grand Finale” to the monster truck shows we hired various jet powered vehicles (dragsters and exhibition trucks) to perform the “jet melt down” of a wrecked car. Wrecks were plentiful for the monster trucks to mash during the event. One such wreck would be left in a central, prime location on the field and with appropriate fanfare we would extinguish the field lights and the hired jet would enter the field with jet blasting. The fire and noise are incredible and the entire audience would be transfixed as it would position itself and chain to the wreck. The jet exhaust blast would incinerate the wreck and leave it a glowing, smoldering mass to the delight of the spectators, young and old! This entire process would take about 3-4 minutes from jet entering the field to turning the field lights back on. People wouldn’t breathe during that time it was so spellbinding. A great way to leave spectators talking about your event for a very long time.

The DSM plan was to install a jet engine in this van and use it to tease the crowd while promoting sponsors heavily. It would make appearances around the city we would host the monster truck show in to promote the event the week before. As the van is actually powered by it’s stock Chevrolet engine (all stock van functions are in good shape) and is fully street legal. Not only was it driven to the venues it easily towed various event trailers as well via the receiver hitch (needless to say we removed the hitch during exhibitions and displays - people largely assume that the jet powers the van.

In 2001 the jet engine was acquired in Long Beach, CA. It is a Walter 701 engine built in the Czech Republic for use in a Soviet cold war era L-29 Delphin fighter/trainer in 1983. It produces about 2,000 pounds of thrust which equates to approximately 2,200 horsepower. It weighs about 800 pounds and had about 300 hours SMOH (since major overhaul) when acquired. It is a 500 hour TBO (time between overhauls) engine. It has added no more than a few hours since acquisition. This is because not only are typical exhibitions only of 2 -4  minute duration, it had not been run since 2004.  It had been in storage until we recommissioned it last year for exhibition at the big Desert Storm Performance Boat event in Havasu where it did a typical fire up very nicely, entertaining the crowd.

The original use was to display and start up with great noise and fanfare as an event attraction. We used it to explain and show how jet engines work. The van side doors make the engine highly visible. The long range plan was to fabricate an afterburner (the Walter engines were not fitted with these when new). To make an afterburner you merely add an exhaust tube and spray more fuel into the hot exhaust of the engine, cause it to ignite and continue to feed it Jet A or kerosene. The afterburner was never completed but the basics for it are already in place.

This unique vehicle is ready to use whether as an exhibition truck or by easily fashioning a nozzle it could be a track dryer or a railroad switch heater or ? You will be limited only by your imagination. Many parts are included along with a UHF handheld radio system with high noise headsets for crew (necessary) and Fire Department turnout coats to enhance the show and protect crew. Partial trades considered.
$25,000

For information please email jvrussell.jr@gmail.com