If I was to build my own hypermiler ?
 

Hi all

I have the urge to build my own hypermiler.

I could get away with 2 seats + 8 bags of shopping.
Three wheels will be fine.
2 cyl 602 cc 2CV engine/chassis is very light and economic. 45pmg urban 55 mpg highway

Like this but I don't have the skill to deal with the curves !

Tryane II

The body will be built from plywood using epoxy boat building methods so ideally the shape must be easily rendered from flat sheets [ few/no compound curves ! ]

So currently I am in the thinking/planning stage.

I need a body shape and 2 have caught my eye.

Welcome to VIGILLANTE'S Page 2

Now this is the shape I love but it has several disadvantages there is little internal space for luggage/spare wheel/fuel tank etc , as there is no room in front of the front wheel.

Aerodynamically it could do with the front wheel fairing in , maybe by making it wider , and of course it is not a teardrop shape ?
Any other areas need improving ?

This is shape 2

The VORTEX plans page

It is better than the TriMagnum as it has room infront of the wheels , where I want to put the engine/gearbox , and it is nearer a teardrop shape.

Aerodynamically it could do with the front wheels fairing in , maybe by making it wider , and of course it is a teardrop shape.
Any other areas need improving ?

regards Paul

How about this? VW Goldwing combination. I think though I would have gotten rid of the rear fenders.

http://www.bugwing.com/bugwing&rex.jpg

BugWing

hypermiler
 

you might want to set your sites a little higher,as my CRX already has performance within your target envelope.And you can just buy them,nothing to construct!For all your trouble you better end up with something really significant.I'd look around some more.If you're locked in to just the two candidates,I'd favor the VORTEX.I think the aero is better and I think it has a better safety cage potential.Probably better utility as a "grocery-getter."Fuel Vapor's Ale,and John Q. Riley's new 3-wheelers are worth a look.Sylph's a beauty,but maybe less cargo space than you'd like.Wear yourself out investigating! You won't want to regret your choice,for all the work your going to be getting yourself into.

aerohead -

That's what I thought when I was looking at this picture :

http://www.vortexplans.com/images/vtxckpt.jpg

The seats are sunken in and look like you could put a beefy bit of frame there.

CarloSW2

You could have a look at this Facetmobile Home Page for inspiration.

I've been thinking on this topic, of building a 3 wheel commuter, for some time. From what I've researched, and with what I would want to accomplish, a reverse trike (aka 'tadpole'-2 wheels forward, one behind) design would be what I would build. I'd use a Geo Metro 1.0 L drivetrain up front and a welded tube chassis. Tandem seats.
Fiberglass body that would have a Cd of ZERO! :D
Bam, 100 MPG. :thumbup:

It would somewhat resemble a cross between VW's concept and the Vortex.
I think a welded tube chassis would be a lot lighter than all that plywood in the Vortex.

Aerohead

The base vehical is 45-55mpg my target is the Tryane 11

Fuel Consumption : 55-70 mpg
TOP SPEED (approx): l00 mph

Can your CRX match that ?

Also I want to be SEEN !!!!

CFG83 I am also concerned about safety and agree about the safety aspect of the Vortex.


' It would somewhat resemble a cross between VW's concept and the Vortex.
I think a welded tube chassis would be a lot lighter than all that plywood in the Vortex. '

But you would still need to clad it with something and the plywood is very strong for it's weight.

regards Paul

target
 

Sorry! The CRX did 41-60.6mpg in mixed driving.75.5mpg was it's all-time best.If you can pull a reliable 70mpg on the open road,it would be worth the effort.I've got "mini-hypercar" in the pipeline.It and everthing else is on hold 'til I can dry in more shop space.The mini is a "solo",with leg-straddling VW front end,married to a water-cooled,HONDA Shadow VT700,shaft-drive,via 1-1/2-inch mild-steel safety cage.I've got a Sonnerai aircraft canopy to enclose me.The forward coachwork is most like the Fuel Vapor Ale,with fully-enclosed front wheels and tapering fenders and suspension enclosure.This is for increased visibility and crumple-zone,also low C.G.storage.I considered a tandem,but it's just too long.The narrow canopy helps with the frontal area.I'm trying for Cd0.12,and keep weight such that it can be registered as a motorcycle.There are some shots of it in the phil knox aerodynamic photos album.Not much to look at,just a mule,to work out all the human factors,ingress/egress.I'm going for more than 70-mpg,however,no guarantees.All-compound curves mean perhaps 600-hours just for the body.I've been very inspired by the accomplishments of Doug Malewecki and am saddened that he will not be completing his one-tank-across-America three-wheeler.Super good luck on your project! I hope to jump back in the game,come next winter.Til then,I'll have to live vicariously through you and the other members.

OMG .. How did I forget about the Beetle. Oh well it's over, the Vibe will have to become my commuter until I Start/finish my new beetle project. I like the Bugwing idea, but since I will be hacking up a bug anyhow, I can invision a more sloped windshield, with an extended rear as it tear drops around the rear motorcycle tire.

For me this is a no brainer, now all I have to do is dust off the rolodex and get a hold of my old VW buddies for a donor car ...

Dam I hate this site ... LOL

Oh, no you don't! Not until you finish that backwards Porsche! :D

LOL, Hey I may be able to work on both ... From what I know, I won't be using the VW chassis to build the DUBREX, so I can mount the 928 body on the VW frame and build them both up together.... LOL

Now where is that bag of money I left lying around here ...

These forums have a wealth of information. I searched this site looking for information on the Tryane II, not thinking anything would turn up, yet here it is...

Its specs are quite impressive, although I think a naturally-aspirated diesel engine from a VW Rabbit or a VW Golf TDI engine would be a better choice than that of a Citroen 2CV(the front of the Tryane II wuld probably have to re-designed to accomodate it).

Toecutter

I think you are missing the point of the Tryane II and this forum ?

There are two reasons why it it impressive one is the body it's aerodynamics and weight and the other is the engine.

The 2cv engine even powering a 2cv can achieve 35mpg+ around town and 55mpg+ on the freeway , it is a very light engine [ can easily be picked up by one person ] and there is a 5 speed gearbox available for it.

Because the engine is light coming from a light car [ look up the weight of a 2cv compared to a Rabbit ! ] the rest of the transmission components are light to match it.

regards Paul

How about something like this???

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1275586191

Don't forget....

_______________ You have to get it safety inspected ________________

The process is not for the faint of heart....

Jim.

For those interested in the 2CV angle there is a test of the original car here

Citron 2CV6

It got 50.2 MPG with a 'touring speed' of 48 mph.

A lot of my 'if only I could build my own car' ideas for hypermiling have centred on the 2CV because of the seperate chassis makes it easy to put a new body on. With a bit of car I could see a car with a body closely matching the drag template shape and with 2 seats on there. There was another 'special' built in the 50s which used a 2CV as the basis - 4 wheels though - which was capable of 100+ mph on the long, straight french roads. Took a while to get there though.

Similar to this one, but I don't think it was this one as this is a panhard factory car:

http://blog.bureauon.com/wp-content/...day_feb-09.jpg

I'm not so sold on the 3 wheel concept. They do have some exemptions here such as emissions testing and being taxed as a motorcycle, but there must be strong and valid reasons why the major manufacturers only make concept 3-wheelers and not volume production ones. 3 Wheelers with the 3rd wheel at the front always seem just wrong although I can see the point for aero - narrowest part into the airflow first.

I do recall a Morgan 3 wheeler with a 1930s motorbike engine at the front held the outright lap record at an English circuit in the 1980s at the same time as 500bhp+ Sierra Cosworths were racing at the same circuit.