How Are You Dealing With The Fuel Price's!

[OHIO]

Cars got better gas mileage in 1980 than they do now, we are in big trouble if our technology is going backwards.

Are you kidding me? You honestly think our technology is going backwards?

[deaknh03]

I don't think that, but cars in the 70s got in the high 30s mpg, we just haven't moved the needle all that much.

[tyrius.]

I don't think that, but cars in the 70s got in the high 30s mpg, we just haven't moved the needle all that much.

Yeah right. Those cars may have gotten in the high 30's if they were in neutral and going downhill.

[deaknh03]

Yeah right. Those cars may have gotten in the high 30's if they were in neutral and going downhill.

VWs

[J Francho]

Haven't moved the needle much? You're kidding, right? VW's? LMAO.

What other cars in the 70s got high 30 mpg?

And what kind of emissions did those cars spew?

What was the horsepower/displacement ratio?

What about basic performance stats like acceleration, cornering, and braking?

Yes, I'm having a yurt delivered via camel next week.

Seriously though, if we've figure out how to extract 300+ ponies out of a little 4 banger, then it seem logical that we can squeeze 50 mpg out of a gasoline engine. it just takes time. Gas had been cheap, and development methodologies have been centered around a different set of performance goals (read as what the market wants - peppy, nimble cars that are big and safe, an oxymoron really) and it takes time for big corps like automakers to change direction, especially if it doesn't need to to sell cars. Hopefully the recent troubles and subsequent restructuring made themselves a little more nimble.

Men on the the moon? I thought they did that on a Hollywood set.

Anyway, my full size pickup gets the same fuel economy as my 15 year old Nissan Maxima did. I see that as a significant improvement.

That improvement alone allows me to own a full size truck and a boat.

[tyrius.]

VWs

Right, I forgot most people were driving around in those tiny little Bugs.

Most websites reference in the 20's for gas mileage on the older beetles. Those VW vans are certainly not getting in the high 30's.

You probably meant the early 80's cars. Those had some high mileage options, but the cars sucked big time and no one bought them, also gas prices dropped again and consumers went back to higher performance over fuel economy.

BTW, you're still on an 0fer.

[Root beer]

Tyrius, I found your proof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_CbuQKT8SU

[tyrius.]

Tyrius, I found your proof:

Nice find.

You can buy it here.

http://waterpoweredcar.com/

[CODbasser]

looks like it time to convert a diesel to bio diesel, start stealing mcdonalds used cooking oil, and stock up on tires made of hemp.. lol

[Lund Explorer]

It's so mind boggling that I don't know who is telling it like it is .Do any of you know what you're talking about ?

I'm pretty sure that Long Mike might know something about the oil industry. Though his profile doesn't mention exactly how long he has worked in the field, I'm sure a few people would agree he was probably there when they punched the first hole at Spindletop!

[Fishing Rhino]

Ok, maybe not patents, how about ideas that are bought up before they get patented. Obviously we as common folk have no "proof", but common sense tells me if I made 250 billion yearly on the sale of something, and someone invented something to circumvent the use of my product, I would buy it for a couple of million to keep my product viable. We have sent a man to the moon, 40 years ago, and with all of the other technological marvels we as humans produce, we can't run a car on anything but fossil fuels? Not logical thinking.

"OK, maybe not patents." The "documentaries claim it was patents, not ideas." How do you buy an "idea"? For an auto, or oil company to "buy" an idea, they'd have to know that it was more than an idea. They'd want to see the finished product, and verify that it performs as claimed. Then the company would have to patent the idea/product.

Should they fail to patent the idea/product, there is nothing that would prevent the person who came up with the idea from conspiring with a confidant, giving him all the info he would need to "invent and patent" the idea/product.

The company would have no claim against the co-conspirator because he has no agreement with said company.

The problem is, you have to believe the oil companies are basically evil, gobbling up any and all advances that might reduce our consumption of their product. If they are that evil, then they will not buy an idea without being able to patent this wonder carburetor. Sans a patent to protect their evil investment it would be possible for the original inventor to double cross them with the above scenario.

It's way too complicated. There is no way any carburetor known to man, including the notorious Fish carburetor will deliver a hundred miles per gallon in the average car we all drive.

There is a lot more to the fuel delivery system in a car engine than the carburetor and/or fuel injection. In fact, a gasoline engine is really nothing more than an air pump. The more air it can pump, the more power it can deliver. The valves and ports determine how much air an engine can pump. A NASCAR Sprint series engine is 358 maximum cubic inches, with a Holley four barrel carburetor. Today, they produce well over 800 horsepower, closer to 900 than 800. This is accomplished by maximizing air flow through the air filter, carburetor, manifold and head ports and finally the valves.

They maximize power in existing air movement by changing the jets in order to obtain the optimum air fuel mixture.

[Root beer]

I'm pretty sure that Long Mike might know something about the oil industry. Though his profile doesn't mention exactly how long he has worked in the field, I'm sure a few people would agree he was probably there when they punched the first hole at Spindletop!

Don't poke the bear, you'll get ban.

[bilgerat]

Sign seen hanging in an automotive engineer's office (Supposedly a true story as written in a national automotive magazine in an article about the fallacy of electric cars.)

"Electric cars. Fast, cheap, reliable.

Pick any two..."

Ask any proponent of electric vehicles about the emissions generated by the coal fueled power plants required to run the charging apparatus. (Substitute nuclear for coal if you'd like). Sure you will decrease emissions from the cars but there's a trade off. I agree internal combustion engines have run their course. The best diesels run at about 33% efficiency, but the cost of diesel is prohibitive. Diesel has always been superior to gasoline efficiency wise. Modern automotive diesels have advanced to the point of being equal and in some cases surpassing gasoline in performance. Split injection (in which the injection cycle is divided into multiple stages occurring in 1/100's of a second) has all but eliminated the familiar diesel knock. Smoke is a thing of the past.

But with diesel prices exceeding gasoline, right now they are not a viable option.

The moral of the story is there is no quick solution.

[Dan:]

I am dealing with prices by upgrading to a new ride:

[SirSnookalot]

Do I believe large corporations are evil, no but they will do whatever they can to maximize their profits and sometimes they can step over the line.

Many years ago a CEO of a major restaurant chain called on the phone to set up a meeting as he liked our ideas and wanted to a joint venture, he lived in the same city. After several meetings he was interested and said that he was going to get his real estate people involved to set up locations. That was the last contact with him, a number of months later a few eateries pop up behind our back,idea taken. Illegal.....no, morally wrong.....probably not from his standpoint, but a case of a billionaire taking advantage.

I have done business with some very large corporations and know some extremely wealthy people, most don't get that way without stepping on some toes.........they will push the envelope.

[Fishing Rhino]

Individuals can be every bit as corrupt as large companies. Even retired military officers.

Here's a case I have personal knowledge of, and I will name company names that were involved.

When I left my job as general manager of a production woodworking company on Cape Cod, I was approached by one of the principles in a company by the name of Mason and Sullivan in Osterville, on Cape Cod. It was founded by a Mr. Ed Lebo, who had recently sold out to CML or CLM Associates.

Mason and Sullivan sold clock kits for everything from simple mantle clocks to tall clock cases. They were marketed to hobbyists who dabbled in woodworking and crafts. CLM or CML bought companies that sold products for leisure time activities. Some of the more well known names included Boston Whaler boats, Hood sails and another company that sold tents and other outdoor activity equipment.

These "principles" wanted me to assemble these cases for them, and asked if I was interested. I was, and we struck a deal on a handshake.

A few months later, one of the principles, Bob F (Real name and last intitial) told me that for a small percent of each item, he could "steer" more business my way. He also told me that I could pad the price to more than cover his cut. During the conversation, Bob F related to me how Bob B (again, real name and last initial) had become the top honcho at Mason and Sullivan, once CML or CLM had acquired the business from Ed Lebo.

Bob B was a retired military officer, and at the time was in the employ of Brookstone Tools. They sold their wares primarily through catalogs. They dealt in high end, high quality woodworking tools such as screwdrivers, chisels, elegant workbenches, etc. Brookstone

Tools heard that Mason and Sullivan Co was up for sale.

They sent Bob B, a retired military officer to gather info about M and S. Once he had completed the job of getting all the pertinant details, including financial statements, etc., Bob B ran to CLM or CML with his packet of info. He made a deal with them to be the head of Mason and Sullivan in exchange for the info he had gathered. To the best of my knowledge, CLM or CML had no knowledge that he had acquired this info at the direction of Brookstone while he was in Brookstone's employ, and the deal was struck.

I told Bob F. thanks, but no thanks.

Shortly after I was made aware of this bit of history, I caught them lying to me, and severed my relationship with them, but not until I had put them through the wringer. They paid dearly. Bob F, who handled the logistics of getting their materials from my place and settling on a price for work I had done, couldn't agree fast enough to every number I threw at them. He knew what I knew, and that the only reason I knew was that he had blabbed it all to me. He was in a bind, and he knew it. In the end, I got three grand for what amounted to sixteen hours of work.

The other thing I tortured them for was that I demanded payment, either by cash or a direct deposit into my checking account. I told him point blank that I did not trust them to pay me by check.

He had to get the approval of Bob B, and when he called, Bob B flew into a tirade and asked to speak to me. He tried everything to get me to take a check from reasoning to ranting. I told him, they were liars, not to be trusted, and it was either cash or direct deposit. Until then, their truck which was loaded and parked in my driveway with a logging truck blocking their exit would stay. How long it stayed depended on how long it took for me to get either the cash, or confirmation from my bank that the money was in my account.

To throw salt into their wounds, I informed them that one of their employees had made an offer to me that he could get clock movements for me at half price. The only way that would be possible would have been for him to steal them. They wanted to know who it was and I refused to tell them.

I was ticked that they ahd lied to me, and derived a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure at sticking the knife in them, figuratively, and twisting it. From there, I went into commercial lobstering.

Here's a School Clock I made from reject pieces when I made a run of kits for the clock. Every piece had to be perfect, no blemishes, sapwood or other imperfections were acceptable in their kits. So I picked the parts for this clock out of the scrap barrel. Every blessed one of them.

The date on the image is when I took the photo. The clock was made more than thirty years before.

[jamarkwe]

Price's aren't changing my fishing locations at all. $2 or $5 I'm still going to the lakes I want and hunting the area's I want. You only live once. Just tighten the budget and you'll be fine.

Yup, I refuse to let the almighty dollar rule my life and make decisions for me.