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

[redneck]

Originally Posted by elhigh

250MPG

Lawd, lawd. Makes you wonder exactly what VW is charging all that money FOR on their super high tech two-seater 1L car.

It does make one wonder...

"a cheerfully loony shadetree wrench"

You forgot "funny looking"....

If a cheerfully loony shadetree wrench in upstate NY can screw together a 40-year-old fiberglass bathtub on an even older English chassis powered by a no-tech garden tractor engine and do JUST AS WELL, exactly what is all that extra money FOR?

Jerry didn't do "JUST AS WELL" he did better. According to this article, he did waaaay better...


2014 Volkswagen XL1 First Drive - Automobile Magazine

Volkswagen’s new one-liter car fell short of its lofty fuel-economy claims by about 50 percent, netting “only” about 160 mpg.

“One-liter car” is Euro-speak for the gold standard of green driving; a car that consumes one liter of fuel in 100 kilometers, or the equivalent of 235 mpg. VW actually claims 0.9 liter per 100 kilometers (261 mpg) for the XL1. Mind you, these figures come from standardized European testing, which typically yields results that skew higher than U.S. fuel-economy ratings. The Toyota Prius, for instance, gets a combined rating of 3.9 liters per 100 kilometers (60 mpg), whereas the EPA rates the car at 50 mpg combined.

After 135 miles in test car number three, the trip computer reports the equivalent of 147 mpg, an average speed of 23 mph (which, even for Switzerland, is very slow), and 127 miles of range remaining. This isn’t the whole story, because my consumption hovered around 118 mpg in test cars one and two, excellent for a two-seater that can top 100 mph but below par among a competitive group of *****-footers.

I'd say that he didn't just beat VW... He spanked them... Lol.

I can't wait to see how he does this year.





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[changzuki]

XL1 quick look:
Length 153.07 inches
Width 65.55 inches
Height 50.47 inches
Weight 1752 lbs
3-inch ground clearance
Two-cylinder 47-hp 800cc turbocharged diesel engine coupled with 27-hp electric motor
DSG 7-speed automatic transmission with magnesium housing
Top Speed 99 mph
0-60 in just over 12 seconds
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Centurion quick look:
Length 156 inches
Width 59 inches
Height 41 inches
Weight <1200 lbs
4.5-inch ground clearance
Three-cylinder 17-hp 855cc normally aspirated Kubota diesel tractor engine
8 Speed manual transmission - Triumph Spitfire 4 speed with optional overdrive
Top Speed 88 mph
0-60 in over 12 seconds just like the XL1 - lol!
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~CrazyJerry

[Xist]

Oh good! Just fast enough for time travel!

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by Xist

Oh good! Just fast enough for time travel!

That's it! It does look like a DeLorean!



Even the louvres on the rear window, since last year

[changzuki]

The Delorean above sure is a neat car, but at ~2700 pounds, throw the elephant a bag of peanuts..
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Still lots to do:
Check and re-check
Torque and re-torque
Shim and re-shim...
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With just 10 days left , Centurion may have just had her last fuel/timing shim adjustment for the 2016 Green Grand Prix.
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A 24 mile round trip test ride to the local big box store and she's never run better!!
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More in the days to come!!
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~CrazyJerry

[Xist]

As far as I am concerned, the best thing about the DeLorean is it made a cool part of "Back to the Future," but I hear it is "Actually garbage."

[elhigh]

^^
Don't knock DeLorean too hard. Some decisions that were made in the name of budget constraints necessarily constrained the car to underwhelming performance. The PRV V6 was never intended to be a sports car engine, but it can be encouraged to be less of an embarrassment with a little work.

I am too psyched to hear how the Centurion does in the GGP. I have no budget to travel or time off from work, or I would be sorely tempted to make the trek. It looks like a blast.

Jerry, I've been reading about you for years - I think before I even joined Ecomodder. It seems only fitting to me that it would be someone like you that points up just how silly some of the major manufacturer's "achievements" are in the face of a little determined tinkering.

If you push past 250 again, I think we should all invest heavily in building brand-new Centurions with little diesels under the hood. I can imagine a weekly fill-up to the tune of three gallons!

[GreenHornet]

"If you push past 250 again, I think we should all invest heavily in building brand-new Centurions with little diesels under the hood. I can imagine a weekly fill-up to the tune of three gallons!"

The Spitfire/GT6 is actually a really nice platform to use for high mileage prototypes. The chassis only weighs 100lbs and the stock suspension components are relatively light. There is also a very mature mod community for these cars so lots of competition components to be had. It never takes me much time to find a good deal on these cars.

I think for the average Joe these cars can make a lot of sense if you are willing to spend the time learning how to build something yourself. I for one would also love to see more Centurions and there derivatives on the roadways. In the next few years I think between CJ's Centurion and my Centurion we will have a pretty darn good idea of the potentials of these cars. I think this will help out the cause for others to press forward with there own Centurion builds.

The great news is that both CJ and me will be there for support. Every Centurion that I have seen are unique but the core car platform is the same. This is also the beauty of these cars is that they are easily modified to your own individual needs and desires. To me you get a lot more out of the Centurion than just a car. You get your own work of art and personal satisfaction that is impossible to obtain down at your local car lot Not to mention a car that can win the Toyota GGP multiple years in a row now besting 250mpg that's just icing on the cake in my opinion

Best of luck CJ at the GGP I along with everyone else will be watching eagerly stay safe out there.

Team Centurion FTW

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by GreenHornet

"If you push past 250 again, I think we should all invest heavily in building brand-new Centurions with little diesels under the hood. I can imagine a weekly fill-up to the tune of three gallons!"

The great news is that both CJ and me will be there for support.
:

What? Are you nuts? I'm retiring after this year's Green Grand Prix so the torch is now passed to you GreenHornet - lol!!
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~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by elhigh

^^
Don't knock DeLorean too hard. Some decisions that were made in the name of budget constraints necessarily constrained the car to underwhelming performance. The PRV V6 was never intended to be a sports car engine, but it can be encouraged to be less of an embarrassment with a little work.

I am too psyched to hear how the Centurion does in the GGP. I have no budget to travel or time off from work, or I would be sorely tempted to make the trek. It looks like a blast.

Jerry, I've been reading about you for years - I think before I even joined Ecomodder. It seems only fitting to me that it would be someone like you that points up just how silly some of the major manufacturer's "achievements" are in the face of a little determined tinkering.

If you push past 250 again, I think we should all invest heavily in building brand-new Centurions with little diesels under the hood. I can imagine a weekly fill-up to the tune of three gallons!

Thanks elhigh. Since joining this forum I've seen alot of great ideas thrown around and some make it to the streets. There's a ton of knowledge here and if everyone could actually get together and blend it all into one grande build we might have something that would really rock the current automotive roots!
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~CrazyJerry