The end of the gasoline engine?

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LJS30

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Guys, is this the beginning of the end of the good old gasoline engine? A friend of mine theorizes that this whole gas crisis is going to set off an intense search for alternative fuels which will put an end to the gasoline powered engine. If it is, I can honestly tell you I never thought something like this would occur in my lifetime. My wife, says, oh well, electric motors are going to be great. However, for me, this is really a tragedy.
 
ya theres already lots of alternative fuels( electric, hydrogen, ethanol........) I can see why tho our big gas engines are only 30 % efficient, but the good thing is that if gas becomes less popular is will also become cheaper, uhauhauah :snakeman:
 
I can't say for sure..but my bet (even with the gas problems) is that "our" governments (North America) are doing some kind of conspiracy unknown to the public to get rid of all gas engines (just like the smoking laws thing) very slow but surely. With all the special deals - lets crush them 96 and older vehicles and the hype on new hybrids etc....you bet!

Is what really hurts is the feeling that "we" have something very special and proud that we put our hearts into (older classic's) and due to gas engines...one day they just may sit and be worthless! due to the fact they will no longer be able to be "daily drivers". I mean think about it...You have one, but it can't be on the street due to....emissions, gas and of course new laws.

A matter of fact...As it stands "almost now" with the price of gas I bet the numbers of classic buyers has dropped big time due to this. People are reading up on the future and can see what's happening.. I would say enjoy now before the AXE drops and we can do nothing about it but take the loss on having a classic...Just my point but you asked.

PS SAME AS - Did you know if you own your own place (It's not really yours). The Goverment just lets you think it is! If they want to put a highway through your house...they will, even if you say no!!!
 
A friend of mine theorizes that this whole gas crisis is going to set off an intense search for alternative fuels which will put an end to the gasoline powered engine.
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i don't think it will be the end of gas engines but they should have been intensely looking for an alternative fuel for years now.
 
if they had any plans on not using fuel anymore, do u really think they would be spending this much money on the war?
 
The political left is strangling us. Only one group of people is preventing us from getting at our own oil. Most of the recent rise in oil price is NOT DUE TO OIL SHORTAGE on the planet. It is simply due to the idiots in Congress and the Federal reserve crashing the value of the dollar. The same thing happened in the late 1970s. Thank you lefties and incompetants.:angryfir:
 
The infrastructure to support other fuels isn't there. What I mean is, fueling stations. Only the oil companies have that infrastructure and they are not about to convert all their gas stations to hydrogen filling stations, unless of course they are the ones selling the hydrogen, know what I mean?

Apparently in Iceland they put together a pilot project to build an infrastructure of alternative fuel filling stations to see if it could be done, but it's cost millions of dollars and they are a tiny country.
 
65s said:
The infrastructure to support other fuels isn't there. What I mean is, fueling stations. Only the oil companies have that infrastructure and they are not about to convert all their gas stations to hydrogen filling stations, unless of course they are the ones selling the hydrogen, know what I mean?

Apparently in Iceland they put together a pilot project to build an infrastructure of alternative fuel filling stations to see if it could be done, but it's cost millions of dollars and they are a tiny country.
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i agree but it has to start sometime and some place.
 
LJS30 said:
Guys, is this the beginning of the end of the good old gasoline engine?
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Not anytime soon. You may see a gradual decline in gas powered car sales, and an increase in some "alternative", but nothing matches the power density of a gallon of petrol. Besides, with literally millions of gas powered cars still on the road (median car age is close to 9 years) http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2004/02/09/179801.html
and it would be VERY expensive to the economy fro consumers to replace them. If it happens, it will be gradual, over 40 years at least, IMHO.
 
LJS30 said:
Guys, is this the beginning of the end of the good old gasoline engine?
Click to expand...

Maybe another idea on this...

I think folks may be forgetting how powerful the Detroit Lobby faction is...Look at the push to build a subway type infrastructure in this country in the 50's (I think)...that was almost completely squashed by the lobbying groups based out of Detroit (Automakers). Too much of our economy is based on Gas/Oil and automobiles. This will not happen until Detroit has a viable alternative...which will take YEARS to completely spin up. Do we really think that our Government is going to let the big 3 go away?

As a quick thought on this, why would the Government bail out Chrysler back in the day if this were not the case.

As has already been posted, I understand that there are large oil deposits in places where we are not allowed to drill...we have legislated ourselves into our own problem (Tree-hugger legislature). Folks do not want to see oil rigs from their beach front condos, or from their porch in Wyoming...But they seem to complain the loudest when gas is as $5.00 a gallon. By the way, these also tend to be the same folks that get trails closed because they do not want to hear the internal combustion engine while on their scenic trail walk (Yes, I was an avid off-roader before the Mopar bug hit). Hmm...and the problem is what?

Again, just a few thoughts, YMMV (Your Mileage may vary...).

Thank You!

OldMoparsRule
 
Well unfortunately its coming wheter we like it or not. I for one will flow with things if and when it gets that bad. What I mean is, Ill just right in and put the next BIG power making propulsion in my Valiant. If they outlaw my car for polution Ill retro fit something thats legal! Im sure you all would feel the same, that if they came knocking for your car, they would have a hell of a fight on their hands! If I have to conform to new regulations in order to save my car in 30 years, Im telling ya' Ill grab the latest fast HONDA at the time and take its GO system! I would hope my son will do what it takes to keep it on the road when that time comes!
 
Did anyone see the "Pass Time" episodes with the electrics? If I remember right, there was a Dragster, and a small pick-up or something..........

Refresh my memory................I'm not necessarily thinking street, but I'd sure like to study up on those guys. :read2:
 
Was a pickup anyway. Was pretty quick, but I don't remember the time
 
They arent taking my old mopars (or any of my cars for that matter) look at all the trouble memike had and he owned the valiant,now multiply that against all the car people in america ,not just mopars.
my cars arent going anywhere:bootysha:
 
The only ones who want your cars are the "Gore" tree huggers........ Vote carefully this year.

And if anybody has the snuff on those electrics on Pass Time, chime in.......

I think I'll start a new thread........I gotta find this guy and pick his brain.....:read2:

Anybody who can do a burnout like that with an electric has my attention. 8)
 
pastortom1 said:
The only ones who want your cars are the "Gore" tree huggers........ Vote carefully this year.

And if anybody has the snuff on those electrics on Pass Time, chime in.......

I think I'll start a new thread........I gotta find this guy and pick his brain.....:read2:

Anybody who can do a burnout like that with an electric has my attention. 8)
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I fly model airplanes as another hobby, and all electric at that. Up to about a 1.20 size plane (70" wingspan) Electric is competetive with gas engines in power, and much more quiet. However, flight duration is less, and costs is about 50% more for a similar powered setup. The batteries can be finicky, especially the LiPo (overcharge=fire, 100 or so cycle lifespan), in spite of their power to weight ratio. Nevertheless, electric is very convenient, just charge and fly.

But thinking minds may ask, "where does the electricity come from for the charger?" Either a coal fired generation plant or my car battery. Right back to fossil fuels!
 
Quote of the day on CNN. True or not.

"If gas made it to four dollars a gallon, there's nothing to stop it from going to five."
 
oldmoparsrule said:
Maybe another idea on this...

I think folks may be forgetting how powerful the Detroit Lobby faction is...Look at the push to build a subway type infrastructure in this country in the 50's (I think)...that was almost completely squashed by the lobbying groups based out of Detroit (Automakers). Too much of our economy is based on Gas/Oil and automobiles. This will not happen until Detroit has a viable alternative...which will take YEARS to completely spin up. Do we really think that our Government is going to let the big 3 go away?

As a quick thought on this, why would the Government bail out Chrysler back in the day if this were not the case.

As has already been posted, I understand that there are large oil deposits in places where we are not allowed to drill...we have legislated ourselves into our own problem (Tree-hugger legislature). Folks do not want to see oil rigs from their beach front condos, or from their porch in Wyoming...But they seem to complain the loudest when gas is as $5.00 a gallon. By the way, these also tend to be the same folks that get trails closed because they do not want to hear the internal combustion engine while on their scenic trail walk (Yes, I was an avid off-roader before the Mopar bug hit). Hmm...and the problem is what?

Again, just a few thoughts, YMMV (Your Mileage may vary...).

Thank You!

OldMoparsRule
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I agree completely with your take on this issue. I started this thread because a buddy of mine, non car enthusiast, so much so he can't even check his own oil, has some naive beliefs in my opinion. For some reason he believes that common sense and the need for energy independance will prevail over the vested interests of the oil companies, car companies, etc...... I just don't see it happening. If anything, if some group of scientists come up with some new, super clean, safe, renewable resource, I think things could get ugly in many ways.
 
My friend is spending about $1.25 a day to travel 60 miles a day in his truck.

He modified a small GM truck to run on 24 batteries. The batteries are tucked under the bed of the truck. The batteries should last about 5 years being charged nightly.

He just plugs it in every night to recharge the batteries. The performance is equal to a small 4 cylinder. The cruise range is about 100 miles before he needs to recharge the batteries.

He plans on building another version with more power. He is a mechanic and did all the work himself. He estimated about 150 man hours to do the conversion. It retains the transmission and back, drivetrain.
 
FISHBREATH said:
The political left is strangling us. Only one group of people is preventing us from getting at our own oil. Most of the recent rise in oil price is NOT DUE TO OIL SHORTAGE on the planet. It is simply due to the idiots in Congress and the Federal reserve crashing the value of the dollar. The same thing happened in the late 1970s. Thank you lefties and incompetants.:angryfir:
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The righty's in Oklahoma are selling what comes out of the ground to china right now. It seems that the goverment has been run by the rightys for the last 7 & 1/2 years. I wonder why they didn't make any changes in that time? I'm not a lefty or a righty, just a inbetweeny looking for good quaility leadership for our country. It doesn't look like we are going to get it this time either. I don't believe there is an oil shortage. Its like anything else, keep it in short supply & someone is going to make a buck!
 
anyone see the new HST automotive Electric cobra replica?, google it, maybe we'll all be on this site in the years to come looking for advice on battery pack setups for our conversions?
 
I cannot believe that crude oil from the continental USA is going anywhere but here. China is mostly getting crude from Russia, Indonesia, Iran, and the remainder of the Middle East. The transport cost of sending crude from the continental USA to China would make it the most expensive crude in the world. They are surely importing some special lubricating oils and plastic products from us.
 
Every time a "righty" brought up opening the continental shelf, ANWAR, etc. for drilling, only one group has stopped it. Can you guess what group that is? Hint - they have been "running" Congress since the 2006 election.
 
FISHBREATH said:
Every time a "righty" brought up opening the continental shelf, ANWAR, etc. for drilling, only one group has stopped it. Can you guess what group that is? Hint - they have been "running" Congress since the 2006 election.
Click to expand...

If "con" is the opposite of "pro" (e.g. pro's & cons)
The what is the opposite of progress?
 
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