oldnewbie

[DifferentPointofView]

I was gonna buy a volvo once, it was sold by the time I got to it though . Good solid little cars.

[cfg83]

virg -

Thanks for the story. Three Volvos for 30+ years is recycling at its best in my book. Maybe if you'd coated the last one top-to-bottom in rhino-lining, you'd still be driving it, !

CarloSW2

[virg]

Has anybody ever calculated the energy used to produce a car? Got to' take as much as gas to run it for ten years. That much can be saved by keeping it running. Did you know that at that time V was owned by SKF and They sold BEARings when they sold cars. Make big inroads on energy crises with maintainable cars.

Maybe someone here can help me: 2600lb car gets 27/32, 105mph top end, quick enough to not get run over at the green lights. One cam, two carbs, 4speed. Don't they have to weigh 2000-2200 (etc-etc-etc) to do that now?

Yeah, Rhino, preserve it in a cake of plastic. I tried it all and none of it worked. But where was rhino when I needed it?

[cfg83]

virg -

Originally Posted by virg

Has anybody ever calculated the energy used to produce a car? Got to' take as much as gas to run it for ten years. That much can be saved by keeping it running. Did you know that at that time V was owned by SKF and They sold BEARings when they sold cars. Make big inroads on energy crises with maintainable cars.

Yes, that's my position on older cars. The "ethical dillemma" for me is that I want to have good emissions also.

I wish air-cooled VWs were as emissions clean as today's cars. Then I could start with a ready-to-roll VW belly pan/drivetrain and I could put a sleek kit car body on it.

Maybe someone here can help me: 2600lb car gets 27/32, 105mph top end, quick enough to not get run over at the green lights. One cam, two carbs, 4speed. Don't they have to weigh 2000-2200 (etc-etc-etc) to do that now?

Your car description is almost dead-on for a no-frills S-Series Saturn. Here is what you could get if you are patient :

Base S-Series Saturn
1996 up will make you ScanGauge compatible
SOHC (single overhead cam)
2300+ lbs (thank you plastic panels)
MANUAL rack and pinion steering, one of the last ever made.
Fuel Injection (sorry, no carb option)
100+ HP
5 speed economy (tall gearing) transmission
Originally designed to be "easy" to maintain
relatively cheap parts
Great mutual support group (www.saturnfans.com)
28/38 MPG Old EPA or 24/34 New EPA

The mutual support group is the main thing. Right now I am sure you could write a book on your Volvo 122s. For me it's imperative to have that kind of knowledge online and ready to access. I am not a "car person", so they are vital to keep my oldie-but-goody going.

Yeah, Rhino, preserve it in a cake of plastic. I tried it all and none of it worked. But where was rhino when I needed it?

That's the story of my life! I know what I want, but they don't make it yet.

CarloSW2

[virg]

Carlo, I got into the Vs because I hated (still do) cars. So maintaining my car became a hobby. This is nuts! Your "ethical dilemma" is in that range, too. After all the alibis people have used to change cars as fast as they can (HOW much energy does making one eat?), I gotta worry about ethics? The parking lots are full of trucks, vans, and SUVs with their butts hanging out of the parking space so I can't see and I worry over ethics? When will technology breed one that can stop short of the white line? I used to be able to see three to five cars ahead, before they got so tall; now can't see past the SUV. Just what is/are ethics about? What, me ethical?