Aptera's back...Solar Electric Vehicle

[rmay635703]

My Comutacar has a non-glass windshield

Seems pretty stupid if glass is required just because

[Isaac Zachary]

Glass is overrated. Where I live, you get another +$300 windshield and the next day you get a rock slung at you and it cracks. Then you have to have it replaced AGAIN!.

And glass may be stronger than polycarbonate; I really don't know. But I've seen rocks thrown by other cars go right through the glass windshield (and even right through the driver's seat!) Thankfully I haven't known anyone who has died from a rock through a windshield, but I'm sure it's possible.

[freebeard]

A fist sized rock hit the 'hood' of my oval-window Beetle right in front of the steering wheel (from between the rear tires of a dump truck), but it ricocheted sideways and knocked the driver's door mirror right off.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

And glass may be stronger than polycarbonate; I really don't know.

There is hardness, and then there is toughness; both of which are desirable qualities. Hardness will resist scratching, and toughness will resist shattering.

Originally Posted by freebeard

A fist sized rock hit the 'hood' of my oval-window Beetle right in front of the steering wheel (from between the rear tires of a dump truck), but it ricocheted sideways and knocked the driver's door mirror right off.

Free ecomod! Did you note your MPGs after that?

[freebeard]

It was the 1970s, so no. One of my favorite memories from then was driving East on 126 and seeing the setting Sun centered perfectly in that round mirror. Then realizing a moment later it was setting into the air pollution, not the hills in the distance.

I just secured an option to buy a complete 36hp Beetle engine for $250 ('Ran when pulled'). The Superbeetle needs a 'refresh', and one option is a stroker 1776 but that would basically make it a race car. So I'm thinking an 1100 c.i. engine on a five speed. It's the Ecomodder thing to do. Prolly could get 50MPG. ....with a few tricks like ceramic topped pistons and extrude-honed intake manifold.

[Piotrsko]

The 1776 would only make it racy if you keep hitting the gas pedal stops. My brother had one with with properly set up dual Del ortos in his '69 and except for not downshifting to climb windmill pass it did 24 mpg instead of the 25 mpg my super got. If you tuned my dual webbers, it might get better than the super.

If you pull the engine, it's only about 15 minutes to swap the bad cylinder. You can buy a single jug and piston set, and get a reman head depending on what failed. Saturday project, go cruising Saturday evening.

[Isaac Zachary]

I put ceramic coating on my pistons, combustion chambers and valve faces in my 1600 Super Beetle. I also got a cam grind that supposedly got better fuel mileage and allowed for a higher compression ratio (I did 10:1), one that's normally used in Type 4 fuel injected engines. I got just north of 30mpg.

[freebeard]

If I go with that 36hp engine, I'll start a new thread. I've been running 50hp for a long time. Even the Dasher has 48hp.

[redpoint5]

If I ever have a Beetle again, it's getting an electric powertrain. The OEM stuff was made too simple, and therefore requires maintenance I don't want to do such as periodic valve adjustments.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

If I ever have a Beetle again, it's getting an electric powertrain. The OEM stuff was made too simple, and therefore requires maintenance I don't want to do such as periodic valve adjustments.

Hydraulic lifter conversion? What about wheel bearing grease or filling the spare tire up so you're windshield washer fluid will squirt.

I think leaning out the air fuel ratio was the thing that helped me the most. After throwing on an A/F ratio gauge and a few temperature gauges with sensors, including a head temperature, I confirmed what a few other VW air cooled engine enthusiasts also found, that the engine runs the hottest and you're more likely to get knock at around 14 to 15:1 ARF. But 15.5:1 to 16.5:1 makes the engine run cooler. But any leaner than that and it will tend to misfire badly or not run. As long as it enriches down to at least 12:1 at WOT you're good.

I also tried experimenting with digital timing with a CB Performance Digital Magnaspark distributor. I discovered that although it helps, cylinders 1 and 3 really should have a different timing map than cylinders 2 and 4. Of course if you go with a non-"doghouse" cooling shroud you also may need to retard cylinder 3 even more than cylinder 1. So there's benefits to be had by timing each cylinder individually unless you work up some sort of intake plenum and similar intake and exhaust runners.