Date:         Wed, 17 Aug 2005 14:00:01 -0700
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: How much fuel efficiency gained by shedding 300 lbs?
Comments: To: "John Connolly, Aircooled.Net" <john@AIRCOOLED.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <038e01c5a36b$49ce1d40$1f08010a@NewHomeHub>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 8/17/2005 1:36 PM John Connolly, Aircooled.Net wrote:

>My goodness you guys, nobody is thinking, and I can't sit quietly any
>longer!
>
> The mass of the vehicle does not change the wind resistance, or the MPG, on
>the highway. Stop and go or big hills is another story, but on flat ground
>at steady speed the van could be 6 tons and you'd get the same MPG.
>

Yup. Whether you build a Vanagon-sized and shaped thing out of Styrofoam
or out of lead, once it's up to speed, the engine is working to push the
air out of the way. Getting up to speed or climbing hills . . .  now
that's another story.

My Uncle Edith used to tell us kids that story at bedtime. He was odd.

==

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
KG6RCR