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Feb 26, 2008 12:04:43 GMT
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ecomodder.com/index.phpThe way of the future? Or just a bunch of pap? The basic concept is to take a car and get more MPG / less emissions out of it. Sounds fair to me! Some of the approaches taken on the site are a little off the wall but meh. I have for a while been thinking that somethig like a boxy 70s Chevy Caprice or Cadillac would be a great one for this. And mess with the greenies heads. needs some form of elecic transaxle in the back and use the V8 for "balling" and the electric for city commuting. And creeping up behind cyclists to give them heart attacks. Something like an Eldorado with FWD might be easier. You don't have to drive the electric transaxle with a prop then.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
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Feb 26, 2008 12:09:07 GMT
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If this.... ....is what saving the world looks like, shoot me. Shoot me in the head, right, now. Still, it's not all bad...it does take some design que's from the Citroen DS (although i suspect this isn't on purpose)....
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misteralz
Posted a lot
I may drive a Volkswagen, but I'm scene tax exempt!
Posts: 2,435
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Feb 26, 2008 12:14:44 GMT
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Interesting. I used to Marshal at the Shell Eco Marathons at Alford and some of the home brewed machines there were awesome. These guys aren't too different from us when it comes down to it...
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Feb 26, 2008 12:27:33 GMT
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Now I am definitely a petrolhead, but also a bit of a conservationist, if that is maybe more the right word. I am more into recycling and re-using than being obsessed with MPG and emissions.
But that kind of stuff really does show there IS an overlap between what are often seen as movements going in opposite directions.
Anyway, here is the good news.
First off.. Moon disks are an aerodynamic improvement, giving you better mileage. Secondly, stretched tyres have firmer sidewalls, and thus less rolling resistance, saving fuel too. Also, slammed cars have better aerodynamics, even if you change nothing else!
So what are you waiting for! Do it! Moon disks, stretch and slam! its for the good of the planet man!
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Feb 26, 2008 12:31:53 GMT
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Indeed. Home brewed bodies often look somewhat shonky. Its tricky to get panels to flow when you make them yourself. Some truely skilled people can do it though. Not most of us though.
You could probably get free commuting if you park outside and do a short run like I do. Solar panels on the roof recharge the batteries. I do 6-7 miles each way so sitting for a day in the sunlight should charge them up pretty well, maybe not 100% enough but still. Even if you have to use mains current to charge them at home its still a win as even after you take transmission losses ito account the greater efficiency of the generators means its like 30-35% more carbon efficient to use mains power than the engie in the car. And thats before we add the smog factor of a 1970s carburettor engine in cold weather...
Your petrol engine could then by a wild cammed 12:1 CR monster because it doesn't have to be practical at all. You could build a wild street & strip monster with impecable street manners....
Its just a twisted idea in the back of my mind.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Feb 26, 2008 12:56:45 GMT
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Have been toying with the idea of a 2CV hybrid for a while - using elecy motors to drive the rear wheels when around town or to show up folks with sudden bursts of acceleration!
I like the principle of the Prius hybrid but not the complexity. I just want motors that I can kick in when I want, stuff the clever electronics and driving both motors through the same transmission.
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1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly Other things. Check out my Blog for the latest! www.hubnut.org
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Feb 26, 2008 13:14:59 GMT
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The simple way to do it, is like the honda insight. The electric motor is simply strapped onto the crankshaft, with a clutch I think.
It is much less clever than the prius, but it still beats it by a long way on the mileage, since it is small and light. 840kg is light for a new car!
I think there are 2 ways to good MPG. Light and aerodynamic.. Or slow.
If you never go over 30mph, you can get great economy from even a big car, if you keep it rolling at the same speed, and don't make too many very short trips.
So here's an idea. An electric lowrider. Big. Heavy. Pimp. Already carrying loads of batteries for the hydraulics. Cruising along city streets silently..
It makes a lot of sense! For short trips, something which can run only on electric motors is a huge benefit. Compare driving through heavy traffic with a stone cold chevy small block, to driving on leccy. So you have a good excuse to take your lowrider out! Just popping to the shops, it would be better than firing up any internal combustion car.
Secondly.. You don't need driveshafts or propshaft any more! the motors can be mounted right onto the back of the wheels. You get an instant advantage in axle articulation there. It would actually be potentially better at hopping around than a normal lowrider.
So. Quiet, economical 4 pot plonked in a corner of the engine bay. Batteries everywhere else, and a mains hook up for recharging at home. Hydraulics in the boot, and airbrushed lightening all over it.
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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Feb 26, 2008 13:51:20 GMT
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I quite like this sort of thing in a way, for me it sctaches the 'leightweight' itch that I contracted from the bicycle scene, and it's kind of a fun/cheap persuit. Don't think I could ever take it seriously enough to make it look as rediculous as that abortion up there though! ^^^^
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Last Edit: Feb 26, 2008 13:51:53 GMT by street
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Feb 26, 2008 14:18:26 GMT
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Surely the Civic bdy just adds more weight and lumbar. Like the idea of the site though, nice one I also agree, good to see a crossover. I too dislike waste, but love petrol cars, nothing wrong with that statement, thats whats wrong with both extremes of the eco arguement IMO. Top find will have a look on there.
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it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts
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paulw
Part of things
Posts: 217
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Feb 26, 2008 19:34:28 GMT
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I used to love all this, and was once obsessed with ideas like an electric Imp with a solar panel roof, a t-bucket made from an old milk float (just cause I noticed that some have a drop tube front axle!!) and building my Dart with a really high comp ratio to run on LPG or bioethanol. But then I realised that the chances are that legislation would shaft me simply because it's an old car and I'd likely get taxed the same not to mention have to jump through loads of DVLA and insurance grief. They're scrapping the alternative fuels exemption in the new round of congestion charge increases and so I kind of thought 'the hell with it' The new Chrysler hybrid powertrain uses an electric motor and clutches that fits into their existing auto gearbox tunnels behind a V8, so there should be potential when they become available second-hand and the computers get worked out. Or Chrysler will give the gear to someone and we'll see a hybrid Charger or something at SEMA, that'd be cool.
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Lotus Seven '58 Ford Special 64 Barracuda
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Feb 28, 2008 17:00:17 GMT
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Anyone actually driven a Prius? Need to pick new company car soon and Hybrids save a fortune, and a good way to avoid the whole "my company car's better than yours" willy waving.
I've driven a Honda Civic Hybrid for a few days and was quite impressed, 45mpg on a petrol is not bad, but still less than diesel. Other option is a Polo bluemotion 1.4TDI jobby with claimed 70mpg.
Either way expect it will be a bit slower that the Curpa R!
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rtlkyuubi
Posted a lot
Low and Slow
Posts: 2,922
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Feb 28, 2008 17:34:08 GMT
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why are all electric cars ugly? I have yet to see a nice looking one.
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Feb 28, 2008 17:48:18 GMT
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Electric cars accellerate well : And who says they can't look ace : Monte Carlo rally thing in French
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EcomodderDeleted
@Deleted
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Feb 28, 2008 18:37:11 GMT
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but they sound like a washing machine the petrol engine is still king for sound
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Feb 28, 2008 18:43:33 GMT
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Electric cars make no sense in respect to the environment, Where does the electricity come from? A Coal Power Station! and you then they need harmful batteries, big ones at that.
Then there is hybrid with a carbon footprint bigger than the moon, the only advantage is regenerative breaking, they don't get that astonishing MPG and everyone who drives seems to think they are saving the world and therefore better than the rest of us.
If you want an ecofriendly car buy a good second hand diesel.
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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EcomodderColonelk
@colonelk
Club Retro Rides Member 83
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Feb 28, 2008 18:47:22 GMT
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good to see this sort of thing. I'm another car enthusiast / enviromentalist (didnt know there were so many out there!) and while the individual can do a few things, sadly very few of them are scaleable to the extent of catering for most of the population. I reckon some experimentation with a series hybrid could yield a seriously cool retro. I wonder where you could find strong enough eletric motors cheap enough? apart from scrap milk floats LOL
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Feb 28, 2008 18:47:53 GMT
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Didint someone here take the spark plugs out of a hillman imp when it broke down and drove it on the starter motor? Got into 3d gear I think. Cheap electric power!
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1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.
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Feb 28, 2008 19:16:43 GMT
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meh, my cars enviromentally friendly enough i think, its 25 years old and in good working order now(fixed a fuel leak the other day thats made a huge diffrence to economy and power ) it runs a modern-ish fuel injected engine that passes emissions tests and is mantained for the most parts using recycled or second hand parts where possible. so i reckon its carbon footprint and dust to dust enviromental impact is pretty damn small. its the dust to dust impact that matters more than anything to me, would the world end if they limited new car production? are there plenty of cars for everyone if we look after what we have and develop retro fittable new technologies? would we save millions of gigawatts if we stopped building cars? in my opinion they should stop new car production until viable new engines( hydrogen? )are in full production. thats really taking the enviromental bull by the horns to the harm of nobody, why not re gear the auto industry to reproduction of spares and renovation of older models using new technologies? a car need never be scraped again! barring massive cat a/b style damage. thats we do here anyway, retrofy the world to save it ;D
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"quote hairnet"
I'm not paying nine pound for a pi$$!
[/quote]
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Feb 28, 2008 19:23:50 GMT
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Feb 28, 2008 19:42:44 GMT
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Anyone actually driven a Prius? Need to pick new company car soon and Hybrids save a fortune, and a good way to avoid the whole "my company car's better than yours" willy waving. I've driven a Honda Civic Hybrid for a few days and was quite impressed, 45mpg on a petrol is not bad, but still less than diesel. Other option is a Polo bluemotion 1.4TDI jobby with claimed 70mpg. Either way expect it will be a bit slower that the Curpa R! Yep, we've got Priuses as pool cars - they're OK, but nothing particularly amazing. As an example, took one out last week to drive from central London to Chessington and back - a mixture of traffic jams in the centre then a steady 50mph up the A3 and I think I averaged about 50-55mpg according to the trip computer. I generally drive like a pansy though - most people seem to get similar to get mid-40s. Is it just me that wants to strip out the electrical gubbins, paint one matt black and fit a Lexus V8 though?
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