Why the Alfa Arna is the best car ever made...

[itsid]

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22727/lot/153/

I guess its Track EVA Track T800 CDI Diesel. Similar naming, guess that's where I got mixed up.
....

Ah.. but you've read this part...

....EVA Products Ltd in the Netherlands began developing a diesel-powered motorcycle using the 800cc three-cylinder turbo motor from the Mercedes-built Smart Fortwo city car...

from the link you provided

It's still the same engine

'sid

 

[mckutzy]

Thats pretty cool, I totally forgot about these little guys... and Turbo aswell...... 180lbs im assuming dry weight.... If they've shoehorned it into a motorcycle with little aparent effort....
I could see this as a contender for a few other projects like these.....

Doing some offhanded looking around, see a few engines for cheap here in Canada...
One guy wanted $1200 free shipping... from the other side of the country...
I didnt look into to much..but Im pretty sure I could find something like that local for the same thereabouts...

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Just thought I'd jumpstart this thread(pun intended), but what do y'all think of the coming mid engined Corvette C8?
To me it looks like Chevy is upping the ante on Ferrari, but at the same time, I'm wondering just how much American V8 they can squish behind the seat.
Must be a repair nightmare for the mechanics.

 

[Kartorbust]

If the C8 will be anything like the Hellcat, Demon, and Viper, it'll only be worked on by Master Technicians. It sounds as though it's being delayed even further from production. It'll probably have a low to mid 6 figure price tag starting out ($125k to $165k and go north of there).

 

[J.S.@SMS]

I don't like the idea of a mod engine Corvette. The FR layout is part of the cars history. Ever since the 50s, when the car debuted, its been a front engine rear wheel drive car. And I'd hate to have to work on an even more complicated Corvette. I recently helped my grandfather pull the ac compressor bracket off his '88, and that gave me a headache.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

I don't like the idea of a mod engine Corvette. The FR layout is part of the cars history. Ever since the 50s, when the car debuted, its been a front engine rear wheel drive car. And I'd hate to have to work on an even more complicated Corvette. I recently helped my grandfather pull the ac compressor bracket off his '88, and that gave me a headache.

It's almost like it's becoming Italian....

 

[Kartorbust]

You guys do know that they had a rear engine concept cars for several decades right? 1960s to the 70s, every other year had at least one concept.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Sounds like another Corvair.

 

[Budget GoKart]

Corvairtte.

 

[Kartorbust]

Just saw in the news in the last 2 days, FCA wants a merger with Renault...so not only is our quality going to drop even further, we may have to deal with even more engineering stupidity.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/fiat-chrysler-proposes-merger-with-renault.amp

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-48420334

 

[Denny]

Ok history lesson time. First off the Corvair was actually a good car that handled very well for it's time and surprisingly quick with a 4 speed, not so much with a power glide. If you could not afford a muscle car, you bought a Corvair when I was a kid. Ralph Nader never even drove a Corvair. Ford had a bigger problem with the Econoline pick ups. If you slammed on the brakes in a panic the darned thing would flip up and stand on it's nose. I was with a buddy of mine when we both learned that lesson the hard way, it sucked. That was never mentioned in Nader's book because he was being paid by Ford at the time on the qt. The government cleared GM and the Corvair. 1965 was to be the last model year for the Corvair (It 's sales were not as good as GM hoped they would be) but because of the book GM felt they had to keep production up. They were afraid if they halted production on the Corvair would be like admitting Ralphie was right in the public's eye. The Camaro was to replace the Corvair.


Denny

 

[Functional Artist]

Ok history lesson time. First off the Corvair was actually a good car that handled very well for it's time and surprisingly quick with a 4 speed, not so much with a power glide. If you could not afford a muscle car, you bought a Corvair when I was a kid. Ralph Nader never even drove a Corvair. Ford had a bigger problem with the Econoline pick ups. If you slammed on the brakes in a panic the darned thing would flip up and stand on it's nose. I was with a buddy of mine when we both learned that lesson the hard way, it sucked. That was never mentioned in Nader's book because he was being paid by Ford at the time on the qt. The government cleared GM and the Corvair. 1965 was to be the last model year for the Corvair (It 's sales were not as good as GM hoped they would be) but because of the book GM felt they had to keep production up. They were afraid if they halted production on the Corvair would be like admitting Ralphie was right in the public's eye. The Camaro was to replace the Corvair.


Denny

Hey Denny,
What did Nader have to say about the VW Beetle?
...basically the same concept

* Them old Beetles were super simple, easy to work on & ran forever
...the 6V ones were a PITA (just odd)
…& the heaters sucked

 

[Denny]

I can't remember exactly it's been over 30 years since I read the book but I seem to remember the Corvair was only mentioned on a few paragraphs or pages.

Denny

 

[Kartorbust]

Back in the early 1990s, NBC lied to the public about General Motors saddle fuel tanks rupturing and exploding in side impacts. Turns out, they rigged the tanks with fireworks to ignite the fumes. Those tanks were safer than they were given credit. Even though they sat outside the frame rails, they were fine. They never fully apologized for this. Of course this was a couple years after GM switched to the GMT400 body style and ditched the saddle tanks.

 

[Functional Artist]

Back in the early 1990s, NBC lied to the public about General Motors saddle fuel tanks rupturing and exploding in side impacts. Turns out, they rigged the tanks with fireworks to ignite the fumes. Those tanks were safer than they were given credit. Even though they sat outside the frame rails, they were fine. They never fully apologized for this. Of course this was a couple years after GM switched to the GMT400 body style and ditched the saddle tanks.

Kinda like Nader's book, sometimes "news" is helpful
...sometimes the people behind the "news" seem to have their own agenda.

...I remember where 60 minutes: showed where Jeep Wranglers would/could initiate a roll with just a little speed & a sharp turn

Ford had the bright idea of putting the gas tank right inside of the cab of pick-ups with ya
…& also, the Pinto gas tank's would/could explode in rear impact collisions

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Kinda like Nader's book, sometimes "news" is helpful
...sometimes the people behind the "news" seem to have their own agenda.

...I remember where 60 minutes: showed where Jeep Wranglers would/could initiate a roll with just a little speed & a sharp turn

Ford had the bright idea of putting the gas tank right inside of the cab of pick-ups with ya
…& also, the Pinto gas tank's would/could explode in rear impact collisions

Well, I don't think go karts have a peachy-clean safety record, either.
Just a shock of truth, that when you make a big hunk of steel go 30, or 70 mph, bad things happen.
And more so when you crash big hunks of steel into each other.
Almost every car is dangerous to some degree.
Heck! Top Gear once managed to crush a car with water!

---------- Post added at 07:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 AM ----------

The fact that go karts are a bit unsafe won't deter me from having fun, though.

 

[Kartorbust]

Well, I don't think go karts have a peachy-clean safety record, either.

Just a shock of truth, that when you make a big hunk of steel go 30, or 70 mph, bad things happen.

And more so when you crash big hunks of steel into each other.

Almost every car is dangerous to some degree.

Heck! Top Gear once managed to crush a car with water!

---------- Post added at 07:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 AM ----------

The fact that go karts are a bit unsafe won't deter me from having fun, though.

Most of that has to do with stupidity and alcohol may or may not be involved. Similarly to the old 3 wheelers.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Most of that has to do with stupidity and alcohol may or may not be involved. Similarly to the old 3 wheelers.

The human creature is by nature rather stupid.
As for the 3-wheelers, it more depends on what kind of 3 wheeler layout we're talking about.
The Morgan 3-wheeler with two wheels in the front, was a highly respected sports car and very fast.
Now the Reliant Robin, on the other hand......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8

 

[Functional Artist]

How about an Isetta?

Not quite a car
...not quite a 3-wheeler
Basically a 13 HP go kart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0dEzY-xld8

 

[Kartorbust]

Can we even classify the Elio yet? I mean it's been several years and has yet to go into production. A $6500 2 seater 3 wheel car that was being made with existing parts and get 84mpg highway. I feel like its D.O.A at this point. 7 years out from it's original production goal and supposedly December of this year it's supposed to be in production. Highly doubt it. Its $50 million in the hole and needs about half a billion to get up and running.