Seriously, start spending some money!!

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Sven7

This is illegal. That's why. It is against the law to coast in neutral.

In your neck of the woods.
But it isn't illegal here.

Forget EOC. And forget car companies tailoring cars for EOC.

Electric cars are tailored for EOC.
The Prius can be tricked into EOCing.

The object of an ecomodder is to save gas money.

To use less gas for me.

Last year compared to the year before, I'd have saved a mere 150 Euro - about the price of the ScanGauge.
That's after correcting for the fuel price hikes and 2000 miles less travelled.
And despite our elevated fuel prices in the EU.
That's the law of diminishing returns when you start from a fairly high base mpg.

[Big Dave]

I thought about JQmile’s diesel Chevette…briefly. It had some plusses and minuses.

On the plus side it already got fine MPG despite horrible aero. It was light. The car was (apparently) about as good as it ever was. CA cars shouldn’t have any rust. Chevettes are like other GM vehicles and are amenable to engine swaps (I’m thinking add a turbo).

Minus. Actually being in good condition militates against using it as a project. I have a line on a VERY rare GM MPG effort from the 70s. A 1979 Olds Cutlass with a 260 diesel V-8 and 5 speed manual. Only twenty were made. Guy wants $11,000 for it (3 times sticker). Its in fabulous shape for a 79. Texas car. Garage kept bought from an estate auction. Probably 34-35 MPG as she sets. But you really couldn’t do a project with a car this pristine, despite having outstanding possibilities. Would you repaint the Mona Lisa because you prefer blondes?

The other minus is 36 HP. This car is useless for anything but slow driving. A city car as much as a straight battery car. Even if you modified it to be aerodynamically slicker than the basjoos-mobile, it still could not compete on the Interstates I have to drive every day.

Sometimes, they are too nice.

[dcb]

Originally Posted by Sven7

This is illegal.

I said disengage the clutch, not move the transmission to neutral :P

[Big Dave]

I kick it into neutral.

This is a classic of unenforceable law.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

I thought about JQmile’s diesel Chevette…briefly. It had some plusses and minuses.

Minus. Actually being in good condition militates against using it as a project. I have a line on a VERY rare GM MPG effort from the 70s. A 1979 Olds Cutlass with a 260 diesel V-8 and 5 speed manual. Only twenty were made. Guy wants $11,000 for it (3 times sticker). Its in fabulous shape for a 79. Texas car. Garage kept bought from an estate auction. Probably 34-35 MPG as she sets.

The other minus is 36 HP. This car is useless for anything but slow driving. A city car as much as a straight battery car.

Sometimes, they are too nice.

??? I always thought they made the inline 4.3 diesel 6 banger as the best FE birds, but I also have always seen them with 4 speed sticks if they have a stick. GM also made a very rare 4 banger 2.8 diesel in that timeframe.

From what I have heard the 6 banger olds diesel was the most reliable they made because they put on the right number of head bolts. It also could come transverse and FWD

I always wanted one but never could find one that both ran and had a stick.

Also the inline 6 should be easily capable stock without special driving of about 40mpg, I would guess your v8 varient would as well. With a decent transmission (that didn't originally come with the car) the 350v8 olds would get mid 30's highway. Our Chiropracter got about that with his. Also there are a handfull of new and old 350 olds diesel suburbans still around, they typically (once outfitted with an 700r4 overdrive transmission) get in the mid 20's with one guy and a 93 burb converted averaging about 28mpg just by changing the rear end differential. I should hope the more frugal motors could beat this set of numbers by a lot.

Also I doubt the 39hp unless the thing isn't in the best of operating condition, even the 4.3 6 cylinders would put out about 70hp (and lots of smoke) The 350 olds was always derated to 95hp ish because of head problems but could also output around 125hp if you liked replacing head bolts a lot and being very carefull about how long you did it.

If you ever find a line on an inline 6 olds diesel car that both runs and has a stick let me know, I might take it out for a spin.

I also always wanted a FWD 5sp diesel Chevette but they are very hard to find only being made in the last year or so.

Cheers
Ryan

[JQmile]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

I thought about JQmile’s diesel Chevette…briefly. It had some plusses and minuses.

On the plus side it already got fine MPG despite horrible aero. It was light. The car was (apparently) about as good as it ever was. CA cars shouldn’t have any rust. Chevettes are like other GM vehicles and are amenable to engine swaps (I’m thinking add a turbo).

Minus. Actually being in good condition militates against using it as a project. I have a line on a VERY rare GM MPG effort from the 70s. A 1979 Olds Cutlass with a 260 diesel V-8 and 5 speed manual. Only twenty were made. Guy wants $11,000 for it (3 times sticker). Its in fabulous shape for a 79. Texas car. Garage kept bought from an estate auction. Probably 34-35 MPG as she sets. But you really couldn’t do a project with a car this pristine, despite having outstanding possibilities. Would you repaint the Mona Lisa because you prefer blondes?

The other minus is 36 HP. This car is useless for anything but slow driving. A city car as much as a straight battery car. Even if you modified it to be aerodynamically slicker than the basjoos-mobile, it still could not compete on the Interstates I have to drive every day.

Sometimes, they are too nice.

It would go 75mph-80mph....how fast did you want to go??

You could just never slow down once you got up to that speed

I would have made you a deal if I would have known you were interested. I think some tasteful mods could have been done (as in, no duct tape and cardboard) to preserve it's looks, yet enhance it's aero.

Anyhoo, I still dig the big ol trucks...mine got 24mpg on it's latest run...at 70-75mph