Urba Centurion Update - (Kubota diesel, 100+ MPG in mixed driving - Fall 2012 on)

[changzuki]

In the event Centurion can make it to next year's Green Grand Prix, work must be done.

Stepping things up another notch, I've decided a great addition will be a rear diffuser. UltArc has done some excellent work fabricating a diffuser for the Aerostang and I believe he's on the right track with this.

Soooooo, I figured I'd create one as well - but custom shape it entirely different to further enhance Centurion's fuel economy.
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With a limited tool selection to work with, this is of course no easy task. It is also just one of the projects started immediately after the 2015 Green Grand Prix. Currently installed on the car, any minor variations in the overall pattern can be addressed at another time. It's more important to actually see if once again luck will shine down on this project and improvement upon what already is working quite well may be realized.
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Balancing precariously on scissor jacks allows a better view of it, so, here it is from the back just a short distance away:
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And a little closer.....
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The most up close shot is the one below.
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I took the liberty of peeling it back in a few spots to give it some perspective. Although this a full length diffuser, it is sectional and thus making any servicing of the car much easier:
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The fit-n-finish nearly suggests it was a factory option. Nearly.
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There is more custom-picasso on the horizon but thought I'd throw this out there since the rather lengthy post Green Grand Prix sabbatical...
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~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

Out of curiosity, a front dam was crafted and installed. It's actually made from the plastic cover on the top of a 1998 Dodge pickup's front bumper. Roughly 18" was removed from the center, then the two remaining halves were flipped over and brought together.
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The curvature follows the front wheel arches pretty decent:
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This does sit about 4.5 inches off the ground and luckily there's been no scrubbing.
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A road test is definitely in order!
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~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

Centurion road testing happens just about every time it's driven.
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Most of those trips are not really noteworthy, but some are.
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The first video below is a segment of road at a more-or-less steady state.
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65 mph comes all too easily at this point:
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[GreenHornet]

Well that is no bueno!

I hope it is only minor internal damage.

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by GreenHornet

Well that is no bueno!

I hope it is only minor internal damage.

Me too - lol!!!
~CJ

[changzuki]

Spent most of a day trying to revive the transmission.
Drained it, cleaned the overdrive screen and marveled at the pretty brass flakes that overwhelmed the oil. Still, worth going through the motions since luck is with me about 50% of the time....
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This was not one of those times.
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It was time to get down and dirty!!!
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Been here before - should be fun - yehawww!!!
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~CrazyJerry

[rustygirl]

CJ,
I can relate. Bridget is on her third clutch and the trans comes out the same way, as a unit with the engine. I have been dreaming of Samurai transmissions of late. they are small and divorced from the transfer case. 5 th gear is an overdrive. In my case a shorter transmission would allow room for a divorced overdrive behind the trans. Maybe we could develop the adapter as an open source team effort. Give it some thought if your crashbox is beyond hope. Lets pray to the Triumph god its not.
RG

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by rustygirl

CJ,
I can relate. Bridget is on her third clutch and the trans comes out the same way, as a unit with the engine. I have been dreaming of Samurai transmissions of late. they are small and divorced from the transfer case. 5 th gear is an overdrive. In my case a shorter transmission would allow room for a divorced overdrive behind the trans. Maybe we could develop the adapter as an open source team effort. Give it some thought if your crashbox is beyond hope. Lets pray to the Triumph god its not.
RG

Lol and Welcome back rustygirl! The transmission has taken a mild hit but it's not terminal. Layshaft, bearings, and a couple of odds-n-ends and good as new it will be! It was used and I more or less threw it in there figuring it was just going to be a lead weight. It's outlived and outperformed my initial expectations - so it's worth reviving.
Your dreams of the Samurai transmission sound intriguing for sure! Any idea of the overdrive % ? Do you have one or are you batting the idea around? Are they any easier to work with at night with a led flashlight strapped to the forehead - if so - I'd like to hear more -
Keep us posted!
~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

Monday evening June 1st, 2015
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An invite by the Norwood Kiwanis Club was the event and the topic for presentation was Centurion.
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I've long known of this organization but never realized what they did. After taking part in their meeting, I have a new appreciation for who they are and what they do. In some odd way, we follow different paths but ultimately hold similar views envisioning the youth of today to be positively involved in and around the community. This particular group is the salt of the earth.
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Off all the pieces that make up the 9 Main Street off-grid experiment, Centurion's story takes the cake and tonight this group learned its story starting back with Robert Q. Riley's design/original build, and through the last 2 years exceptional performance at the Toyota Green Grand Prix.
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Centurion calendar car porn was included in the display:
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And a nice little postcard as a keepsake:
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Shown in the group picture are very enthusiastic volunteers who did a wonderful job of showing their support for both R.Q. Riley's Centurion cover debut (Feb 1982 Mechanix Illustrated magazine) and in tandem with the Watkins Glen - Toyota Green Grand Prix!
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A big thank you to the Norwood Kiwanis Club - you folks rock!!!!!
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~CrazyJerry

[rustygirl]

You are a wonderfully spokesman for the DSCCNA. Diesel sports car club of north America umm maybe we can come up with a better acronym...
The miata Jack McCornack had at the Mother earth news fair 2 years ago has a Samurai transmission behind a Geo 3 cylinder. The transmission was very small compared to a miata trans. Our friend the internet says they had a 21% od in older models and a 15 ish% of in the later model transmissions. Enough to shine an led on if someone was thinking about building a drive train from scratch.
Cheers