Mark wrote:
> Sure there have been competitions where specially trained drivers and
> specially prepped cars have gotten huge gas mileage numbers over relatively
> short distances, but nobody on this list could ever stand to drive that way
> and the cars wouldn't be practical or safe outside of those tests.
>
> Mark Noakes
> Knoxville, TN
I was involved in one of these competitions in
college, as a senior design project, almost 20 years
ago. There was a competition with specific rules,
and our vehicle:
-weighed about 30 pounds without driver
-would top out at about 30 mph
-ran intermittently (accelerate full throttle, kill
the engine, coast a long time, repeat)
-averaged 15 mph
-had a 2hp briggs & stratton engine with overhead
valves (I designed and built the head)
-was very dangerous (lousy steering, lousy brakes,
scary seat, 3 bicycle wheels)
-got over 500 mpg!
I learned a lot with this project. One thing is
that there is only so much energy in a given amount
of fuel, and another thing is that there is a lot of
waste in what we normally drive...but then again I'm
rather comfy and confident driving my oletrucks!
I'd rather pedal a bicycle than drive something like
the monster we created with that project.
Jim F
59s in AZ
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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