Quote:
Originally Posted by mechman600
Yeah, I read an article in a 70's Popular Mechanics magazine about a similar system in a Cordoba or something, and it worked quite well. It used a hydraulic pump/motor on the driveshaft and a giant accumulator.
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Not familiar with that one. The guy who converted the Granada (as well as a Fiat 500 and probably a few other cars) was named Vincent Carman. A lot has been asked about him here and on countless other sites but no one seems to know exactly what happened to him, though it is reported he passed away in '93 or so. He also had several patents on his hydraulic innovations, including a hydraulic transmission that included all the separate components in one unit. Mid to late 80's. Dunno what became of that. It does seem like he was onto something long before it became vogue in the late 90's and the new millenium. Kind of a shame we don't have him around today. I think he would be in his early to mid seventies.