.
As usual people here fail to look outside the box. Unfortunately (sadly), this place has become a echo chamber of what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to pushing the frontier.
In 1973 a small group of engineers entered a 1959 Opel P1 in a mpg contest.
Shell Opel
The contest required a minimum of 30 mph speed.
They achieved 376 miles per gallon in their record run.
They eliminated the radiator and super insulated the engine.
A tiny Tillotson lawnmower carburetor with a 3/4” bore was used. It used a direct drive chain from the clutch to a live axle. No suspension. The rear wheels were pushed closely together. It was stripped, chopped and lowered.
In the video of the Maverick with a 302. The guy used a carburetor from a lawnmower engine. It looks almost identical to the carburetor on my 35 hp Briggs V Twin (Daihatsu) zero turn. So, loosely it is capable of producing at a minimum 35 hp. Highway speeds usually require approximately 20 hp or less depending on the vehicle. He is using modern sensors to monitor engine parameters and control AFR at 14.5 to 1. The Opel ran 15 to 1.
While I’m dubious of short fills. His results are entirely possible. However, I would like to know more about his controls. He apparently uses a vacuum bleed to control AFR. At a minimum, he’s using a wide band O2 sensor, a custom controller for vacuum and probably a custom ignition advance also.
Lately, there has been a few new threads coming out pushing the boundaries of accepted knowledge.
I welcome this...
There’s more than one way to skin a cat...
😉
>
.