ANY C5/C6 Efficient Corvette Builds?

[MPGeo]

Hello Everyone, it's been a few years since my Geo got crushed by a tree during a storm... Ever since then I've been commuting with a Kia Forte that I already owned.

I'm going to be giving the Kia to my Son soon, and have been on the hunt for a new-to-me car.

I have had a reserve for an Aptera for several years now... so I haven't really wanted to get into another Eco-build... but now that I'm in the hunt for another car, I was thinking of **possibly** getting into a C5/C6 Eco build...

Anyone in here has and eco-friendly corvette build? I'm in research mode @ the moment.

Thanks Everyone!

[freebeard]

Never had one, but Corvette has a history of shooting brake conversions.


https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e5/ff/0b/e...w-corvette.jpg

[Ecky]

I'm unaware of any (active) Vette owners on here, but I'll follow this thread regardless.

My experience has been that in a lightweight and aerodynamic vehicle, a big engine will not be that much of a hindrance to highway fuel economy, if geared correctly - and C5/6 had options for some pretty low highway cruising RPM. City fuel economy will be what you expect of a V8.

[Piotrsko]

My question: how do you avoid mashing the throttle to the floor in one? I can't.

[redpoint5]

Romping on the throttle isn't so bad for fuel economy so long as it's not followed by use of the brakes.

... I'm afraid when I get an EV, all of my efficient behaviors will go out the window.

[Piotrsko]

I dunno, full throttle speed increase involves mostly lower gears and some sort of fuel enrichment, possibly loss of traction, cant see how that is ecologically friendly or prone to high mileage.

Could be wrong here, but history has indicated waste induced

[redpoint5]

I didn't mean to imply full throttle, but perhaps 85%.

In the gutless Mazda CX-5 company car I drive, I'm often hitting the notch of the throttle pedal, indicating the top end before going full throttle and open loop.

Sure, it's less efficient than 80% load and 2,500 RPM acceleration, but not a lot less efficient, and I spend almost no time accelerating compared to steady cruising. My overall speed is going to determine MPG more than how quickly I got there.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I didn't mean to imply full throttle, but perhaps 85%.

In the gutless Mazda CX-5 company car I drive, I'm often hitting the notch of the throttle pedal, indicating the top end before going full throttle and open loop.

Sure, it's less efficient than 80% load and 2,500 RPM acceleration, but not a lot less efficient, and I spend almost no time accelerating compared to steady cruising. My overall speed is going to determine MPG more than how quickly I got there.

I've found in my ND (similar engine), staying out of the second half of the pedal travel is generally worth 5+ mpg - fuel economy drops sharply at high loads. It may have more to do with the tune, however, favoring power over economy in the compromise regions of the map in an Atkinson cycle engine.

With my Insight (a small car with a "big" engine), the trick was staying in the lower half of the tach. That, and staying off the brakes, as you say. Any acceleration that must later be turned into brake dust is a full loss.

[Piotrsko]

With normally aspirated carb engines, you generally set the power system to begin working somewhere just after 1/2 throttle. I recall a similar calibration on the EFI system of the ranger, but it was mass density calibrated.

Believe Ecky has the theoretical portion correct, including the manufacturing of brake dust

[aerohead]

I've not seen, nor heard of any Corvettes modified for efficiency in 45-years.
We have a local North Texas Corvette Club called the 'Glass Menagerie' by members.
Other than 'hop-ups', they maintain as much OEM configuration as possible.
Chevrolet Division does quite a bit to make them as efficient as possible, while maintaining 'trackability.'
The V-8 has been retained on account of its ability to function on 4-cylinders during low load conditions.
The hybrid model C-7 allows a few miles of battery-only operation.
The upcoming, all-electric model will be the most efficient.
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They already have 100% synthetic lubes, so no potential there.
There aren't any LRR tires available for them.
They run MOON covers on them at the dry lakes, but that requires steel wheels.
Which leaves only body aero. The roof already 'disappears', so that's already dead on arrival. The main body aero is destroyed by all the cooling ventilation and enormous rear haunches and transom.
It's a high-performance grand touring coupe, stable at very high velocity; designed for high lateral acceleration, and thermal management. There's no painless way to realize any meaningful gains in mpg as far as I can discern.
30-mpg at 65-mph is about as good as you're likely to experience. Tip into the go-pedal and it goes south fast from there.