[Varn]

I used to purchase smaller cars. I liked their efficiency and handling even when gas was 70 cents per gallon. I have had a couple of Healeys a couple of Renaults, a Toyota. Some smaller GM and Ford cars. I liked them all.

I had a friend and his wife killed in head on collision a number of years ago. I decided that I needed to improve my odds. More weight of the vehicle transfers more energy into the other guy. To that end I bought a Lincoln then another Lincoln and finally got a small van a caddie a larger van.

Right now I have a Ford minivan and a Ford Econoline. They both have a lot of range with big tanks and are big tanks.

I have not had that many vehicle to vehicle accidents in my life but have hit two deer in the last 5 years. The deer/vehicle accident rate is high and seems to be going up in the mississippi river valley that I commute in. We hunt the cloven hoofed devils but there are always more.

If you never have hit a deer it is not like you could imagine. They are many times running or jumping and just come crashing down on the front, side or sometimes back of your car. No time to steer around or brake.

I would like to be able to not spend so much on fuel but I truly don't want the front of my vehicle to be a scoop.

I have some background in streamliner recumbent bicycle racing. I have built, modified raced and sponsored several of them.

I live on a gravel road and have no interest in making anything which would decrease the ground clearance as in the winter we sometimes have ruts which scrapes everything. I hadn't put much effort into trying to improve the mileage and perhaps the highway performance. That may change.