-----Original Message-----
From: deb bledsoe <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 9:17 am
Subject: [BP] Was State Parks, now Energy Investment and Priorities

<snip>
I don't buy the bullshit that automakers can't do better than 22 mpg
because when my car was manufactured, it got 32 mpg in town, 37 mpg
highway. 17 years and no progress?!? We've allowed this to happen.
<snip>

The Ford Model T got 21 mpg.  Of course it didn't have a starter, or 
air conditioning, and only came in black.

My dad discovered that he could routinely get 60-65 mpg with Volkswagen 
Bugs, 1963-68 vintage.  This was for the commute from Baltimore to NASA 
in Greenbelt.  They needed to have the valves adjusted weekly.  He 
could do this in about 15-20 minutes on a Saturday morning.  If he 
didn't do it one week, the next week he got about 45-50 mpg.  If one 
let the valve adjustment go completely, the VW's stabilized at 28-32 
mpg.

The issue with mileage is that the regulations controlled the chemical 
composition of the emissions, not the quantity of emissions for a 
traveled distance.  The emissions don't contain as much carbon monoxide 
or NOx as before, so there is less smog.  But the power in the fuel 
isn't extracted efficiently for moving the vehicle, some of the power 
is lost when partially and unburned fuel is reacted with oxygen in the 
air injected into the exhaust in some vehicles, and some is also 
converted to waste heat when the catalytic converter assists in the 
oxidation of the partially and unburned fuel.

If you want to get better mileage without too much hassle, just 
increase the tire pressure to the maximum allowed on the sidewall.

Steve Stokowski

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