Re: [T3] Gas mileage experiments

[Jim Adney <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 29 Aug 2005 at 21:17, BOB2TYPE3S@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 8/29/05 5:30:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> dave@hallvw.clara.co.uk writes:
> 
> << I would expect the Fastback to have better aerodynamics than the Square 
> simply
>  from the shape, but then the Squareback is the only wagon I know that doesn't
>  kick up dirt onto its back window, so i wouldn't be surprised to find it has
>  unusual aerodynamics.
>  
>  The test was with an automatic; don't remember if yours was auto or manual, 
> Bob.
>  Of course, the figures were based on accurate speeds, rather than optimistic
>  speedo with low-profile tyres.  Even a half-worn tyre would give an error of
>  around +1.5% in speed over a new tyre. >>
> 
> I was the lone Notch (the blue one with the sunroof) intermixed among 2 or 3 
> (depending on direction of travel) Square's. Mine is definitely a MT car, and 
> with stock sized (165's) tires, with almost new tread. I'm not sure if my 
> trans gearing is part of the difference though, as I'm running a 3.88:1 single 
> side cover IRS trans in it. I do believe I was getting close to John's 
> mileage though, as we were both running stock carbs, and Jim had FI. Tom had Weber 
> 34's on his when he was running with us back toward Toledo, and I think his 
> mileage was similar to mine and John's.

All these variables really make this a very difficult way to make this kind of 
comparison. It would even be hard to do with 2 stock cars of the same year, 
since we know that there is even some variation there.

> To be honest though, I thought I was getting decent mileage
> considering the speeds we were traveling, as when we all finally
> seperated, I actually knocked about 10mph off of what I had been
> running. It didn't hurt that I was running in some of the heaviest
> traffic that I had all day (rush hour in Detroit). :O But then I do
> drive the car semi hard for a 40 year old car, even when I'm not
> running in a caravan. : ) I believe I was getting around 19.4 thru PA,
> but then on some of those hills we were running close to 90 down them,
> and 80-85 up the next one, as we were definitely using the
> conservation of momentum theory. :D  

Gee, were we really going that fast? Guess my memory is starting to suffer. 
I'll need to ckeck my mileage records, but I don't think I've ever gotten below 
20-22 on a cruise like this, but that could be selective memory again. 

> And after the reports from the 2002 Invasion, I knew I didn't want to
> be the one holding everybody up. :O 

Can you imagine what it would be like to be the one trying to enforce a 65 mph 
cruising speed?   ;-)

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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