Why I sold My Miata: Replacement car pics.
04-17-2013, 05:49 PM
#202
Boost Pope
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Funny you say this, as it's one of the things that bothers me about normal cars. Even with the Miata, the ratio of "me" to "car" being moved around seems ridiculously askew. Why do I need to waste all that power and energy pushing 2,100 lbs of car around, when the only thing I actually care about is the 200 lbs of me and a few additional lbs of cargo that I happen to be carrying?
Obviously the situation is even worse when dealing with larger vehicles, SUVs, etc. Much has been said about the inefficiency of otto-cycle engines, wherein only a small fraction (perhaps 30%) of the potential energy of the fuel is converted into useful mechanical power.
I find it far more offensive that of that mechanical power, only 5% is used to move the occupant of the vehicle, with the remaining 95% being used to haul around the relatively useless dead weight of the vehicle itself.
Obviously the situation is even worse when dealing with larger vehicles, SUVs, etc. Much has been said about the inefficiency of otto-cycle engines, wherein only a small fraction (perhaps 30%) of the potential energy of the fuel is converted into useful mechanical power.
I find it far more offensive that of that mechanical power, only 5% is used to move the occupant of the vehicle, with the remaining 95% being used to haul around the relatively useless dead weight of the vehicle itself.
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04-20-2013, 12:02 PM
#205
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It's one solution, albeit one that I acknowledge to be unacceptable to most.
Small, light cars would be another.
Now, this is where **** really starts to get weird, IMO. So far as I know, the Smart Fortwo is the smallest car you can buy in the US right now. Seems like this would be a radical step in the right direction, no? I tell you- that little ****** weighs 1,800 lbs and only gets 36 MPG. How on earth is that even possible? It's probably got the highest mass-to-volume ratio of any car ever made, and the poorest economy-vs-size ratio of any hardtop vehicle in the past 20 years. I can't even imagine how I'd fail that hard if I were trying.
Things were looking bright for a while, though we seem to be sliding back in the direction of big-n-heavy again. At 24 MPG, the total average fuel economy of the whole US fleet is exactly 1 MPG poorer than that of the original Model T in 1913.
When I look out at the parking lot of the lab where I work, I see two pickup trucks, one Chevy Suburban, one Ford E150 van, one supercharged Merc SLK, one Toyota Sienna, and a dozen or so large four-door sedans. Plus the one empty spot where my Miata would be if I hadn't biked to work.
Small, light cars would be another.
Now, this is where **** really starts to get weird, IMO. So far as I know, the Smart Fortwo is the smallest car you can buy in the US right now. Seems like this would be a radical step in the right direction, no? I tell you- that little ****** weighs 1,800 lbs and only gets 36 MPG. How on earth is that even possible? It's probably got the highest mass-to-volume ratio of any car ever made, and the poorest economy-vs-size ratio of any hardtop vehicle in the past 20 years. I can't even imagine how I'd fail that hard if I were trying.
Things were looking bright for a while, though we seem to be sliding back in the direction of big-n-heavy again. At 24 MPG, the total average fuel economy of the whole US fleet is exactly 1 MPG poorer than that of the original Model T in 1913.
When I look out at the parking lot of the lab where I work, I see two pickup trucks, one Chevy Suburban, one Ford E150 van, one supercharged Merc SLK, one Toyota Sienna, and a dozen or so large four-door sedans. Plus the one empty spot where my Miata would be if I hadn't biked to work.
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04-22-2013, 09:16 AM
#209
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Maryville TN
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Current auto design updets me too. a beeter way exists. the cat that is my forum namesake was 3200lbs, fit 4, had cargo space, and got a no bs 48mpg hwy and about 38 around town with me using lots of full throttle. And it was not a SLOW car.
Also, I'm probably selling the green car. Asking 25k. I need to simplify my life some.
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04-23-2013, 08:44 AM
#212
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trust me, its cool by me. I like good discussions with smart people.
Current auto design updets me too. a beeter way exists. the cat that is my forum namesake was 3200lbs, fit 4, had cargo space, and got a no bs 48mpg hwy and about 38 around town with me using lots of full throttle. And it was not a SLOW car.
Also, I'm probably selling the green car. Asking 25k. I need to simplify my life some.
Current auto design updets me too. a beeter way exists. the cat that is my forum namesake was 3200lbs, fit 4, had cargo space, and got a no bs 48mpg hwy and about 38 around town with me using lots of full throttle. And it was not a SLOW car.
Also, I'm probably selling the green car. Asking 25k. I need to simplify my life some.
Originally Posted by fixed..
trust me, its cool by me. I like good discussions with smart people.
Current auto design upsets me too. A better way exists. The car that is my forum namesake was 3200lbs, fit 4, had cargo space, and got a no bs 48mpg hwy and about 38 around town with me using lots of full throttle. And it was not a SLOW car.
Also, I'm probably selling the green car. Asking 25k. I need to simplify my life some.
Current auto design upsets me too. A better way exists. The car that is my forum namesake was 3200lbs, fit 4, had cargo space, and got a no bs 48mpg hwy and about 38 around town with me using lots of full throttle. And it was not a SLOW car.
Also, I'm probably selling the green car. Asking 25k. I need to simplify my life some.
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04-24-2013, 09:32 AM
#213
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Location: Maryville TN
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It has a tuned up Porsche 914 motor
- 1.7l case with 2.0 crank
-103mm jugs and pistons
-2.4 liters, fresh build ~2500 miles
-SCAT c35 cam
- Deep oil pan for extra cooling and capacity
-NEW dual Webber 44 IDF carbs
-MSD Ignition
-901 transaxle from 911/914
-axles and cv’s are high strength EMPI units
The suspension hard parts are from a Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky
Shocks are Ohlin’s
The frame was made around these parts by a fabricator and Porsche master mechanic in Kentucky. His shop is called Speed Inc; he has made several chassis.
The car corners like magic. 0-60 time is about 6 seconds. Simple air-cooled reliability.
Summary:
-skystice suspension stuff
-1400 lbs
-120 HP
STREET LEGAL GO KART.
needs nothing ready to drive and show off!
some video:
tags: ariel atom, miata, corvette, lotus 7, seven, se7en, spitfire, sprite, mgb,
- 1.7l case with 2.0 crank
-103mm jugs and pistons
-2.4 liters, fresh build ~2500 miles
-SCAT c35 cam
- Deep oil pan for extra cooling and capacity
-NEW dual Webber 44 IDF carbs
-MSD Ignition
-901 transaxle from 911/914
-axles and cv’s are high strength EMPI units
The suspension hard parts are from a Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky
Shocks are Ohlin’s
The frame was made around these parts by a fabricator and Porsche master mechanic in Kentucky. His shop is called Speed Inc; he has made several chassis.
The car corners like magic. 0-60 time is about 6 seconds. Simple air-cooled reliability.
Summary:
-skystice suspension stuff
-1400 lbs
-120 HP
STREET LEGAL GO KART.
needs nothing ready to drive and show off!
some video:
tags: ariel atom, miata, corvette, lotus 7, seven, se7en, spitfire, sprite, mgb,
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04-24-2013, 10:33 AM
#215
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Maryville TN
Posts: 878
Total Cats: 79
I had just had an alignment, and went back after the incident and it put up the same numbers with no adjustment. The front tube was not hurt at all save for the tiniest flat spot....so small maybe its just an imperfection in the powder coat. So that and some new dezus fasteners and she is good as new.
-Brad
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