Pete and Laz

Pete and Laz
Yeah, Pete it's rough...but it's a runner.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

California Automobile Museum....Part two....The future of transportation?


First a couple of  different gas burning vehicles.



Later model Oscar Mayer Weinermobile  from Wickopedia,not at the museum.


This is a follow on to the car show post, a 50's Muntz 



Looking kind of like an overgrown Karman Ghia.


This is a very rare car that had many features that were really advanced for the time.Click here for a link to a site about the Muntz.



The CHP electric chopper from previous post.

Recently saw a spot on television about Mercedes driving several hydrogen fuel cell vehicles around the world crossing 14 countries.. Of course, they had to be re-fueled by a large tanker that went with, since there is not yet hydrogen fuel available everywhere (In the back of my mind I picture this huge Zeppelin...) where was I? Oh, yeah...they also featured some companies that have hydrogen producing mini-stations that  produce the hydrogen with electricity produced on site. Very clean all around.  The museum has an interesting area that covers some earlier prototypes of this technology, as well as all electric vehicles. 




2001 Nissan Exterra FCV   set up so you can view the systems that make it all work.
Don't ask me to explain it...
2007 BMW Hydrogen 7
1972 Datsun Electric conversion.
Mercedes-Benz Necar 4a  (New electric car)
2001 Nissan Hyper Mini EV
2 views of a 1913 Rauch & Lang electric car

2002 Nissan Altra EV
One of 12....1997 GM EV-1 


I receive e-mails from a local EV association. One I received recently announced a new movie out, called "Revenge of the Electric Car". It was produced by the same man that brought you "Who killed the Electric Car?". It is interesting that GM is now producing an award winning Hybrid car. Ah, the politics of energy. As gas prices go up, alternatives start to look better all the time. I've been toying around with the idea of doing an all electric conversion myself, to a 1994 Ford Ranger pick up truck with a blown gas motor.Have even bought a couple books on the subject and am currently researching it, and looking at the costs involved and savings it could afford me in the long run. I'd use such a vehicle for commuting to work and short runs around town. Course I'm also looking at a motorcycle version as well....probably with a sidecar. Who knows? Stay tuned as they say.

  
Another view of  the Nissan Xterra FCV, with a model showing the components of a fuel cell vehicle.


















2 comments:

  1. I've seen the Weinermobile once or twice here, thought I was hallucinating the first time.

    The Muntz did remind me of a Karman Ghia when aI first saw it.

    I'm not to sure about all this electric cars, green stuff, etc....vehicles, especially motorcycle are supposed to make some noise, not sound like sewing machines.

    As the new squeeze would put it, Plain and simple works best or words to that effect. Give me a loud 4-stroke any day, BSA or Norton preferred. :)

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  2. Yeah Bodger,I like old machines as well. I say that, as I battle the ever toughening smog regulations out here. My Cherokee passed the tail pipe test, but failed miserably in several "visual" and "static" test procedures. What was kosher 2 years ago, ain't today...sooo several days and hundreds of dollars later, I'm booked to check my car into a shop tomorrow for a "smoke" test to check the evaporative controls. Yeah a hose leaks somewhere...You all, can make up a joke about where they are blowing that smoke...

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