60 MPG - Trad Rod Style?

only about 30mpg tops...the Seven has horrible aerodynamics, about the worst of any production car (Cd is about 0.7), this is why the top end is relatively low...they slow down quick when you lift off the throttle though, between the light weight and rotten drag coefficient you don't need to use the brakes as much as in most cars.
(BTW, off topic, but there is a great video of a Caterham Seven in race action at http://youtube.com/watch?v=YEy9QEyIAqk&feature=related
this guys starter failed on the grid, he bump started the car and then worked his way through a large pack from last place...pretty thrilling)

 

VW almost released the $17,000 46 MPG GX3. They touted it would get you in the HOV lanes.

 

wow. never saw this thread till now. i've been bouncing around ideas in my head for something along the lines of a high mileage, single person car for YEARS! gonna have to come back to this one when i have time to read it all...

 

The FJR is a touring bike. I'm talking about real sportbikes. Try the same trick with any Yamaha R6 or R1, Honda 600RR or CBR1000, Kawasaki ZX6 or ZX10, Suzuki GSXR 600, 750 or 1000 or a Triumph 675 and you will be flat out embarrased. Every one of those bikes will knock down low 10's at over 125mph and walk away from you like you are sitting still at almost any speed.

 

i seen a few year back that someone was running one of those lil legend race cars with a Harley 883 sportsters motor and the body kinda looked like a 34 ford

 

$40k-$45k, IIRC. I saw a couple of those at Americade a few years ago.

 

This has been discussed on here before but it's been updated and revised. Check out the Blackjack Zero by Tom Oakes: http://www.blackjackzero.com/mainindex.htm

 

didnt have time to read thru all the muck..but the group i think your talking about is out of washington state..they build the Liberty Sidecars for a nastalgic looking hack on Harleys..they are building a car exactly like you said you saw in the mag.

http://www.libertysidecars.com/

I just sold one of their sidecars that i had off of one of my Harleys..very good quality workmanship i must add..if this guy in Seattle Washington is building this thing its the shit. they call it ACE cycle car..limited supply hand built

 

Guess..........this might be a little bit of overkill !!!

http://www.bigbikeriders.com/48cyl.htm

 

Loving that one...

 

I've always pictured something like a Morgan;
But, with the back 2/3 of a Harley pushing the front 2/3 of a track nosed T.

 

How 'bout a Berkeley? These were actually rated at 60mpg. Also 65mph.
I've actually got one of these in decent shape waiting to be put back together one day.

http://microcarmuseum.com/tour/berkeley-b65.html

 

Pretty cool looking car. But 18 hp? Is that really enough on today's streets?

 

Depends on your commute I guess. It's all about power to weight and Berkeleys only weighed about 650 lbs. There were more powerful engines available though- all the way up to 50hp, which was good for 105mph if you were brave enough. I've heard of crotch rocket engines being swapped in too.

But no matter how fast it is, I wouldn't consider getting on a freeway in SoCal with one .

 

You guys might light this site...

I'm sticking to 4 wheels and going to try the 4-banger Duratec / Ecotec in a super 7 style frame (but with a 30's pickup body and bed. Gary

http://thekneeslider.com/motorcycle-powered-cars/

 

Grassroots Motorsports has started building one and has had a few articles in recent issues, there is some info on it at http://www.grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/berzerkeley/

 

There is a guy in MI that put a Harley motor hooked up to a 700R4 and put it in a Crosley wagon. I think it was at the Autorama this year for anyone that was there. I saw build pics, it looked pretty cool.

 

sounds very cool, got half way through a Locost build and want to build a space framed Track T someday, sort of a cross between a Seven and a Track T. Originally thought I'd want a V8 in it, but am currently driving a Seven Clone w/ a 175hp Zetec four and it is PLENTY in a 1300 lb. car.

 

Neat... I've always liked 7 style roadsters but never did one. If you wouldn't mind, I'd really enjoy picking your brain on them off board / via PM. Let me know. I was down to see the folks at Stalker cars today. Dennis and his son favor GM V-6's.... I hope I can convince them to build me an XL chassis I can drop a 31-34 Ford cab on!!! Later, Gary

http://www.bruntonauto.com/Builders/builder.htm