400hp 5.0, 80mpg
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 427
From: Perrysburg, OH
400hp 5.0, 80mpg
My Grandma lives out near this guy's shop, drive past it every time I go see her. I never realized what he was building in his spare time tho.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...73322544602949
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...73322544602949
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,173
Registered User
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 602
From: Alpharetta, GA
No link was available, but this was taken from the Corvette Forum:
I'm calling 
Originally Posted by Vette Forum
Napoleon, Ohio -To find the future of the auto industry, Doug Pelmear looked to the past.
The Napoleon mechanic says he's perfected an engine developed by his grandfather 60-years ago--an engine that gives his 1987 mustang 110-miles to the gallon.
"My grandfather had the idea back in the 40's that he can make a difference then," Pelmear says, "There was quite a need at that time also with the war going on and everything, there was quite the need then." And quite a need now.
So, Pelmear says, he wants to market his invention to save the U.S. auto industry.
"This'll bring back the automotive industry when they can sell trucks and SUVs' and the models that are almost dead at this time," Pelmear says. And the Mustang is no slacker, either. Pelmear says it goes 0-60mph in a neck snapping three seconds, and has a top speed of about 180 m.p.h.
"Even those of us who grew up in the muscle car age, this will pretty much blow your muscle car away," developer Mark Schnitkey says with a grin.
While Pelmear won't let us look under the hood, he says the technology can easily be applied to smaller engines for even better gas mileage. He's entering the car in the prestigious Progressive Automotive X competition; a race where inventors from around the world compete for the best mileage with a car that is the most marketable. Pelmear says, his technology is very marketable because it will allow people to drive large cars and SUV's without sacrificing gas mileage.
Rocket Ventures, a subsidiary of the Regional Growth Partnership of Toledo, tested the car, and business development manager Todd Davies says, Pelmear's claims seem to be true.
The Napoleon mechanic says he's perfected an engine developed by his grandfather 60-years ago--an engine that gives his 1987 mustang 110-miles to the gallon.
"My grandfather had the idea back in the 40's that he can make a difference then," Pelmear says, "There was quite a need at that time also with the war going on and everything, there was quite the need then." And quite a need now.
So, Pelmear says, he wants to market his invention to save the U.S. auto industry.
"This'll bring back the automotive industry when they can sell trucks and SUVs' and the models that are almost dead at this time," Pelmear says. And the Mustang is no slacker, either. Pelmear says it goes 0-60mph in a neck snapping three seconds, and has a top speed of about 180 m.p.h.
"Even those of us who grew up in the muscle car age, this will pretty much blow your muscle car away," developer Mark Schnitkey says with a grin.
While Pelmear won't let us look under the hood, he says the technology can easily be applied to smaller engines for even better gas mileage. He's entering the car in the prestigious Progressive Automotive X competition; a race where inventors from around the world compete for the best mileage with a car that is the most marketable. Pelmear says, his technology is very marketable because it will allow people to drive large cars and SUV's without sacrificing gas mileage.
Rocket Ventures, a subsidiary of the Regional Growth Partnership of Toledo, tested the car, and business development manager Todd Davies says, Pelmear's claims seem to be true.
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,238
From: Wet Coast
Ford has quite a few European models that achieve better than 40 mpg!
Face it, even the "Patriotic" domestic brands seem to screw local consumers and put their best cars overseas while we settle for less.
One guy, Jonathan Goodwin I think is his name, is building hybrid/diesel engines with a turbine system and is building one for the Governator right now.
It's doable. Why isn't GM doing it? Because they seemed to be about 10 years behind the trends in other cases.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 189
From: Antioch, CA
Actually...
Ford has quite a few European models that achieve better than 40 mpg!
Face it, even the "Patriotic" domestic brands seem to screw local consumers and put their best cars overseas while we settle for less.
One guy, Jonathan Goodwin I think is his name, is building hybrid/diesel engines with a turbine system and is building one for the Governator right now.
It's doable. Why isn't GM doing it? Because they seemed to be about 10 years behind the trends in other cases.
Ford has quite a few European models that achieve better than 40 mpg!
Face it, even the "Patriotic" domestic brands seem to screw local consumers and put their best cars overseas while we settle for less.
One guy, Jonathan Goodwin I think is his name, is building hybrid/diesel engines with a turbine system and is building one for the Governator right now.
It's doable. Why isn't GM doing it? Because they seemed to be about 10 years behind the trends in other cases.
Registered User
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2
From: Austin, TX
If it really is true, I'm sure he will mysteriously "disappear" soon and the design for this engine will be "lost". The U.S. Government and the oil companies will say that they are "unsure of the source of this unfortunate event", but they are "looking into it."
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,238
From: Wet Coast
Don't forget that the ****ing Model T got 25 mpg with 1900s technology.
Fox body 5.0s got 15 mpg city. New Mustang GTs get 15 mpg city.
So...I understand there's a weight difference and all, but with a 20 year technology leap, they couldn't improve it one bit, even with a smaller, more efficient engine?
It's absolutely indisputable fact that vehicles overseas are much more efficient than ones here.
PS:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007...-speedster.php
. The Eco Speedster, with its surprisingly diminutive 1.3-liter ECOTECH CDTI, tops out at 155 mph and clocked an average fuel economy of 113 mpg over a 24-hour road test. A combination of low weight (660 kg/1,445 lbs), minimal drag, mid-engine design, and a 5-speed automatic transmission let the Eco Speedster rip and sip at the same time. Opel built the car to spotlight its ability to make highly-efficient, next-generation diesel cars that are a blast to drive. GM (Opel and Vauxhall’s parent company) sadly doesn’t seem particularly interested in sharing such cars with its North American customers. (more pics after the fold)
Last edited by mr00jimbo; Jul 2, 2008 at 12:15 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 503
From: CA
Automotive makers give what the people want and for the last 20+ years, gas has been cheap and Americans happy.... There is no need to put millions into developing a better more efficient engine when the current design worked just fine...
When you think about it, the engine in a 2008 vehicle is essentially the same exact thing that was used 50 years ago.... Not much has really changed in the basic operations... sure, things have been improved, but it's still the same design
Necessity is the mother of all invention, and hopefully due to this "crisis" engineers will realize its time to change and that the money is in making a better engine
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,173
It's not in their best interest; there are exterior forces preventing this. Perhaps big oil is a big funder of car companies or maybe it's too hot out and I'm making up conspiracy theories?
Don't forget that the ****ing Model T got 25 mpg with 1900s technology.
Fox body 5.0s got 15 mpg city. New Mustang GTs get 15 mpg city.
So...I understand there's a weight difference and all, but with a 20 year technology leap, they couldn't improve it one bit, even with a smaller, more efficient engine?
It's absolutely indisputable fact that vehicles overseas are much more efficient than ones here.
Don't forget that the ****ing Model T got 25 mpg with 1900s technology.
Fox body 5.0s got 15 mpg city. New Mustang GTs get 15 mpg city.
So...I understand there's a weight difference and all, but with a 20 year technology leap, they couldn't improve it one bit, even with a smaller, more efficient engine?
It's absolutely indisputable fact that vehicles overseas are much more efficient than ones here.