[changzuki]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

You've done so much but there's a lot more you could do. I bet you could hit 300mpg if you had $10k and a year to work on Centurion. Off the top of my head, you could go with LED bulbs, Lexan windshield, aluminum driveshaft...

Good call - You're touching on a couple of things I can speak to:
- All exterior lighting (less the headlamps) are leds:
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- The aluminum driveshaft was a consideration but with Centurion it presents a few hurdles (which is primarily why I don't have one installed.) Unlike UltArc's aerostang (which I think does have an aluminum driveshaft - citation needed from UltArc!) Centurion would need a collapsible two-piece driveshaft. The transmission has a fixed output flange unlike some of the newer transmissions which simply allow the driveshaft to slide in-and-out. Removing a "one piece driveshaft" from Centurion would be a very time consuming and frustrating task. As with all Spitfires, the driveshaft runs right along the top of the center x-style frame, meaning, to remove it you cannot go downward with it (like you could with the Aerostang) - you must come up through the top (center console in this case.) Centurion's trasnsmission and rear differential are in fixed positions, so the driveshaft must collapse to disconnect from those components, and then quite a bit more to do the limbo to pull it up-and-out.
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The second problem is, although an aluminum driveshaft is lighter it's also usually larger in diameter... If you could see how tight the stock Spitfire driveshaft is fitted partially between the X-style frame, it would probably scare you. So unless an aluminum driveshaft is only marginally bigger around, it may not fit...
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The third issue here was wanting to keep my options open to the larger transmission/overdrive swap... This requires a different (shorter driveshaft) as well as different driveshaft flanges at each end... Had I been successful with the aluminum driveshaft pre-Green Grand Prix (straight four-speed), it would be collecting dust post-Green Grand Prix (along with the other 4 driveshafts) due to the four-speed/overdrive combo...

This was one area that has merit - I just gave up.

~CrazyJerry