I have been watching the gas prices going up and been thinking of making a hybrid roadster. Ok here is my id, Get a wrecked Toyota Prius Build a Roadster around the drive system that the Prius uses. Strip all the hybrid parts out to put in a roadster. Put batteries in the enclosed engine compartment and the engine in the trunk of the roadster. This would make it rear wheel drive I hope Get 60 to 250 MPG in a good looking roadster
Ummmm....no. If ya can't afford gas, don't have a hot rod. What you have described would be a 'not rod'.
Don't panic just yet. We went through this in the 70's when gas went from 30 cents to damn near a dollar a gallon. Our world would end! That was the end of performance cars forever. I started a Pinto powered 27 roadster. V6 resto-rods came out of the woodwork. We had to down size the engine or we were done....pure panic. It never came true. We adjust. Gas will come down. Not to where we want it to be but, when the panic subsides, things will mellow. If you are interested in this technology, that's great but if it's a knee jerk reaction to the gas prices...give it some time. The people getting rich off of high prices don't want to kill the golden goose either.
Well it´s not rich kids that drives rods and customs in Sweden, and the gasprice is 6.10, just dont go alone on long trips!
Have you seen the underside of a hybrid? It's completely stuffed with crap-no way to fit that under a roadster. A greasel would be an easier build and the fuel would be a lot cheaper...
That is best summary I would be able to think of. Heck there are a couple of the 4 cylinder Turbo Motors being used too. That technology is intriguing and still get gas mileage. I'm still gonna build the 3x2 small block I am working on
"Better to walk or ride a bike than to commit the atrocity you speak of." Why? Think of this, a glass bodied roadster with the engine ine the back (under the truck/turtle deck of a '27 T), place the batteries up front under the glass hood. Run without fenders in a car that would be around 1500-1800 lbs. You could drive everywhere on next to nothing for fuel costs. To top it off you could laugh at people that need to gas up every few miles 'cuz they're only getting 12 mpg. A car that light wouldn't need a ton of horse power to motivate it efficeintly and it would be a ton of fun. That's my take on it... r
The mechanics behind a hybrid electric are a hell of alot more complicated than you make them out. Greasel uses existing diesel engine components with an additional heater (off an Arctic cat Snowmobile) to heat the grease.Engine starts in diesel, then an electric relay trips and the motor starts running on VEGGIE power. The first combustion engine ran on olive oil-it's just a matter of making the oil hot enough.
The "don't panic" advice is excellent. I concur wholeheartedly. Interest in emerging technology is one of the things that keeps this hobby/lifestyle moving. Don't be afraid to use new components and methods if they suit your purpose. On the other hand, I think a hybrid power setup probably has a serious weight penalty in comparison to, say, a 2.5 Ford motor from a Ranger pickup hooked to a T-5. Not to say the other wouldn't work, but the simplicity of a lightweight car and fairly efficient little engine might take a lot of work to beat. Of course, if you are interested in it for the thrill of figuring out how to exploit the new technology, go for it.
"Greasel uses existing diesel engine components with an additional heater (off an Arctic cat Snowmobile) to heat the grease.Engine starts in diesel, then an electric relay trips and the motor starts running on VEGGIE power. The first combustion engine ran on olive oil-it's just a matter of making the oil hot enough." Jeepers, Do you have more specific information available on this? I've been thinking about looking into this for my '54 pu. r
#1...Prius' don't get that great mileage! We are testing one in work, and it gets decent mileage in the city, about 50-60. On the highway, it gets much less. The car switches between it's internal combustion engine, and it's electric according to demand. In the city, it can run on electrics longer. Braking regenerates some energy back into the batteries, so it's even more efficient in the city. #2...As said, those cars are damn complicated. Lots of interlocks to prevent it running off on it's own. The guys who drive them complain because there are so many different procedures that have to be done in sequence to do things we take for granted, putting it in Park, putting it in Neutral, doing any maintenance on it... #3...Lots of computer control....nuff said!
Then just get a Toyota Prius and paint a picture of a roadster on the side. If all you are interested in is the "look" of a real roadster, then that would be just as close to being a hot rod.
I think most of you are missing the point completely. This is an exercise in thinking outside the box and innovation for our hobby. Hell, I'm building a glass roadster that will have an all aluminum Buick V-8 in it along with other similar weight-saving measures. I think it will perform modestly and get great gas mileage to boot. That means more money to spend on the T coupe that's next. Think it over. It makes sense. r
greasel.com -I've been kicking the idea around with Texas Hardcore about doing a greasel dragster with a Cummins turbodiesel-all I need is funds, like everything else
I was thinking it could be cool to combine a Hybrid with Hot Rod stuff too. But I would put a Blown Big Block in a Honda Insight...
Haha...... you'd be lucky to get 60... as a matter of fact Consumer reports didn't get close.... "For hybrid cars, which are marketed as a great way to save gas, the differences are even greater. The EPA claims the Toyota Prius gets 60 miles per gallon, but Consumer Reports found it's really just 35."
Another place to check- http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library.html I ran my last daily on chip oil for a year with an inline heater thinning the veg oil on it's way to the pump. Plenty of info out there. Here's my old one! I added about 10% paraffin to help it start, but it would run on neat oil when up to temperature, even in the winter. Been meaning to convert the truck I'm using now. I think the recent price hike should help me get round to it! A diesel in a truck makes sense - but it'd be a bit harder to swallow in a hotrod...
Did yall see that article in the current Hot Rod Magazine that talks about diesels doing stupid quick times @ the strip and still getting mid-20s MPG from a 700+ HP mill?
If you're looking for easier, more practical alternative fuels, look up Ak Miller, and his propane (?) powered vehicles. Ak was a true hot rodder, and countered the lower energy value of the gas, by turbocharging the engines. Propane has a higher Octane, so boosts, and ignition timing could be pretty high. Read all about him and his cars int he70's.
I can't think of a better way to have $15,000 worth of unuseable junk laying in the garage in baskets. If you can't afford a hot rod, get another job or take up fantasy football. Stop listening to the doomsday Media and have some fun with your life. Ok I'll take my medicine now
I like the idea of running anything on renewable fuels aka ethanol (E85) or bio-diesel. IMHO, Hybrid/Electric cars are smoke & mirrrors for continued use of oil. but I probably have a biased opinion cause I grew up in corn country....
It coudl be smoke and mirrors. It could be the next thing to sliced bread. Just a Idea i though about sharing with others. Thanks for all the input.
"IMHO, Hybrid/Electric cars are smoke & mirrrors for continued use of oil. but I probably have a biased opinion cause I grew up in corn country...." Why not use methanol in a hybrid? The reason I'm using the all aluminum Buick in my rod is so I can explore alternate fuels, like Methanol and even Hydrogen derived from water. How renewable is that? r
They are going to build hybrid Silverados... Electric motors have the same torque at 1 rpm as they do at 2500 rpm... Maybe a better application is to use electric motors with clutches the as rear wheels on a normal hot rod with ridiculous high geared rear end (1:00:1), have there electric motors spin until the car is up to a reasonable speed so the IC engine doesn't bog, and lock the clutches, continue as normal. Not that I would have a clue how to do any of this... But these people might http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/science/031215wheel.html
There was a battery operated roadster in Street Rod Magazine a few years ago. If I recall correctly, the entire floor was covered with batteries. Sorry, don't remember the year.
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