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Re: New Car, not an LBC

To: "Frank Clarici" <spritenut@exit109.com>, "Spridgets" <spridgets@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: New Car, not an LBC
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2004 19:32:45 -0600
References: <419FDFDB.2060201@exit109.com>
Frank,

Actually the CVT is the opposite of a 1 speed.  It is more like an infinite 
number of speeds.  As you said, the engine rpm stays the same while the CVT 
(Constantly Variable Transmission for those not familiar with it) shifts 
constantly.

I raced a Formula 440  in SCCA for a few years in the early 90's.  It is an 
open wheel car with a 26 cubic inch 2-stroke motor and a CVT.  You can tune 
the CVT to shift at whatever constant engine speed you want.  It could be at 
maximum H.P. or maximum fuel economy or anywhere in between.

It is amazing what kind of performance you can get out of a car if it's 
engine is always running at max H.P.  My  little 26 c.i.d.car could outrun a 
500 c.i.d. Viper in a 1/4 mile!

It will be interesting to see how your 500 works out.  Back then, the 
technology wasn't sufficient to put a huge amount of torque through it. 
Keep us informed.

Larry Daniels


----- Original Message ----- 
From "Frank Clarici" <spritenut at exit109.com>
To: "Spridgets" <spridgets@Autox.Team.Net>
Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2004 6:22 PM
Subject: New Car, not an LBC


Since Diane didn't think much of driving the Healey everyday, she went
out and bought a new car.
2005 Ford Five Hundred.
And this is our first automatic tranny car since we got rid of the 68
Ford way back in the early eightys.
We both have trouble driving it looking for a clutch and reaching for
the stick.
But it's not a slushbox automatic, it's the relatively new CVT tranny.
It doesn't shift! I guess it's a 1 speed, sort of like a centrifical
clutch on a go cart. RPMs stay the same from 0-75 (that's as fast as we
went so far, we picked it up an hour ago.





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