67impss

Hahahaha I'm kinda warped

In having a Chevy 1500 ext for the past 3 years I've come to realize I can't/won't be w/o a pick-up again. This is all about compromise part car so I can take the grand kids with me truck to haul /tow. Good MPG not your typical 0-60mph but I think I could live with it. I really envision doing a 1500 ext Chevy at some point with around 35HP.

OK so here's the premise I want to have the most utility using the least amount of fuel at the lowest cost with the most comfort for 5-6 people. Some of you with good memories will remember that I posted a link about 6 years ago of the Mad Maxx 10HP Chevy. A single cylinder diesel Yanmar air cooled clone engine coupled to the GEO Metro's manual 5spd via a Comet CVT.http://www.utterpower.com/10hp_chevy.htm I even talked to the Engineer for about 25 min long distance to get a better understanding of such a conversion. My background is I've graduated from LTI in Indy back in 79 and worked as a mechanic (auto,truck & Bldg) machinist & slightly dabbled in the drafting field. So I feel that I've a good handle on the project. My vehicle of choice has changed many times Metro,Legacy wagon,S10ext, now Dakota ext. Hell Ive even thought of a Fiero and an entire line of conversions ala Mad Maxx. I'll use small diesels out of commercial mowers or generators light plants ect... Those with fixed spd governors will be modded to variable and will be sourced as cheaply as possible on the net. Then the CVT had problems as Comet was sold in the Financial Melt-down and has not restarted under Certified ownership 2 years later I don't think they will anytime soon. So with Google I've found the CVT used in the French Micro Car Axium. Since the CVT is used with a Kubota and in a heavier auto verses a much lighter snowmobile or 4wheeler it will be easier to tune to my application. The power plant will be at least 22-35Hp & will be good for 60-80ft lbs of torque. The gear reduction will range from 55 to.76 to 1 so torque will not be an issue. The power to weight will be quite a bit less than a fully loaded Semi tractor trailer. I'll use a 5spd manual that will be semi-automatic w/o clutch using the CVT in loo of. At some point I want to incorporate a turbo and a SWVO fuel system also. The engines will be able to drive the truck to at least 65mph and at that speed get very close to 100mpg. It only takes 10ish HP to push a car through the air at 55-60 mph so the math should be about right and the extra HP will just help out the acceleration and top speed. OK so if you are interested in this project I need ideas on a vacuum pump for the brake booster and I've heard from others on the net using an electric pump but I'm thinking a mechanical pump from an Olds diesel. Any other constructive thoughts would be much appreciated but please no attacks ie white civic pix. Help me build it and realize my dream of never being stuck at home no matter what the price of fuel. I see potential of helping others while creating an income for myself also in this MAD MAXX WORLD.

Looks like a lot of fun but with all that pretty scenery I just wana go deer hunting.

And ALL muscle cars were not made with the chassis, suspension or steering or transmission to match the powerful engine. I'll say the tranny was up to spec on durability but then they weren't 8-10 speeds some only had 2. That said this car has brakes, engine maybe even a good 4spd add Bilstine's and c91 suspension bits and those pesky Germans would have a bit of a mess with this home brew. Me thinks thou protests too much. Do you envy someone that can create while you can or will only consume? People that build things even hobby cars are creative and have much to offer society.

Thanx for the input Griffon It's been a year of blue moons hasn't it . Take your shoes off sit down stay a while

Hahaha so true Olds he can't do a thing but open strategic oil reserves to lower gas by just a few tenths. Meanwhile the Iranians can raise havoc with just 2 or 3 PT boats. But if it goes up very high it'll sink him.

So true Ocn

Too many safety and electrics in new cars drives the cost up I mean even the Sonic has power a$$ wipe

This just pains me all of this wagon diesel & stick shift that we can't have. If they can force the electrics even ecodrive then I want a damned wagon and this IS a wagon not hatch. A$$ is longer than tall

Olds If you have the room then why not find a nice example and convert it. I'm gonna do my project and I'll post the Ideas I have and bounce it off you guys. It will be diesel and my first foray into the Mopar side. Ive seen almost everything converted electric so it's easier than you'd think. Only the battery purchase is very costly.

OK wiki for the win can't trust the grey cell as much as I used too The Chrysler A engine is a small-block V8 automobile engine from Chrysler Corporation. It was produced from 1956 until 1967, when it was replaced by the wedge-head LA engine The LA 318 was a 318 cu in (5.2 L) relative of the A 318. Like the A 318, it has a larger bore at 3.91 in (99 mm) as well as a stroke of 3.31 in (84 mm). It appeared shortly after the 273, in 1967, and proved tremendously successful.

That copper paint and RB block in a nine passenger makes it a perfect 10 I just reread that about it being a big 318 isn't it too late for that block looked like a 383 to me where's the Mopar Police around here to straighten this out for me?

For what you find around here this is a VERY good buy and one of my favorite cars. Yeah I'm with ya Olds on the LSS but ANY last gen 88/98 this clean or low miles is a find. The base 1998 88 I found for my youngest daughter did have an awfully soft suspension in it though. Unlike my 91 98 which road very close to the Intrigue my oldest daughter just got rid of. I prefer a sporting full sized car, like a B body Impala SS

I see myself building my diesel project soon like in the next 6 months.

I think I'm right on the make but year IDK. We had a lot of International Harvesters in the fleet I know of a 67or59 P/U that we had a flatbed and Hobart welder on it was a I6 flathead

el grande

Time to buy stock in turbo manufacturers

Yeah and why doesn't it have any miles it's just a normal car,heated & garaged kept

I like it and am glad GM was using what had wilted on the vine and we ended up with such a nice Acadia. But this begs for the answer to the Zeta question once AGAIN! Why oh why has it been left to ROT as it has? If we can get this for just a short time we could have had a Chevy Zeta for at least 4 years now and have grown a market for RWD Chevy's. I say sell all bodies and ship them over offer the wagon and ute and see what the take is then you could've had a bit of an idea of what to expect. I don't know anymore with GM, other than trucks 95% of volume will be FWD and that's how they like it. I'm not so sure that Chevy will shake out to even be the kind of car I'd buy anymore at least I have time before I could get back into the hunt again. I was expecting to see Chevy pick up for Pontiac in performance and with higher end cars like the Bonneville plus get some RWD cars added. How long must we hold our breath with GM's media blackout. Kids don't want cars and GM is running the faithful off as the boomers are aging and able to buy.

Oz

That's all

Happy birthday Dave!

Yeah if a Maytag still washes cloths they can put new badges on it new trendy colors and "dash" and it will still sell after all its just a box.

HA ha(Simpsons kid) but really that is a great find only better if it were a coupe or wagon. All the cop suspension should fit, Dayton's fleet of them handled great.