Jesus james, haven't you ever heard of an extension cord? Sure, with copper prices at all time highs, it can get expensive. But just with the cords I have in my garage I can get almost to the local Albertsons (I don't mind parking near the street and walking a little).
Who Killed The Electric Car?
by chrisjoel 56 Replies latest jw friends
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james_woods
My ancient grandmother ran over ours when we made her cut the grass with our electric lawnmower.
She claimed it just "shorted out" all on its own, but my careful forensic analysis showed evidence of a clear cut by blade.
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SixofNine
Grandmothers can get so pissy about doing the lawn. I make mine buy her own cords now.
Heres the story on the Air car. A formula1 engineer had an engine idea one day (something about articulated connecting rods):
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/66/air-car-ready-for-mass-production.html
In this case, when we say "compressed air", we really mean compressed air.
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james_woods
OK - I offer this up to our left-wing anti-oil and anti-car activists who will no doubt be overjoyed to hear it. Electric Ferrari brought to a halt by lack of battery power.
I had to drive the Ferrari Testarossa in to my mechanic yesterday morning on battery power alone. (Lost the alternator belt, you see, and thus it has no recharge to keep the ignition going). It is about 15 miles from my house to the specialty shop I use near Love Field.
It made it all the way up to about two blocks north of the shop on Old Denton drive, when the ignition just quit firing. This 12 cylinder car has two complete ignition systems and distributors, one for each bank of 6 cylinders left and right of the crank, as well as dual electric fuel pumps and injection systems, so I guess it did the best you could expect under the circumstances.
We put in a new battery, and they are rechecking the alignment on the alternator pulleys to see why I am losing this belt so often - I think the third time since I have had the car;.
So you see, I am just a little sensitive today on the subject of range with electrical propulsion.
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SixofNine
Too bad you didn't have some pantyhose with you to craft a belt, James.
Hey, do you know the witness guy in Dallas that was an honest to god Ferrari tech? I can't remember his name, but he was a good friend of my uncle. I've even wondered if you are him, James, but if I remember correctly this guy would be about 50ish at most.
Seems like the guy was a little "iffy", JW-wise 25 years ago or so. I don't have any idea if he'd be in or out at this point.
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BurnTheShips
You guys make your grandmothers mow the lawn?
You people are evil.
BTS
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hillbilly
"Suburbia" killed the electric car....and city buses and trolley cars........ I blame it all on the Levitt dude ....he invented the "subdivision" out on Long Island.
A lot of cities are trying to bring work and residents back to the core of town. Maybe after we dispace all the city dwelling "homeless' back to the country side they will become "hobos" again........just like the 1930's.
Hill
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VoidEater
Hillbilly: Careful of your spiritual health - I think you just saw the future...
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RubaDub
That is why Gasoline in my opinion needs to remain at 4 dollars a gallon so people will start to change their driving habits.
Stilla ...
Good point. I think 5 dollars would be even better.The automakers won't produce the more fuel-efficient cars here unless people refuse to buy the gas guzzlers.
Every time I go overseas I rent cars that get much better mileage than anything (other than hybrids) we buy here. And I'm not talking little, tiny cars. Get on the highways on Europe and see how many VW Golf and Diesel Jetta blast by at 100mph yet getting between 40 to 50mpg.
This subject pisses me off more than anything.
Rub a Dub
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james_woods
No, a JW Ferrari tech doesn't ring a bell, but I did know a JW, Martin Radloff years ago in Oklahoma City who was a bonafide Porsche Tech - German immigrant and was trained by the factory in Stuttgart. I had first a 1969 911 and later a 1972 911 at the time. Martin was not a conventional witness either, I kind of think he married an American witness girl and just went along with it so to speak, to keep the peace at home.
He used to give some truly great all-night mens chess & whisky tournament parties at his house, and knew some of the most interesting people you could ever hope to meet. I think I was the only nominal JW other than him invited into this group.
Now, that pantyhose idea would not be practical for a Testa. This has a big flat-twelve in the back (mid-engine) and the alt belt is right up against the firewall behind the two seats. You cannot even see it from above. I still do not know how they manage to change the belt without having to pull the engine. Maybe that is why it is so hard to get tightened enough and into alignment.
For the record, I am a software architect for a telecom & business software company here in Dallas.