Premium Members Ed Moore Posted May 22, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 Dude, I have a race team, I fly airplanes and my E55 has over 625hp. I'm not really that into fuel economy. I'm into converting hydrocarbons into noise and fun. Guessing you're not going to be queuing up to watch http://www.ageofstupid.net/video/trailer then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted May 27, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 found Erwin's next van!! http://glamgirlcars.com/concept-cars/nissa...otor-show-2007/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Dan Ayers Posted May 27, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Next Van, I think it's his next Set Cart!! Dan found Erwin's next van!! http://glamgirlcars.com/concept-cars/nissa...otor-show-2007/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brant S. Fagan SOC Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Speaking of noise and fun from carbon based fuels, take a look at my rig below. Should be running on biodiesel soon, just like old Rudolf planned when he designed the engine almost 100 years ago. Love that Duramax rumble and torque! The 6-speed manual is fun to run, too. If I had to get a commuter machine, I would opt for the VW Jetta TDI Wagen as the power and mileage are key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Jess... why what's wrong with my van??? Ron... yeah saw that thing and posted a couple of months ago... The Nissan prototype is cool until you see the production model... U G L Y... Dan... you should see the drawings for the next generation cart (insert diabolic laughter here)... My next vehicle is going to be the VW caddy... size of a Golf with the hight to accommodate my cart fully build... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Ron... yeah saw that thing and posted a couple of months ago... yeah...just happened across it again and made me giggle! You could just put a gore-lock on the side and pull up to set. Your new cart idea is interesting...can't wait to see it. ahhhh Rudi Diesel...was he onto something or what?! rb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Jess... why what's wrong with my van??? Nothing at all it is actually great. I was just poking a little fun. The van works great, but I am from Texas after all so deep down I really want a truck :-) ~Jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Dan Ayers Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Jess... why what's wrong with my van??? Ron... yeah saw that thing and posted a couple of months ago... The Nissan prototype is cool until you see the production model... U G L Y... Dan... you should see the drawings for the next generation cart (insert diabolic laughter here)... My next vehicle is going to be the VW caddy... size of a Golf with the hight to accommodate my cart fully build... Is your VW Van Diesel? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Ed Moore Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Couple more fun enviro-facts for you... The Model T Ford, first produced in 1908, averaged 17mpg. So that's a massive leap forward in progress to some of the fuel consumption figures given in this thread. Not. (Many, many sources: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&saf...p;oq=&aqi=) Biofuel produces *more* CO2 in its lifespan than fossil fuels, due to the massive carbon cost of producing it in the first place. Grassland and forest alike are burned in order to make room for biofuel production. It's also hideously unfair on poorer countries, who rush to start their own deforestation efforts so they can meet the US and Europe's demand for biofuel. We end up with all of the benefit and they end up with the carbon cost chalked up to them. (Sources: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/200...ry/07020802.asp, http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2005/12/06...an-fossil-fuel/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007...techange.energy, many others) I'm not trying to lecture anyone here. But it's of great concern to me that these issues seem to be completely off the radar in this discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hey Dan, We are in California, until last year, Diesel powered personal cars where not sold here... I wish. Mine runs on Premium (Because even the lowest grade in europe [92] is higher then the highest Octane rating in California [91]) and get's about 350 miles... the same car in europe, with a Diesel is rated at 650 miles... When I used to live in Switzerland in the 90ies, my Mini was delivering almost 60 miles to the gallon. Here they are proud when a Hybrid does almost 30... Ed just for fun... The Diesel originally (1900) was designed to run on coal dust and was actually demonstrated running on peanut oil at the Exposition Universelle in Paris . Talking about economic cars here in the US is a mood point. What's the price in europe right now? 10 bucks a gallon... When I moved here in 1997, I was still able to buy gas for less then a buck. I actually got more gallons then I paid for... I used to fill up my Golf for 8 US Dollars and change. In some places in Texas that is apparently still the case... Diesel or specifically Petrodiesel is way more expensive here, even though it's cheaper to produce... but trucks and trains are running on it so it has to be more expensive... also way less then gasoline is produced so again it's rare and has to generate premium returns... Don't even get me started with Solar Cells... we are living in a state that has on average 300 days of sunshine a year... less then 8 percent of homes here have them on the roof. I love the reasoning... "Oh it takes 10 years to pay for it self"... or "the efficiency is so low you can't power 4 AC units all day..." etc... Sorry, don't get me started... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 The Model T Ford, first produced in 1908, averaged 17mpg. So that's a massive leap forward in progress to some of the fuel consumption figures given in this thread. Not. you should also mention that the Model T was 1200 lbs...it's hard to find a car on the road lighter than twice that today (the Prius is over 3000 lbs, the smart car weighs slightly less than Erwin's cart at 1800 lbs). And don't forget how much fatter our asses are these days! rb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Ed Moore Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 you should also mention... That's kind of my point; all the progress in engine efficiency from then until now has been used to do more - carry more weight, go faster, run air conditioning and all the power hungry features now standard in most vehicles - rather than actually *save* fuel. As Erwin points out, fuel is more expensive over here with my car costing about £70 to fill (it's a 60 litre / 15 US gallon tank), so about $111 at today's rates. I don't know exactly how much it costs to fill up in the States but I know it's a lot less. That said, if it *did* cost you $111 to fill up, I bet you'd still pay it. I bet you'd still pay it if it was $300. Not because you are somehow evil, far from it, but that fuel usage is actually inelastic, in that in the West we've built our infrastructure and based the way we live on being able to drive everywhere. If you live in the country, have a load of equipment to get to set, then you *have* to drive there because there's no alternative. It's the alternatives we need to be working on, because rising fuel costs alone aren't going to stop anyone driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted May 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 I'm not trying to lecture anyone here. But it's of great concern to me that these issues seem to be completely off the radar in this discussion. Actually you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted May 29, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 29, 2009 Hey Ed, Found a car for you... http://www.babez.de/2009/03/tesla-model-s/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Ed Moore Posted May 29, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted May 29, 2009 Thanks Erwin that looks pretty sweet :) Trouble with electric cars is they produce the same amount of CO2, it just comes out of some power station somewhere rather than the exhaust. How about something like this new VW, due in 2010, that gets 235 MPG? Okay, so it's a bit cramped but I'm sure I could rig something up in the back. Might have to pass on the magliner. On the other hand, maybe I could use the car AS the magliner... :) http://www.greencar.com/articles/volkswage...iciency-car.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.