Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 07:16:42 -0400
Reply-To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Fuel economy--the real sweet spot!
In-Reply-To: <ac1f198b0805232320h2338eb74t6734e047b5d316f3@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I remember reading about a very interesting engineering contest that was
supposed to take place in germany a few years back. It was to bring the
young minds out of the woodwork, and get some college kids some crazy money.
The contest was, "Build the most fuel efficient vehicle". From what i
understand, that was the only rule except that it had to be powered by
gasoline, and each vehicle was provided with only one galllon to use!
Talk about a difinitive winner! Whoever goes the furthest, got the best fuel
efficiency. I remember seeing swept back race-car like carbon fiber soapbox
racers with 2 hp engines and 7 speed transmissions. Claimed mileage was at
least in the hundreds.
I'm not sure if this contest ever took place, but i think we should host our
own.....vanagon style! I can see it now, all the best come here to
pittsburgh to compete (The rediculous hills help test each and every
vehicle). You build what you believe to be the epidemy of vanagon-fuel
efficiency, refine your driving style, make aerodynamic mods, etc....
And then everyone cuts their lines too/from the gastank. New lines are run
to a one gallon tank of regulation size under the rear seat, it is filled
with exactly one gallon of gas, and after all the old lines are purged, you
can start your engine (One gallon, including what's in the lines!). Drive a
course, winner gets the satisfaction of being spectacular.
Snacks could be provided, and it would be a wonderful spectator event as
vans die out in the middle of the road.....
WHO'S IN!?!?!?
I'll loose, i'm getting something like 12mpg right now....
-Craig
'85GL
On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 2:20 AM, Jim Akiba <syncrolist@bostig.com> wrote:
> I think the nice mix is to have a motorcycle and a vanagon to average
> out both the consumption, and the yearning for G's with the ability to
> really travel/roadtrip and/or carry anything you'd need.
>
>
> All one needs in life is a vanagon and a motorcycle.
>
> One goes fast,
> one goes slow.
>
> One carries much,
> the other not so.
>
> Need for speed, need to be freed.
> For this they both do share.
>
> Consuming at nineteen or fifty,
> they both are nifty,
> their roles not split, but paired.
>
>
> Jim Akiba
>
> On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 12:46 AM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:
> > There are some radical vehicles ut there that get phenomenal gas
> > mileage. But they all go slow. Remember the post not long ago about the
> > schools contest to come up with a vehcle that would ge 1600 miles to a
> > gallon? I think the kinds had one go 1200 miles or so to a gallon. That
> > is 1200 - not just 12, but 1200.miles per gallon.
> >
> > John Rodgers
> > 88 GL driver
> >
> > Max Wellhouse wrote:
> >>
> >> I had an old Garrelli moped(before it got stolen) back in the late
> >> 70's. It would do 30 mph wound out with it's little 50cc motor and
> >> roller bearing crank. I took it on a 90 mile round trip on the
> >> highway once and used .47 gallons of gas. That's over
> >> 180mpg. Lately, I've really been missing that old moped. Even back
> >> then it retailed for like $700. It would fit inside my 71 bus for
> >> river running shuttles too.
> >>
> >> DM&FS
> >>
> >> At 01:09 PM 5/23/2008, Stuart MacMillan wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I once cruised through a large, flat, wildlife park in Oregon for
> >>> about 100
> >>> miles in my '84 Westy, and got 36 mpg at an average speed of 35 mph.
> So
> >>> there you go! Wind resistance is the real mpg killer in the Vanagon,
> >>> so the
> >>> slower the better.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Stuart
> >>
> >>
> >
>
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