Anyone use hydro conversion on there cars?

[raprap]

If it more effecient than electrolysis, that is if it dissassociates water at a lower energy cost than electrolysis it is a benefit.

IOW it improves thermodynamic reversibility--Look I boil the two laws of thermodynamics down to paraphrases. The first law is "You can't get something for nothing." The second is "You won't break even." Electrolysis is a long way from breaking even--if rf dissociation is better at braking even then it would be a good thing--and it isn't a scam and this guy deserves the right to retire to the Bahamas.

Rap

[gyroguy]

I remember around 1961 or so, Popular Mechanics or a similar magazine ran an article on "Chemalloy." It supposedly had the property of spontaneously causing hydrogen and oxygen to separate from water. As I remember, Chemalloy acted something like a catalyst.

Haven't heard of it since, however. Has anyone else?

And the bigger question -- was the article true, and if so, where could we get Chemaloy today?

(Nope, I'm not asking a perpetual motion/unity type of question, just asking a question.)

[robfisher]

Well we know how responsible they been in the past ie: corvair, pinto, and explorer just to name a few.

Having owned and driven several corvairs, I find this grouping interesting.

Bobgorilla, what is your personal experience with Corvairs? Mine is totally positive and I find myself wondering why the car has such a reputation. I know it was trashed by Nader, but do you know it was only in the first chapter of his book, "Unsafe At Any Speed"? And the suspension problem had been fixed two years before the book came out.

Why doesn't the corvair belong in the same class as it's contemporary Porche 356? With proper tire pressure I found the two cars handling to be a lot alike. The Corvair beat the 356 hands down in front to back weight ratio and HP to weight ratio. The corvair gave a pretty sporty ride for a lot less money. Of course the 356 probably wins in the looks department.

I say it's time to de-blacklist the corvair and give it it's rightful place in American car technology.

[Bobgorilla]

My only experience with corvairs is admittedly second hand. A friend of my father's had one in the sixties (64?) , I was six or seven. I don't know anything about the car itself age or condition but the owner was shifting gears and pushed the clutch right thru the floor.

[HossHoffer]

We had a few Corvairs around the garage that we drove on occasion bbefore selling them. They were fine and fun to drive. Comparing it to the Porsche 356 is not a great comparison. The handling charateristics of the two were completely different. Much more body sway on the Corvair. The engineering quirks on the Corvair were its undoing. The long fan belt that bent 90 degrees, the spark plugs that kept blowing off. With that said I still enjoyed driving it and other "unsafe" cars. Yes the Corvair deserves a little more respect.

Much of the hysteria is media driven. There is not one documented case of a Pinto blowing up or a Chevy truck for that matter. Heck, I drove a Chevy Vega in the mid 70's. It broke its first timing belt at less that 5000 miles. Now that car was crap! ........... And still, I drove it. Anytime someone unschooled in science or engineering claims to be an expert on said disciplines I get mighty suspicious. Especially lawyers, politicians, celebrities or artists.

[caseydog]

We had a few Corvairs around the garage that we drove on occasion bbefore selling them. They were fine and fun to drive. Comparing it to the Porsche 356 is not a great comparison. The handling charateristics of the two were completely different. Much more body sway on the Corvair. The engineering quirks on the Corvair were its undoing. The long fan belt that bent 90 degrees, the spark plugs that kept blowing off. With that said I still enjoyed driving it and other "unsafe" cars. Yes the Corvair deserves a little more respect.

Much of the hysteria is media driven. There is not one documented case of a Pinto blowing up or a Chevy truck for that matter. Heck, I drove a Chevy Vega in the mid 70's. It broke its first timing belt at less that 5000 miles. Now that car was crap! ........... And still, I drove it. Anytime someone unschooled in science or engineering claims to be an expert on said disciplines I get mighty suspicious. Especially lawyers, politicians, celebrities or artists.

Rear-engined cars, whether a Corvair or a Porsche 911, can be dangerous to drive, if you don't understand the handling dynamics of cars. Most cars are set up to understeer, since that is more easily handled by the average driver. Understeer will scrub off speed and sort of correct itself in time -- or at least, you'll go off the road moving forward. A VW bug is rear engined, but doesn't have much power -- but you can still spin one in the rain.

The Corvair was a neat car, but had some serious issues. It could have been a winner, had GM done it right.

The Pinto's gas tank was flat out dangerous. Whether it blows up, or not, you don't want bumper bolts poking holes in gas tanks in a collision. And, the side-mounted Chevy truck tanks were stupid, too. The best location for a tank full of gasoline is as close to the center of the vehicle as possible, with some frame material around it.

We wouldn't have the safe cars we have today, had the media not gotten "hysterical" from time to time. I am a member of the automotive media, and the manufacturers know we are going to be critical, and even brutally critical when they launch a POS these days.

CD

[angib]

The best location for a tank full of gasoline is as close to the center of the vehicle as possible, with some frame material around it.

Absolutely.

Though it's probably best not to point it out to the owners/drivers, as they might think the Pinto layout was safer than the current idea of sitting their children right on top of the tank.

And I'm not surprised that Honda don't make it obvious that on the Fit/Jazz the tank is right under the driver - typical superb engineering from Honda but maybe not too reassuring to the public? Now what I would like to see is the fuel tank filler pipe - must be six feet long and probably holds a gallon on its own!

Andrew

[mb82]

And I'm not surprised that Honda don't make it obvious that on the Fit/Jazz the tank is right under the driver - typical superb engineering from Honda but maybe not too reassuring to the public? Now what I would like to see is the fuel tank filler pipe - must be six feet long and probably holds a gallon on its own!

Andrew

I am rebuilding an old CJ right now. Where is the gas tank... in the cab right under my posterior. But it sits inside of the framerails. At least Honda thought to get it out of the cab.

[HossHoffer]

Rear-engined cars, whether a Corvair or a Porsche 911, can be dangerous to drive, if you don't understand the handling dynamics of cars. Most cars are set up to understeer, since that is more easily handled by the average driver. Understeer will scrub off speed and sort of correct itself in time -- or at least, you'll go off the road moving forward. A VW bug is rear engined, but doesn't have much power -- but you can still spin one in the rain.

The Corvair was a neat car, but had some serious issues. It could have been a winner, had GM done it right.

The Pinto's gas tank was flat out dangerous. Whether it blows up, or not, you don't want bumper bolts poking holes in gas tanks in a collision. And, the side-mounted Chevy truck tanks were stupid, too. The best location for a tank full of gasoline is as close to the center of the vehicle as possible, with some frame material around it.

We wouldn't have the safe cars we have today, had the media not gotten "hysterical" from time to time. I am a member of the automotive media, and the manufacturers know we are going to be critical, and even brutally critical when they launch a POS these days.

CD[/quote]

Aaaah so I stepped on some toes. Wasn't trying to. Sorry. Let me qualify the media statement. Certain television media seem to think that pasting images of staged footage to dramatize a story or rigging a tank to blow up on demand is "good journalism". Never said that the fore-mentioned cars were great cars, just that the reporting was poorly done. I will certainly give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your journalistic integrity would not allow you to report in such a way. Still feel the same way about unqualified lawyers, politicians, celebrities and artists though.

As far as knowing handling characteristics, I have owned and driven both a rear-engined Porsche and a Jaguar XKE in SCCA events. The Jaguar handles superbly in the auto-cross events while the 911 was best described by a writer as "leave your foot on the gas and drive like hell!". The mass of the rear engine wants to continue in a straight line when you go around a tight corner. Was still fun to drive.

[caseydog]

My toes are fine. I was just adding to your post.

CD

[HossHoffer]

My toes are fine. I was just adding to your post.

CD

Thanks, keep posting

[Bad-Dawg]

Corvairs have a special place in my heart, along with VWs. I grew up with them. My dad had a wagon for a while and it was one of the cars I learned to drive in. That little wagon hauled ass but was not so good in the corners. We also had several sand rails and buggies that were corvair powered. Those just ate the Volkswagen powered buggys. Later on I met a friend of my dad that was a bona fide collector of corvairs. He even had the little pickup with the crank out ramp on the side. That was a really cool inovation. When he died his son sold them all off way to cheap.

As for volksies, I have had several and would still if I actually enjoyed adjusting valves every weekend... My 69 type 3 (squareback) was setup for off-roading with KYB shocks all around, 15' alloy rims, and a 1735 with Crower Electronic Fuel injection. It was up off the ground, and stiff as hell but handled much better than a bug with a little extra weight up front and independent suspension. I wish i had it now, what with no smog rules for pre 74 models. I recently saw one that had been fitted with a built 411(2L EFI) motor and it was very fast. He bought the motor brand new at the VW dealer in Tijuana for $1200.00, stripped it down and bored it to 2180ccs, Balanced and blueprinted it and is going to rally it next season.