What Would Janis Do???

For some time now, I've been idly contemplating buying another car. I dearly love the Storm, but, as I originally titled it, it is less than perfect. While it runs like a top and (since I preformed a couple of minor modifications) pulls down a solid 30 miles per gallon, it obstinately refuses to pass the California emissions test.



I have a few criteria that I would like it to fulfill. Good to great mileage would be a huge plus. Easily passes emissions would be nice, but even nicer would be something exempt. Automatic transmission isn't a deal maker or breaker, but if I had my 'druthers, I would go with an auto. Something with a drop top would be nice, but barring that, at least a sun roof would be nice.

One of the first I considered was an old Opel GT. I've always loved the "baby corvette" styling. Old enough to be smog exempt. My dad has been going on about getting a 'vette for quite some time now. I found one that looked to have been sitting for years, on a little trailer, for a very reasonable price. Could it possibly be like the Falcon, where all it really needs is air in the tires, a live battery under the hood and some gas in the carb??? I told my dad about it (at my niece's graduation, in fact) and he was somewhat fascinated, especially after I mentioned that I'd seen big block Chevy engines swapped into these. He googled and found some that had this and similar treatments. He even went out and took a look at it, and while the body was in good condition for its age, the interior had seen better days. Pretty much as I would have expected. I had visions of swapping a Toyota 4 banger and automatic transmission into it for reliability and mileage. Back to the realm of reality, I really have no time or inclination for another project. I let this one go.



For quite a while I've been thinking of VW Diesels. They are famous for consistently pulling down around 50 MPG. Diesels are smog exempt. My preference would be a 2-door dasher wagon or, better yet, a Caddy pickup truck. Physics, the less weight you're hauling around, the better mileage, performance, and handling you're going to get. Of course, the bulk are going to have stick shifts. Other thoughts I'd kicked around for ages were rigging a small electric motor to the rear axle and a bank of batteries. Traffic slows down or comes to a stop??? Switch to electric and burn no fuel at all. Could be charged by plugging it in, using the motor as a generator, or from the vehicles charging system. I even had an idea of constructing a tonneau cover for the bed comprised of solar electric panels!!! I'd thought it would look pretty sharp with the passenger compartment roof cut off, too. (Paint Shop Pro to give you an idea of my vision!!!) However, the Caddy trucks seem to pull down a fairly high price, or if they are reasonably priced, seem to sell very quickly.

Lots of VW Cabriolets out there for good prices. They are also plentiful in the junkyards. I'm sure they would get decent mileage. Not smog exempt, though. I've considered buying any kind of VW diesel and swapping the drive train into a Cabriolet, that would merit me a trip to a smog referee. See notes above on getting into another project. Also, it always kind of bugged me that the rear windows don't roll down all the way. Looks wrong.

I saw one late 80's Mustang rag top that sounded good. The price wasn't too steep. It had a 4 cylinder and automatic. Mileage can't be TOO bad with a 4, right??? But, smog. Maybe it'd pass easily every time, but who knows??? The other strikes against were that the plastic back window was gone out of the back, and it needed the brake master cylinder replaced. Master cylinder is easy for me, but it still had the other two strikes. Also, I had visions of its little sewing machine engine laboring to get up to highway speed.



Another thing about diesels, you have options on the fuel. They can easily be converted to run on straight vegetable oil (used deep fryer oil, they say, and you exhaust will smell of what was cooked in it. I'd be hitting up the donut stores), or you can brew your own diesel fuel by mixing the veggie oil and alcohol and a tad of lye. Mix it for a while and let it settle out, a bulk of diesel fuel rises to the top, and a small amount of glycerin settles to the bottom. No foreign oil reliance!!! Let the Detroit auto makers and politicians blather on about E85 ethanol, that's really not a new technology, just a way to keep using the same old tricks and try and give people a warm fuzzy feeling or something. Of course, neither is the brewing of biodiesel or running on SVO new technology. Rudolf Diesel originally used just this type of fuel.

Of course, besides full size pickup trucks, there are only two major auto manufacturers that make diesels in the States. I've already touched on one. Tomorrow I will likely go and take a look at one from the other manufacturer. Sounds nice, has an automatic transmission, and a sunroof. I will probably take my camera along and will update you.

I think Janis Joplin would approve.