Reviving the Comutacar - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

TomEV · 05-28-2009, 12:47 AM

I found a 1980 Comutacar on CL late last week. As part of documenting where all the various C-Cars (Citicars and newer Comutacars) have gone, I went over to the address to see if it still had a VIN. By the looks of the pictures, there wasn't much there.

After finding the VIN, I told the business that advertised it that it was a 1980 Comutacar, gave a brief history of the cars and bid them good luck with the sale. About an hour later, they called my cell phone and asked if I wanted to have it - I didn't want to see it cut up for the aluminum! Long story short, I put a set of tires from another C-car on the frame, and had it towed from Berkeley to my driveway in Alameda.

Right now it is parked near another 1980 Comutacar (red one in the background).

We'll see how things progress!

bennelson · 05-28-2009, 03:51 PM

OOOO!

Hot Rod it up!!!!

Seriously though, Rich is interested in making a pickup truck CommuterCar.

That one looks like a good candidate for heavy modification. Having the VIN means it can get registered, and not having a body means that you can go wild with any shape anyways!

-Ben

PS: very jealous

MetroMPG · 05-28-2009, 03:58 PM

I'd make it into a lowrider! New body shape. Aero the heck out of it!

(Yes I know they top out around 40, but with their Cd, I bet at that speed much more than half the power is going to overcome wind resistance.)

Whatever you do, clearly you have a small problem.

TomEV · 05-30-2009, 01:50 AM

I did a bit of testing on the car - Six of the batteries initially measured a bit over 5 volts, and two were somewhat less at 4.5 volts. Hooked up a 12v charger to two of the OLD (really, really old... date code is March of 1994) batteries that have sat discharged for at least the past ten years and let the charger run for a couple of hours. It never got above 12.88 volts.

While they were charging, I moved a cable from the motor to bypass the original controls. Disconnecting the battery charger, I attached jumper cables to the motor (rear end on jack stands) and voila - the motor came to life! Even the speedometer works as it indicated 20 MPH... Not bad for 15 year old T-105s and a vehicle that hasn't seen power in 10 years!

After the promising battery/motor test, I tried out the forward/reverse contactor. It works as well. Beginning to think it may be able to motivate itself soon!

A local tire shop had some used 12" and 13" 'skinny tires' that were up in their attic collecting dust. For some reason the rims that came with the car were two 12" and two 13" (should have been four 13"). Since the 12" tires are 155R12 on a different than stock offset rim, they had to go on the back for now. The 145SR13 tires are OK on the front, so the Comutacar is back on its own feet. More to follow as time permits...

TomEV · 05-31-2009, 11:34 PM

Today I hooked up the 12v system to a power supply, and surprisingly enough, most things still work... Wiper motor, forward/reverse contactor, series/parallel contactor. Lights not tested because they're missing as are the body panels they attach to.

Removed the motor and differential today for bearing checkout and paint. Brakes too.

Ryland · 06-01-2009, 02:33 PM

sounds like you are at the same state that my citi-car is in after a few weeks of working on it, all my contacts were dirty so nothing worked, I'm now working on a plywood and epoxy body, like building a boat.

MazdaMatt · 06-01-2009, 02:55 PM

It REALLY looks like a golf cart with its wrapper removed. You have a great freedom to develope that into any shape you'd like. Maybe reclined racing buckets and a super low teardropped roofline

TomEV · 06-02-2009, 12:06 AM

I had a couple of thoughts regarding the body for this car -
Aluminum (relatively easy and light, but may be expensive)
Fiberglass (slightly heavier, but more 'moldable', about the same cost as aluminum
Canvas (like an old aircraft / canoe) Cheapest, not sure if 'canvas dope' still exists.

Apparently BMW has a prototype with a canvas body that can change shape by moving inner ribs.

Shape shifting C-Car? 8-)

dcb · 06-02-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomEV

...Cheapest, not sure if 'canvas dope' still exists.

Certainly, get your needles out

Pilot Supplies, Avionics, and Homebuilt Aircraft Parts from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co.

MetroMPG · 06-02-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

It REALLY looks like a golf cart with its wrapper removed. You have a great freedom to develope that into any shape you'd like. Maybe reclined racing buckets and a super low teardropped roofline

He's ignoring us, Matt. The world's first somewhat aero Citi/Comuta retrofit is just waiting to be born...

Will a large area of doped fabric withstand 40 mph headwinds? (Yes, I realize airplanes go faster than that! But not presenting the same surface area to the wind as the front of a C-car.)