>>>Did you build the Centurion?
--- Not originally. It was started roughly circa 1981, has been through a couple of owners but never completed. This summer, I've started rebuilding, replacing, or refabricating most of the car. The drivetrain has now been out twice, once after a homemade driveshaft went south - and that really made a mess! The body was off the frame for some re-engineering after a near catastrophe around the roof area (think Humpty-Dumpty's fate and that's the idea.) At that point I was ready to gut the drivetrain into something else, but this thing somehow deserves to be finished.
This summer the windshield was set for the 1st time and the rear side windows and rear hatch were fabricated. Once all the mechanicals are sound, then the body will be finished (most likely next year...) Or at this rate, Centurion really means it will take 100 years total to finish it.
I cannot give you an rpm @ any speed. Shortly after I got it, a poor connection and incorrect wiring at the main fuse block caused a major meltdown that back-tracked into the alternator (that supplied the tach pickup). After revamping the wiring, it now has a standard alternator on it and is awaiting a new tach that will pick it's signal up elsewhere. The parts that are now done are holding up extremely well over the last 1000 miles.
In three bags, every original blueprint, notes, newsletters and receipts exist starting from 1981. It's like the ultimate time capsule and I've continued to add to it. Oddly enough I still have the original Mechanix Illustrated magazine that ran the Centurion on the front cover in 1982. It was the only Magazine from the series I ever saved. I also never forgot it and used the basic theory when I converted the Changzuki to diesel back in 2005 or so. This returned 115 mpg both then and today (20,000 or so miles later.) I'm happy with both runs of 106 and 110 mpg on the Centurion but I am targeting the 115 mpg of the motorcycle. Will update from time-to-time as this progresses but with winter coming there's wood waiting, etc, etc..
~CrazyJerry
