1930's car

[Mighty Mira]

That's brilliant, love all the pics!

I suspect they thought long and hard about how to shroud the wheels, but with nothing to attach to it was really in the too hard basket.

[MetroMPG]

I asked about wheel pants

[Matt Timion]

MetroMPG, do you know what the inventor's motivation was for this build? Was it for faster speeds, or did he actually have efficiency in mind as well?

I'd love to hear about the changes to the drivetran.

[MetroMPG]

That's a good question, Matt.

[Matt Timion]

If you could ask him as many questions as possible... fuel economy, drag coefficient, etc...

Really I'd like to hear anything related to efficiency that might give me a little bit more information on this.

[GasSavers_Randy]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

1 - Have a look at the "skeleton" picture and you may be able to pick out the major drivetrain mod: he added a second transmission, inline (from a Chevrolet). 7 or 8 speeds... 2 gear shifts. It may be installed backwards. Have to clarify that.

The Model T manual at http://www.oldcarmanual.com/ is an interesting read. The T itself was 2 speed, with no gear levers. The transmission was all planetary like an automatic, except the pedals directly operated the bands. There was a reverse pedal, brake pedal, and a shift/clutch pedal. You pressed half way for neutral, in for 1st, out for 2nd. The brakes were in the transmission only. There was also a brake/clutch parking lever, and on the steering wheel were throttle and timing advance.

I looked up the manual because I never quite got my grandfather's story about his father's model T. He had the habit of smashing the reverse pedal instead of the brakes, which annoyed my grandfather because he had to fix the thing. He also had a story about how starting it with the advance set wrong nearly broke his arm. I did get his story about the first time my great-grandfather drove the car: when he went to stop he gripped the wheel really hard and said 'whoa!'.

[ZugyNA]

I had a grandfather that called his car "the machine"....and not as a pet name. This was a '54 Ford.

[Mighty Mira]

Originally Posted by Randy

I did get his story about the first time my great-grandfather drove the car: when he went to stop he gripped the wheel really hard and said 'whoa!'

Now THAT was funny! I have some questions: How did the car handle/perform/use fuel in a strong crosswind? In a light crosswind? With a gust? How was the NVH?

[MetroMPG]

I'll ask. As for NVH, I suspect these cars of this age were the reason the term was invented!

[Mighty Mira]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I'll ask. As for NVH, I suspect these cars of this age were the reason the term was invented!

Hmmm. I don't imagine that the engine was that quiet, huh. But for most aerodynamic things, Cd makes a large difference to the NVH.