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

[changzuki]

- Team Civic brings a boat-tail!-
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M&L Loveland step things up a notch this year with the creation of a boat tail on their Civic.
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If you've never been to the Green Grand Prix, it is not uncommon to see competitors push their vehicles to the line, especially those who are farther back and have to wait for numerous cars ahead to be released:
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(Photo courtesy of rustygirl - 2016 GGP)
(rustygirl's GGP 2016 album is located here at: northeastwheelsevents.com)
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It wouldn't be long though, and the Civic was out on the International Raceway doing what she does best:
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(Photo courtesy of rustygirl - 2016 GGP)
(rustygirl's GGP 2016 album is located here at: northeastwheelsevents.com)
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During the event, there is a mandatory 5 minute pitstop. This car looks as good sitting as it does driving!:
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(Photo courtesy of rustygirl - 2016 GGP)
(rustygirl's GGP 2016 album is located here at: northeastwheelsevents.com)
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Leaving the pit-stop, the Civic cruises out effortlessly to continue the quest:
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(Photo courtesy of rustygirl - 2016 GGP)
(rustygirl's GGP 2016 album is located here at: northeastwheelsevents.com)
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At the end of the day, the Civic logs 98.70 mpg!
(I believe the Civic and Centurion had similar experiences at the pump.)
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Below is shot of the Civic at speed during the 2016 Green Grand Prix:
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(Photo courtesy of Gasoline Fumes - 2016 GGP)
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Team Civic graciously hosted an after-event get-together and I think we covered every hot-topic on the planet - lol! Thanks Team Civic!
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(Photo courtesy of CrazyJerry - Seneca Lodge - 2016 GGP)
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~CrazyJerry~

[UltArc]

Ha ha, that was a GREAT after party. Wish I sat closer to the drinks, though. And we never got to religion... Politics, guns, other fun things... But we skipped religion

Lol, Jerry, I want to put in writing that Alfred State pushed their car off the line this year. Team AeroStang will be looking for this next year...

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by UltArc

Ha ha, that was a GREAT after party. Wish I sat closer to the drinks, though. And we never got to religion... Politics, guns, other fun things... But we skipped religion

Lol, Jerry, I want to put in writing that Alfred State pushed their car off the line this year. Team AeroStang will be looking for this next year...

Glad to hear Team Aerostang is still fired up! We had a great visit this year at the GGP and the Aerostang looked great!
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~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

Putting the "Grand" into the Green Grand Prix
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Next up is the Grand Poobah - the Dodge 3500 complete with the "666" performance pack (Six cylinder, Six Speed, and Six wheels!)
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Complete with utility bed, this Dodge was the heaviest vehicle out there! With no aeromods this stock work truck would need a great piece of driving to pull out some attention getting numbers. But first it would need to get out on the track. Here's the Dodge tucked in behind Centurion in the event lineup:
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(Photo courtesy of Gasoline Fumes - 2016 GGP)
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If you didn't see it as the hawk flies, here's a better view down on the false grid:
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(Photo courtesy of Redneck - 2016 GGP)
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Out on the track the big Dodge handled that nice uphill just fine! Centurion was actually pulled backwards by the draw of the Cummins cooling fan:
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(Photo courtesy of Gasoline Fumes - 2016 GGP)
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It wasn't always smooth sailing with 40 plus cars on the track:
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(Photo courtesy of Gasoline Fumes - 2016 GGP)
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Depending on driving style, the traffic can actually break your strategy so you've got to be pre-planning when jockeying for a line:
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(Photo courtesy of Gasoline Fumes - 2016 GGP)
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As the big Dodge 3500 rolls in for a mandatory pitstop, rustygirl is ready with the lens:
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(Photo courtesy of rustygirl - 2016 GGP)
rustygirl's GGP 2016 album is located here at: northeastwheelsevents.com
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And as the work truck coasts by a mighty wind-blast can be felt:
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(Photo courtesy of rustygirl - 2016 GGP)
rustygirl's GGP 2016 album is located here at: northeastwheelsevents.com
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But the pit-stop is halfway for this hauler. East downward bound, loaded up and truckin', Redneck cruises to a 22.67mpg and another award goes to an ecomodder!
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(Photo courtesy of rustygirl - 2016 GGP)
rustygirl's GGP 2016 album is located here at: northeastwheelsevents.com
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Redneck writes about his fist time out on the Watkins Glen International Raceway for the Green Grand Prix in this posting, and I couldn't agree more!
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(Photo courtesy of redneck - 2016 GGP)
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(Photo courtesy of redneck - 2016 GGP)
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Great job by Redneck and the Dodge 3500 that drove up from South Carolina to compete in the 2016 Green Grand Prix!
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~CrazyJerry

[redneck]

Next up is the Grand Poobah - the Dodge 3500 complete with the "666" performance pack (Six cylinder, Six Speed, and Six wheels!)

"666"

Now that's funny...

Lol...




>

[Xist]

Why retire? No further modifications?

[Xist]

Originally Posted by sheepdog 44

I recall getting out and doing a good deal of pushing up to the start line.

Where did you get the original image? Thanks!

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by Xist

Why retire? No further modifications?

Retiring this Centurion from competition has many reasons. One being that any further modifications start to really drift away from the design of the original Centurion - and that's the car I fell in love with 34 years ago when I bought the Feb 1982 Mechanix Illustrated magazine.
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But that's not the only reason. Even before the car was built and on the road, I had every intention of "dethroning" the Avion. Centurion is lower, lighter, slippery enough, and not nearly as hungry. The huge fly in the ointment was the thought of trying to replicate the 1984 border-to-border run some 3 decades later. Roads and traffic change. Then there's the mad-texters out there that create a huge safety concern not to mention the logistics and cost of recreating the attempt. And what if there was a mechanical failure way on the other side of the country. After much thought, I ditched the idea entirely. But another event was realistically within my reach...
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The Green Grand Prix was intended to be a one-shot deal and whatever mpg numbers I got, I'd stick on the fender. After that initial 214 mpg run in 2014, I was invited back for 2015, so I thought I might as well challenge myself to do better. In 2015 that happened when Centurion logged 250.64 mpg. And once again the little car was invited back to following year's event. In 2016, the 200 mpg barrier fell once again @ 204 mpg. Three years, three consecutive wins is as surreal as building a Centurion decades after seeing it on a magazine cover, and unlike the Avion's border-to-border run, this history is much easier to replicate should anyone decide to take a crack at it.
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All said and done, it's time to retire her as a champ and leave the door open to those who have also have put in their time and will go on to compete in future Green Grand Prixs.
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This is not to say there won't be some R&D with Centurion or possibly other new projects.
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As of right now, Centurion has a few appearances to make...
and she's nearly ready!!!
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~CrazyJerry

[GreenHornet]

I for one have really enjoyed the past 3 years CJ watching you rebuild your Centurion to the remarkable level it runs today! I am sad you are hanging up the gloves but I get it and what better timing than to go out on the top of your game on your own terms. Not many people can say and do this so for that I respect the decision completely

You have been a big inspiration to me CJ and while one Centurion legend retires another will be born to continue the legacy

I compliment you on all of your success CJ and look forward to your new projects especially TriMagnum.

Take care my friend,

GH

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by GreenHornet

I for one have really enjoyed the past 3 years CJ watching you rebuild your Centurion to the remarkable level it runs today! I am sad you are hanging up the gloves but I get it and what better timing than to go out on the top of your game on your own terms. Not many people can say and do this so for that I respect the decision completely

You have been a big inspiration to me CJ and while one Centurion legend retires another will be born to continue the legacy

I compliment you on all of your success CJ and look forward to your new projects especially TriMagnum.

Take care my friend,

GH

Thanks GreenHornet and I cannot wait to see how your Centurion project goes!!!
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~CrazyJerry