2011 Green Grand Prix: Fri., April 15 (Watkins Glen, NY)

[MetroMPG]

Thanks for the event summary, Matt.

I'm sorry I missed it this year.

Don't suppose any of you guys took any pics?

[moTthediesel]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Thanks for the event summary, Matt.

I'm sorry I missed it this year.

Don't suppose any of you guys took any pics?

Sorry Darren, but I didn't take any pictures -- that's usually my wife's job but she couldn't get off work

Here is a link to a news clip from an Elmira TV station:Green Grand Prix Kicks Off W.G.I. Season - WETM 18 Online

Check out that last car (mine ) -- it looks like a German flying saucer!!

[MetroMPG]

Tom - four fender skirts! Cool.

I grabbed some stills from that video & will post after lunch.

[MetroMPG]

Some pics....



What else did you do to the car for this year's run, Tom?



This is the lightened Insight Matt was up against. Also note the grille block, lack of antenna, passenger side external mirror...

(I tried to get a grab of the silver Insight that went past as someone was being interviewed, but it was just a blur. )



Electric Bradley kit car, powered from renewable sources.



No idea!



The diesel trike on the left I recognize from previous GGP. The one on the right... I believe that's a Cornell vehicle (that started life as a Metro).

[Christ]

The diesel trike can be seem in detail at dirigocar.com... Or something like that. Its pretty interesting.

[moTthediesel]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Tom - four fender skirts! Cool.

Yeah, I like the way they look -- but what effect do they have on my drag? I have no idea!! They certainly add some frontal area, but do they make up for it with increased attached flow????

As usual, I finished them just in time (there is no minute quite like the last one ) and so had no opportunity for any kind of testing. I'm just happy they stayed on for the event. (I did have the left front one fall off in downtown Watkins Glen, but no harm done!)

I am also now running with Conti LRR 145/65/15 tires, sized for a "Smart Car". I mounted them on an set of 15X4-1/2 steel wheels from an old 911 my brother used to have.

I can say for sure that I now run with consistently lower EGT's (maybe 150F lower on average) than before, but with higher RPMs due to the smaller tire diameters. So net effect yet to be determined -- ?

My odometer recently died (and it would be screwed up by the tires anyway) so I've got to get used to using the GPS all the time for mileages. I'm also thinking of building a graduated "test tank" with both supply and return fittings on it so I can more accurately quantify my fuel use.

I may do a thread for the "DIY" section here if I do so. Maybe one for the skirts too, I took some pictures while I was building them.

Sorry you didn't make it Darren, it was a blast...

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

No idea!

It's a homemade, chain-drive three-wheeler. As far as I know, it's a custom tubular chassis, with a diesel small engine. He said he hasn't finished the body yet. It's got a roof, but no side panels above the belt line. The bulk of the body looks aerodynamic, or perhaps a little too fast towards the back, but the lack of fenders really made me cringe. I hope some teardrop fenders are on his to-do list.

It tops out at 55mph on flat land right now, but I'm sure some aero work will get it up to higher speeds. Anyway, even in its unfinished state, I'm sure he's having a blast with it.

The Cornell X-Prize hopeful on the right in the last photo is a diesel-electric hybrid with some parts from a Subaru Sambar keitruck. It is really, really narrow.

I can't wait to hear how the more exotic cars did in terms of MPG.

[moTthediesel]

Yikes!

I just checked the Green GP site, and they now show us getting 42.8 mpg In all the time since I've built this car, and that's over 10k miles now, I have NEVER recorded under 50 mpg on any tank, and that includes lots of miles on the interstates out west climbing passes and going 70+ mph.

In this case, we never exceeded 55 mph, and were EOC for probably 25% of each lap. Last year on the lap of Seneca course, we got 73 mpg, and I was always a bit skeptical of (but pleased with ) that result, but something is really screwy with this number.

What is the accuracy +/- of those scales again?

[RobertSmalls]

Ah, the results are in!

http://www.greengrandprix.com/rally%...0sheet2011.pdf

The other Insights got 69.7 (lightly modded), 69.0 (MIMA), and 63.6mpg (bone stock).

The diesel trikes have names! The Dirigocar scored 77mpg, as did the Roopod.

There were two propane-powered Ford pickups: a 2007, with 90.3 mi per gallon of propane, and a 1933 with 13.8 mi per gallon of propane.

The X-Prize diesel Metro sedan got 106.6mpg. That's amazing, if it's an accurate reading.

I won't even mention the scores of the plug-in hybrids, as the coordinators could only measure one of the two fuels used. My Insight made it the full 88.2 mi on two ham sandwiches and a pound of gatorade, and the Chevy Volt ran out of juice before completing the 44mi short course but was placed on the winner's circle.

[moTthediesel]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Ah, the results are in!


The X-Prize diesel Metro sedan got 106.6mpg. That's amazing, if it's an accurate reading.

That car got bumped from the X-Prize competition when they couldn't meet a 67 mpg threshold.

I'd say their 106 is likely every bit as accurate as my 42