376 mpg car in 1973?
Jun 16
So I’ve been doing some research to prepare for the social media marketing for Black Magic, and I keep running into a story in forums, blogs, etc about a car that got 376.59 mpg back in the 70’s in a contest hosted by Shell Oil companies. They claim the car was modified a lot, and the gasoline was vaporized before entering a super-heated (and super insulated) engine. I have no idea if this is true or some internet hoax that generated a lot of buzz, but it’s kind of interesting to read.
I first came across the story in Jay Leno’s Garage forums, then saw it here:
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/05/01/big-oil-conspiracy-376-mpg-opel-uncovered/
then here: http://www.opel-p1.nl/custom/testcar/Shell%20Opel.htm
then here: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/souped_down_old.php#comments
Jun 19 at 08:27
I heard a segment on NPR last night about some metals becoming very valuable because of their use in jet engines: rhenium, titanium, etc. They’re so valuable because they’re used to make super-alloys with aluminum, which are very heat resistant. This allows the jets to run a lot hotter, increasing the gas mileage. Kind of the same concept the articles above point to…
Jun 23 at 19:56
Looks like Mythbusters tested the 300MPG Opel mystery. I could hear it on tv downstairs while I was working upstairs, so I’m not sure if they busted it or what… and their wiki doesn’t really say:
http://mythbusters-wiki.discovery.com/page/Episode+53%3A+Exploding+Pants%2C+Great+Gas+Conspiracy