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View Full Version : 100 mpg+ cars with gasoline since the 1940's or maybe before.


drimportracing
10-30-2008, 03:05 PM
These are cars that only use gasoline or diesel as a power source.
It can be street legal or track use.
Feel free to post any examples you may know of.
I'm going to post the first one: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2986760377_fa13f39231_m.jpg

The Avion

http://ecomodder.com/blog/2008/10/13/diy-100-mpg-car-road-20-year-hiatus/

Chuck
10-30-2008, 03:25 PM
Never got around to posting the Honda that got 136mpg 17 years before the Insight

Delta Flyer - CleanMPG.com (http://www.cleanmpg.com/) - November 1, 2006

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/506/z600.jpg
The S600 normaly got over 40mpg and had a 136mpg run

In August, 2006 an Insight got 164mpg (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2233).

In 1999, Car and Driver got 127mpg, also in an Insight with drafting.

How long have Hondas smashed the 100mpg barrier?

Try around 1972 in the predecessor to the CVCC Civic.

Wikiapedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Z600), mentioned an air-cooled Honda Z600 getting 136mpg as the 1973 oil crisis was about to hit. The material was from 4Car (http://www.channel4.com/4car/feature/feature.jsp?id=1717&page=9), but they are probably not the magazine that did the 136mpg run. I'm glad they translated the fuel economy as 1.7 l/100km, as this established it as getting 136 US mpg. Otherwise, it's possible it "only" got 113 US mpg if it used British measurements. Also note the Z600 was running at speeds under 30mph. It was impressive then and still remarkable today. One can dream how it might have done on the Insight Marathon on it's seven-gallon tank with a few mods.

The S600 looks a lot like the 1973 Civic, only it's smaller:

two-cylinder/354cc in Japan - four-cylinder/598cc in the export version
35hp on the 598cc engine
Weighed about 1,300 pounds
Cost about $1,300
Front-wheel drive
Was the last air-cooled Honda
Was the car that saved Honda from leaving the automobile business
4 or 5-speed
Was only sold on the West Coast in the US (although I remember seeing one in Texas)
Could seat four (looking at the rear seat that is very debatable)
The 1973 Honda Civic was much bigger relatively speaking (see Z600 brochure (http://my.reset.jp/~inu/ProductsDataBase/Products/HONDA/HONDA_Z/HONDA_Z.htm))
It was the second Honda sold in the US. The first was the N600 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_N600). Matt Timon of www.gassavers.org (http://www.gassavers.org/) is restoring a N600 (http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=402&highlight=n600). The Z600 had a sportier look.
Zero-to-Sixty in 26 seconds
Maximum speed - 75mph
Normal driving you could expect 40mpg
Length - 117.9 in
Width - 50.9 in
Height - 50.1 in
Wheelbase - 78.7 in
About S600's 15,000 built between 1971 and 1972. Maybe 2.5% of them left.Honda and Keicars

Right after World War II, the Japanese tried to find a way for the public to afford cars. Just like the CAFE rules led to the SUV boom, Japan created incentives for cars no larger than today's Smart cars - the keicar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keicar). This helped a mechanic that contracted with Toyota - Soichiro Honda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soichiro_Honda). He would go out on his own to make the largers manufactur of motorcycles. In the 1960, Honda stated to make keicars. The scarcity of resources after World War II would make fuel economy a priority of Honda cars for years to come.

drimportracing
10-30-2008, 03:38 PM
Delta Flyer that's cool I didn't know about that one.

Here is another link, With a good story about some amazing results. Unfortunately I can't find detailed pics of the car but here is one of the young inventor Tom Ogle under the hood:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3156/2987694236_27a15a0627_m.jpg



The Link: http://www.rexresearch.com/ogle/1ogle.htm#nohoax

drimportracing
10-31-2008, 10:12 AM
Here is an Opel that got 376 mpg with some interesting history:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3051/2989481234_35daa2459a_m.jpg

And the story: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/05/01/big-oil-conspiracy-376-mpg-opel-uncovered/

drimportracing
10-31-2008, 10:47 AM
How about 150 mpg just two years ago?

The Loremo:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2988695799_79e8d6cbbd_m.jpg

The link: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/27/loremo-debuts-150-mpg-concept-car-in-geneva

Chuck
10-31-2008, 10:50 AM
The Loremo is actually running yet?

drimportracing
10-31-2008, 10:59 AM
The Loremo is actually running yet?

Here is the update, scheduled for release in 2009 now with LOWER FE only 118mpg and listed for twice as much as the 2006 estimated prices, still it would be a good buy I think.

Here is the 2007 link: http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1048/


More research and a newer link Sep 08, production looks like 2010, this is sad isn't it?: http://evolution.loremo.com/content/view/100/136/lang,en/

drimportracing
11-18-2008, 03:52 PM
The Moonbeam

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/3042125470_e34890f443.jpg

Here's the link: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6omtd/jorysquibb/index.html

hobbit
11-18-2008, 08:48 PM
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/pix/ggp07/
.
_H*

drimportracing
11-18-2008, 10:22 PM
I spy? You win.

Showbizk
11-19-2008, 08:18 AM
Along this line, if you can find the old movie, "The Water Engine," it's worth your time.

drimportracing
11-19-2008, 08:38 AM
Along this line, if you can find the old movie, "The Water Engine," it's worth your time.

Thanks, I found this...Movie made for TV from play.
Here is the link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105788/

PaleMelanesian
11-19-2008, 08:54 AM
The Moonbeam

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/3042125470_e34890f443.jpg

Here's the link: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6omtd/jorysquibb/index.html

This one's cute. ;)

Walter
11-19-2008, 12:04 PM
Never got around to posting the Honda that got 136mpg 17 years before the Insight
.....

The S600 looks a lot like the 1973 Civic, only it's smaller:
two-cylinder/354cc in Japan - four-cylinder/598cc in the export version
35hp on the 598cc engine
Weighed about 1,300 pounds
Cost about $1,300
Front-wheel drive
Was the last air-cooled Honda
Was the car that saved Honda from leaving the automobile business
4 or 5-speed
Was only sold on the West Coast in the US (although I remember seeing one in Texas)
Could seat four (looking at the rear seat that is very debatable)
The 1973 Honda Civic was much bigger relatively speaking (see Z600 brochure)
It was the second Honda sold in the US. The first was the N600. Matt Timon of www.gassavers.org is restoring a N600. The Z600 had a sportier look.
Zero-to-Sixty in 26 seconds
Maximum speed - 75mph
Normal driving you could expect 40mpg
Length - 117.9 in
Width - 50.9 in
Height - 50.1 in
Wheelbase - 78.7 in
About S600's 15,000 built between 1971 and 1972. Maybe 2.5% of them left.


Alas, I briefly owned a Honda 600.
It threw a rod on the way home picking it up from the owner. :mad::mad::mad:

The kid I bought it from did some last minute work on it after I test drove it and forgot to hook up the cooling fan -- air cooled engine!! The Mass. lemon law didn't cover me; it protected against a car not passing inspection but they wouldn't inspect a non-running car. The kid's father made him give the money back.

The Cartalk guys used to talk about the Japanese auto companies making some terrible practice cars while learning how to make good cars for the American market. This was one. I knew someone who drove one and he seemed to do a lot of mechanical work on it.

The first Subaru I ever saw was a 360cc car in 1960's -- it did not inspire confidence. I think that there was a tax break for cars less than 360cc.

I doubt that a Honda 600 would get 136 mpg in any kind of normal driving.
--Walter

Showbizk
11-21-2008, 08:45 AM
This one's cute. ;)

She's a doll, but I don't think I've ever seen an uglier wheeled, powered vehicle in my life!

scissorhands
11-26-2008, 03:22 AM
The canopy door design is a real winner, but those front fenders look like they catch a lot of air??

Overall the shape doesnt look too slick, though the girl attracts the eye for sure

fusion210
03-14-2009, 08:05 PM
Here is an Opel that got 376 mpg with some interesting history:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3051/2989481234_35daa2459a_m.jpg

And the story: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/05/01/big-oil-conspiracy-376-mpg-opel-uncovered/

I'm not sure if it has been posted yet, but I found it on youtube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt7VDBWAJmc&feature=related

xcel
03-15-2009, 03:47 AM
Hi All:

___Of course the Insight has breached that number numerous times but the Prius-I has been over the peak. Prius-II of course. HCH-I and II have been there although all but the Prius-II have only been for short segments as has the Civic iCDTi. We also have the CRF230L and XT250 bikes as well.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/504/Prius_I_MFD_880_miles_-_79_0_mpg_-_pegged_5-minute_bars.jpg
Prius-I with 5-minute bars pegged

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/504/103_0_mpg_19_5_miles.jpg
HCH-II

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/504/Prius_II_World_Record.jpg
Prius-II

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/523/2007_Civic_iCDTi_Hatch_-_138_3_mpg_-_23_miles_to_the_Interstate.jpg
Civic iCDTi

___Only the Insight, CRF and XT could do it day after day (during the summer) however.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

diamondlarry
03-15-2009, 06:05 AM
I did 876 miles at 101.1 with everyday type driving last summer in my '07 Prius.

xcel
03-15-2009, 09:47 AM
Hi Larry:

___The reason I place the Prius in the "not daily basis" catagory is becasue its average is way down from 100 and if you are over 35 mph, it is not really a 100 mpg vehicle. The same with the HCH-I and II's going advanced.

___I missed a few... I suspect the old 3-cyl. Lupo, upcoming 4-cyl and the even more fuel effcient 3-cyl. Lupo could do 100 on a daily basis? The Fiesta Econetic might be able to do it in a slow speed all-highway commute??? A few more bikes including most .125L ones from the majors in Europe. I have read of the Smart Fortwo CDI pulling 100 once or twice but that one would not pass the muster on a daily basis. I doubt the BMW 116d could do it either it but it would be fun to try ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne



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