Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hydrogen, Transportation Alternatives, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Natural Gas, On Two Wheels
Top 10 green cars that have been lost to time (1924-1973)
Modern Mechanix is a really great magazine that began in 1928. It's a lot like Popular Mechanics and Popular Science but focused on the efforts of do-it-yourselfers. There are lots of ideas we may think are new like compressed air cars and small cars but were chronicled in the pages of this magazine. Looking through the archives, it became clear how much cool stuff has been around for a long time. Below the fold you will find our picks for the top 10 articles about green automotive inventions.
[Source: Modern Mechanix]
1. Low-Cost Homemade Car Runs 40 Miles Per Gallon (Jun, 1950). Former college professor builds a car with the frame and wheels of a 1934 Ford and scrap lumber and it gets 40 MPG.
2. Water Succeeds Gasoline As New Invention Is Perfected (Dec, 1935). G. H. Garrett's split water into hydrogen and oxygen and ran a motor with little modification.
3. Three-Wheeled Auto Makes Speed with Low Fuel Cost (Oct, 1924). Flivver was designed in Germany and uses very little fuel. It can go 10 MPH, there were no taxes on it and you didn't need a license to drive it.
4. Flier Designs Streamline "Push Button" Car (Nov, 1938). Built by a California airman, this car lowers fuel use through clever designs like a covered front wheel. I think car car companies should do that today.
5. Japanese Minicar (Dec, 1958). Subaru 360 gets 60 MPG and can go 50 MPH. 54 inches high, 51 inches wide and 117 inches long.
6. A New Switch for Electrics (Jul, 1973). "A NEW day is dawning for the electric vehicle" is the start of the article about the electric vehicles of the early seventies.
7. Motorcyclette Has Speed, Comfort (Feb, 1932). This little bike saves on weight by getting rid of the brakes and using the rider's feet instead.
8.Motor Scooter Burns LPG (Dec, 1955). Ralph Carlton converted his scooter to run on clean propane, which is in a tank at the front. Is that "Green's fuel" on that back?
9. Postman Goes Around on Motor Scooter (Jul, 1939). Take THAT Segway! Postman Henry R. Smith built this gas powered scooter for $150.
10. Auto Fuel From Cow Manure (Sep, 1949). What better place to end, than in the end? Cars that run on poop. The "bio-gas" generator is not a new idea, the 1949 article says, and mentions uses dating back to 1912.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kardax 10:36PM (8/31/2007)
I think the original Ford Model T is available in a version that can run on pure ethanol.
They were marketed to rural farmers who had no gas stations nearby, and had to make their own fuel.
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Calguy 11:01AM (9/03/2007)
If we bust bast those amazing cars and get into current-ish models, a few surprises are the Renaul Alliance with pretty awesome estimated:37/52
And the totally knockout Honda Civic VX, with driver's airbag, great build quality, handling.. and 49/51.
If only new cars could have 15-20 year old engineering and effeciency.
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howard 12:11PM (9/03/2007)
I owned a 1951 Studebaker 4 dr. landcruiser with a 289 V-8 and standard 3 spd w/overdrive! We (my wife and a buddy with all our gear, we were going to do some underwater salvage work for a man in florida)went from Appleton, Wi to Miami, Fl. driving 70-85 mph, there were no Interstates and we spent most of the trip on US-1 trying to avoid all the speed traps they had/have in the South. We averaged 31 mpg for the entire trip. We got as high as 33mpg and as low as 22 mpg, the drop to 22 was when we couldn't find a PURE Oil station and had to fill up with TEXACO using their Ethyl! I've often wished I had put a 5 gal. can of PURE in the trunk but didn't want to take a chance of it spilling in case of an accident! Later I drove that car from West Palm Beach to Tampa and back then around town for a couple of days with a locked gas cap! A buddy and I made a bet, he said I couldn't go from West Palm to Tampa and back on a tank of gas, I let him fill the tank and lock the cap and keep the key! (no, i didn't have a spare key)so, if I ran out of gas I'd have to break the cap off! I'd like to find the engineers who designe that car and the running gear, if their knowledge was put into the cars we drive today with the advancements in technology 100-125 MPG wouldn't be a problem but,i'm sure they have passed on to the great ENGINEERING COUNCIL IN THE SKY!
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Amtoro 4:58PM (2/22/2008)
My father-in-law told me the story of one of his friends in Michigan, he had a Ford truck that was doing something like 45 mpg back in the 70's; when a friend check out the engine, he found the carburetor serial was non-existent, in fact that part had never been officially fabricated. They concluded it was a prototype that in some way got out of their sight and made it to a production car.
Ford kept contacting him to take the truck back due to a recall related to the fuel system, they never said what was wrong but he never took the truck to them afraid that they might have taken the carburetor off. I think we even transplanted it to another truck later on and maybe he still has it...
The technology is known, but for some rea$on, consumers never get to use it.
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Bruce McBurney 1:20AM (4/06/2008)
Hello
If you are really concerned about the global environmental and energy problems you need to read thru the following for energy and global warming solutions
Engines could be getting 5 time the fuel mileage and practically no pollution by converting gasoline into natural gas and methanol at the engine, but this technology has been suppressed for the last 80 years or so by oil companies
We share the truth and the right to know about SUPER Carburetors/F.I. the real solution to air pollution
PLEASE help share this knowledge! There is an amazing amount can be read for FREE on the Internet. If you are not online then the following books are available. Your purchase helps in many ways to fund this cause. We also have an excellent plan for those who could help by reselling these books. See contact info
http://www.himacresearch.com
Also www.fuelvapors.com
www.byronwine.com
HIMAC Research Publishing -- Book List -- All books $7.00 S&H
Our Latest publication is to much for a book it is on a CD. Himac will be doing more CDs on this information
"The APOD Fuel system" By Anthony P. O' Donnel from Australia. This is a CD jammed packed with his development of a device to triple your fuel mileage it comes with interactive Auto cad 2000 drawings and complete collection of notes testimonials pictures and text to help you build your own system. Also he has an article from 1927 with an fellow Australian inventor getting 85 -92 M.P.G. with a 1926 Chrysler over 500 pages $39.95
"Secret Super Mileage Report" by Bruce McBurney, Pub. 1996. -- The facts on special carburetors and how they produced natural gas and methanol for greatly increased gas mileage--up to five times, and how they drastically cut pollution. If you care about clean air and a healthy planet for your children, you need to know and share this information. This book explains how any of the pioneers in this movement set the stage for the new developments in this field. However, they didn't understand that the chemistry of the reaction or how the additives in gas prevented the systems from working. This book comes with a money back guarantee if you are not convinced.Over 1600 copies sold (with only 2 refunds). A must read for any researcher, environmentalist, or skeptic. -- 68 pages. $19.95 partial text on web site www,himacresearch.com
"The Hydro- Boost Manual" by Lee Brewer and Bruce McBurney, Pub.1999. -- A "How-to" manual on hydrogen-from-water power supplement and other ideas to increase mileage and cut pollution. Devices simple and easy to build and install; all parts are cheap, found in plumbing and local stores. No welding or machining required, just glue, drilling, and simple wiring. Increases vary 10 - 100%; but there is always less pollution. -- 52 pages. $29.95
"Secrets of The 200 Mile Per Gallon Carburetor" by Allan Wallace. --This 1997-revised version has patents, drawings, and instructions for the early vapor carburetors. It is 3 Books in 1. Book 1 is the above title. Book 2 is"Super Mileage Carburetors, How They Worked and How to Build Them" and book 3 is"200 MPG Carburetors Fact or Fraud" Around 3,500,000 copies have been sold. This is an excellent reference book, but doesn't explain the full chemical reactions taking place and the effect of additives. -- 116 pages. 29.95
"100 Miles per Gallon Seminar" by Donald E. Novak, physicist, Pub.1979. -- Explains the vapor carburetor theories, but not the Thermal Catalytic Cracking. His patents include the Pogue and Fish as well as others. He also gets into furnace technology. This former Kansas University teacher presents interesting evidence on the suppression of this idea. -- 89 pages. $29.95
"The Elusive High Mileage Carburetor" by Larry Wagner, Pub. 1984. -- This book explains the cracking of the fuel. His extensive study accumulated evidence in his research. He showed what he did to get 85 MPG in 455 C.I. Buick; however fuel additives killed his invention. -- 94 pages. $15.00
"The Secrets of the 100 mpg Carburetor" by Thomas O'Brien, Pub. 1981. -- There is research and information on the supercarburetors and several reprints of the Pogue newspaper information. He explains catalytic cracking and air ratios as well as the suppression of these inventions. -- 112 pages. $15.00
"The Oil Crisis Answers" by J.E. Jackson, Pub. 1977. -- Explains various aspects of energy efficiency from Super Carburetors to oil filters and alternative engines like the turbine. This information explains profits as the priority, not conservation. An interesting read. Part text on web. -- 143 pages. $15.00
" The Water Fuel Cell" by Stanley Meyer. Pub 1991. -- It has been said he ran a VW dune buggy on water only. He tried for years to get financial help; but when he finally got it, he died mysteriously while celebrating the deal. A newspaper stated "His car and information were seized with no one explaining how he did it." This is his original information and articles on his system, -- 2 books over 180 pages. $30.00
The Condensator is a device that uses catalytic reaction to break down engine oil vapours, that normally foul an engine, into useable fuel. It will only increase mileage by up to 27%; but it will decrease pollution by up to 75%. When you see what has collected in the container, you will be happy it did not go into your engine and into our air. The gasoline version is $179.00 USD for fuel injection or carburetor. The Diesel unit solves a major engine blow-by problem by trapping the unrefined oil in the container. This will reduce maintenance costs, air pollution and road oil pollution. The unit costs $400.00 USD-- plus installation.
A clean environment is important to us all! Please help by sharing this information!!
To order books or products, or for further information contact:
Bruce McBurney
HIMAC Research
6665 McLeod Road
Niagara Falls Ont. L2G 3G3
905 358-8541 fax aux 905 358-9439
http://www.himacresearch.com
We share the TRUTH and YOU have the RIGHT to know about SUPER-EFI! This is the "Air Pollution Solution". Our future depends on it. GET INVOLVED NOW!
The Answer to Cancer is
The Air Pollution Solution
The Super-Electronic Fuel Conversion System is the answer to many problems. Also known as a "Supercarburetor"
Early cancer research proved that less oxygen causes cancer. Everything that causes cancer falls into two categories: an oxidizer (something uses the oxygen) or something that prevents the transfer of oxygen into our system. Examples are tars, asbestos and silica. When the body has less oxygen it goes into an acidic state, and cancer only grows in acids. High oxygen changes the body to alkaline may put cancer into remission. Alternate cancer treatments are : Hyperbolic oxygen chamber, Ozone treatments, Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide and many other minerals and herbs that help Oxygen transfer
In 1850, cancer was 1 in 50 people, in 1900 1 in 35, now it's 1 in 3, forecasts are 75% will get cancer by the end of this century
Some internal combustion engines can use hundreds of times more oxygen than a person breathes. Furthermore, the person only uses a portion of the oxygen and expels most back into the air.
Everyone talks about high levels of carbon dioxides, carbon monoxides, nitrogen oxides and ozone. These are all compounds of OXYGEN. When is the last time anyone said anything about low oxygen levels in our air? If all these pollution levels are up, and all are oxides, the oxygen has to be down, right? OXYGEN is what we can not live 8 minutes without, and lower levels affect our health and energy. This "life giving gas" will be too low for survival, far before the planet's oil supply runs out. All these problems could have been prevented if we only had the technology available from it's beginnings in the 1920 s. In the early 1900's it was extremely rare for someone to die of a heart attack; apparently there were less than a handful a year, even though almost all food was preserved using salt.They had no refrigeration. Nowadays, what does the doctor tell a person not to consume if they have a heart condition? SALT! So why were people not dying by the thousands like now? They had no oxygen in bottles, no deflibulators, resuscitators, IV Drip or all the latest heart drugs.They didn't even have aspirins in the early 1900's. But there was a higher percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere!
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the suppression of one technology, has had the most dramatic impact on the world compared to anything before. In the long term, probably more people die or suffer poorer lives because of this suppression than any other short-term catastrophe or War before. Consider this: most wars have been fought over OIL!
POLLUTION is tied to most of the problems facing mankind: global warming--no, wait, call it "global wildening", and city air pollution, stress, asthma, bronchitis and allergies. Ever wonder why more people in cites suffer with allergies than people in the country (where the pollen count is much higher)?
But humans aren't the only ones suffering. The entire food chain is being affected in one way or another. We are a society that cannot give up transportation--and why would we? Our daily life is interconnected to fuels and energy that happen to affect our air, water and lands. Most foods and goods are reflected in energy and transportation costs.
Super-EFI technology is possibly the only chance our polluted world has for recovery. It will open the doors to many other new, suppressed inventions that would never be able to surface in this controlled world.
Think of it! Not just cars and trucks getting 5 times the mileage with practically no pollution but aircraft, marine applications, generators and all other combustion engines could be retrofitted.
Right now there are many researchers and inventors trying to get this technology on the market. If we can all work together through the Internet, through sharing information, we WILL make this technology available for EVERYONE!
Since 1996, the website www.himacresearch.com has become an exposure and contact point for many. Many more inventors and researchers have surfaced than ever before, making an overwhelming body of evidence that the claims are chemically and mechanically possible. But it is not profitable enough for those with political power, if vehicles are only using 1/5th of the fuel they do normally...is it?
Would YOU want to shoot your grand children? That is precisely the same affect the suppression of Super-EFI Technology has, What we ask is that you share this info with those you know so the suppression may someday end. If we all do our small part to get this information out, success will be assured! The technology WILL be exposed and properly developed! This is politically complex technology, where successful inventors are coerced into "selling out" or hiding for fear of disappearance. There are THOUSANDS of patents that have been filed, but no product on the market.
I did not start this--I just pursued it to the point where it has cost me my marriage and put me in debt. But what good is anything, knowing the future of all life is in jeopardy because of stupid greed? Ask yourself that question
Bruce McBurney
HIMAC Research
6665 McLeod Road
Niagara Falls Ont. L2G 3G3
905 358-8541 fax aux 905 358-9439
http://www.himacresearch.com
We share the TRUTH and YOU have the RIGHT to know about SUPER-EFI! This is the "Air Pollution Solution". Our future depends on it. GET INVOLVED NOW!
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