10 Top Tips for Fuel Efficient Driving

1. Minimise your vehicle use
Vehicles are least fuel efficient and most polluting at the start of trips and on short trips. One reason for this is that catalytic converters (which reduce air pollution emissions) do not operate properly until they have warmed up. Trips of less than five kilometres generally do not allow the engine to reach its peak operating temperature.

Plan to do a number of errands in one trip rather than several trips and save both time and fuel. Try to avoid short vehicle trips by walking or cycling. This will save over a quarter of a kilogram of greenhouse gas emissions per kilometre of vehicle driving it replaces, as well as give you healthy exercise.

2. Drive in the right gear
Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel, and letting the engine labour in top gear on hills and corners is also wasteful. In a manual vehicle, change up gears as soon as the car is comfortable with the higher gear but without accelerating harder than necessary.

Automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum. Avoid the use of power options which drop the car into a lower gear and therefore use more fuel.

3. Drive smoothly
Stop/start driving is much less efficient and more polluting than driving at a constant speed. Avoid travelling during peak-hours and on congested roads whenever possible.

Take it easy on the accelerator - more revs equals more petrol use. Drive at a good distance from the car in front so you can anticipate and travel with the flow of traffic. This avoids unnecessary acceleration and frequent repetitive braking that ends up wasting fuel. It's also far safer. If you see traffic stoppages ahead, first take your foot off the accelerator and let the engine's drop in power slow the vehicle, particularly by also changing to a lower gear. Don't continue to drive at the same speed and applying the brakes at the last minute. Getting back to cruising speed while the car is still moving uses far less petrol than stopping and then starting again.

4. Minimise fuel wasted in idling
Most cars don't need to be "warmed up" by idling before setting off. This simply wastes fuel. Start your car when you are ready to go. Once on the road, minimise fuel wasted in idling by stopping the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for an extended period of time. By having the engine switched off, even for a short period, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from this practice is negligible.

5. Don't Speed
Fuel consumption increases significantly over about 90 km/h. At 110 km/h your car uses up to 25 per cent more fuel than it would cruising at 90 km/h. If your car is fitted with cruise control, using it during highway driving will help to maintain a steadier speed, which will save fuel.

6. Minimise aerodynamic drag
Additional parts on the exterior of a vehicle such as roof racks and spoilers, or having the window open, increases air resistance and fuel consumption, in some cases by over 20 per cent at higher speeds. Take off roof and bike racks when not in use. If you have to use roof racks, load them carefully to help minimise wind resistance or use a streamlined roof box.

7. Look after your vehicle's tyres
Inflate your vehicle's tyres to the highest pressure recommended by the manufacture and make sure your wheels are properly aligned. Looking after your tyres will not only reduce your fuel consumption it will also extend tyre life and improve handling.

8. Use airconditioning sparingly
Airconditioners can use about 10 per cent extra fuel when operating. However, at speeds of over 80 km/h, use of airconditioning is better for fuel consumption than an open window as this creates aerodynamic drag. If it is hotter inside your car than outside when you start a trip, drive with the windows down for a few minutes to help cool the car before starting the airconditioning.

9. Travel light
The more weight a vehicle carries, the more fuel it uses..Don't use your car as a mobile store room. Leave heavy items like tools and sports equipment at home when you don't need them on a trip.

10. Keep your vehicle in good condition
Keep your vehicle well tuned and regularly maintained. Get your car serviced at the intervals specified in the manufacturer's handbook.

Use the petrol that is recommended for your vehicle by the manufacturer. If you use regular unleaded in a car designed to run on premium unleaded you can expect slightly less performance and fractionally higher consumption. Using premium unleaded petrol in a car designed for regular unleaded may give better fuel consumption in some newer vehicles but it is unlikely to offset the extra cost of the fuel.

Double Decker Bus Vs Low Bridge

Here is where art meets science, meet goofing off at a low bridge as a driver runs into it with a double decker bus.

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Mind Bending Spoon Cadillac by Uri Geller

This custom-built 1974 Cadillac which adorns 5,000 pieces of silverware is the creation of Uri Geller, one of the world's most famous spoonbenders. And 1000 of these spoons and forks were given by the children from around the world, and some of the treasured pieces were owned, or used by famous personalities. Some of the pieces on this custom-built 1974 Cadillac were arched by Uri Geller using his "brainpower", while the remaining were artfully shaped by his friend Avi Pines, a famous Israeli sculptor. I cant vouch for the "mind bending" part but the car sure looks really cool.

Car Crushed by Giant Pumpkin - For Fun

No Comment, but hilarious!!!

Pimp my Cardboard Ride - Kids with Mad Skillz

Pimp my cardboard Ride

These guys have it all, the cars, the rims, the crazy mad looks and of course the car babe off to the left. The only thing they don't have is a drivers license, but when they get them, watch out!!!

Car Ads: Reading Between the Lines

Many new car dealers advertise unusually low interest rates and other special promotions. Ads promising high trade-in allowances and free or low-cost options may help you shop, but finding the best deal requires careful comparisons.

Many factors determine whether a special offer provides genuine savings. The interest rate, for example, is only part of the car dealer’s financing package. Terms like the size of the downpayment also affect the total financing cost.

Questions About Low Interest Loans
A call or visit to a dealer should help clarify details about low interest loans. Consider asking these questions:

• Will you be charged a higher price for the car to qualify for the low-rate financing? Would the price be lower if you paid cash, or supplied your own financing from your bank or credit union?
• Does the financing require a larger-than-usual downpayment? Perhaps 25 or 30 percent?
• Are there limits on the length of the loan? Are you required to repay the loan in a condensed period of time, say 24 or 36 months?
• Is there a significant balloon payment —possibly several thousand dollars — due at the end of the loan?
• Do you have to buy special or extra merchandise or services such as rustproofing, an extended warranty, or a service contract to qualify for a low-interest loan?
• Is the financing available for a limited time only? Some merchants limit special deals to a few days or require that you take delivery by a certain date.
• Does the low rate apply to all cars in stock or only to certain models?
• Are you required to give the dealer the manufacturer’s rebate to qualify for financing?

Questions About Other Promotions
Other special promotions include high trade-in allowances and free or low-cost options. Some dealers promise to sell the car for a stated amount over the dealer’s invoice. Asking questions like these can help you determine whether special promotions offer genuine value.

• Does the advertised trade-in allowance apply to all cars, regardless of their condition? Are there any deductions for high mileage, dents, or rust?
• Does the larger trade-in allowance make the cost of the new car higher than it would be without the trade-in? You might be giving back the big trade-in allowance by paying more for the new car.
• Is the dealer who offers a high trade-in allowance and free or low-cost options giving you a better price on the car than another dealer who doesn’t offer promotions?
• Does the "dealer’s invoice" reflect the actual amount that the dealer pays the manufacturer? You can consult consumer or automotive publications for information about what the dealer pays.
• Does the "dealer’s invoice" include the cost of options, such as rustproofing or waterproofing, that already have been added to the car? Is one dealer charging more for these options than others?
• Does the dealer have cars in stock that have no expensive options? If not, will the dealer order one for you?
• Are the special offers available if you order a car instead of buying one off the lot?
• Can you take advantage of all special offers simultaneously?

You’re not limited to the financing options offered by a particular dealer. Before you commit to a deal, check to see what type of loan you can arrange with your bank or credit union.

Once you decide which dealer offers the car and financing you want, read the invoice and the installment contract carefully. Check to see that all the terms of the contract reflect the agreement you made with the dealer. If they don’t, get a written explanation before you sign. Careful shopping will help you decide what car, options, and financing are best for you.

Oldster defaces ride with Buddhist text???

A Taiwanese pensioner covers every inch of his four vehicles with virtuous words from Buddhist texts.
Li Zongxiong, 71, a workshop owner, started to 'tattoo' his car, two trucks and a motorbike nine years ago.
His words virtually cover the vehicles, including the mirrors, windscreens, bodywork, doors, wheels - and even the number plates.
Li admitted his hobby had caused him trouble: "Passers-by thought I was doodling on the cars of others, and police found it hard to believe that someone would cover his own vehicle in writing," he explained.
Li, who has only an elementary school education, said most of the words were taken from Buddhist texts.
"I felt public morality was deteriorating, so I started to write some words of virtue on my vehicles," he told China News Network.
"Each day I write something down. If I spot a place where the writing has worn away, I write it again."
Li?s son, Li Jiasheng, said the family now forbids his father to buy new vehicles, since they know he will write all over them - no matter how much they cost.
But his grandson has promised that when he grows up and makes some money he will buy him a big bus to write on and indulge his hobby.
via ananova

Atomic Dog Art Car - George Clinton Mothership Connection

Where have you been all my life Atomic Dog Art Car!!!!

An art car extension to the Mothership Connection, "The Atomic Dog, One Nation Under Groove" pays tribute to musician George Clinton and his funkadelic band, Parliament. Band members and dogs made of mosaic mirror shards mingle with beaded flying saucers, guitars, drums, and lots of chrome pipes while one big mirrored dog guards the roof.

Led by veteran art car artist and teacher, Rebecca Bass, the 2006 Art Class at Waltrip High School created this award winning art car in four short months. Students worked after hours, on weekends, and over spring break to craft this stunning masterpiece. 


Stories about this amazing vehicle spread across the country and eventually reached George Clinton. In June of 2006, funkadelics star George Clinton came to Houston to autograph the car. George and his entourage were very impressed with The Atomic Dog and its creators. They all became instant art car fans!

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1960 Cadillac Fin Attaché Case - Reusing 50's Cars

This photo of a 1960 Cadillac Fin Attaché Case was sent in by Kelly and was made by Steve Heller's Fabulous Furniture. On this amazing site you will find a ton more art cars made from classic 50's car parts, wood furniture and other sculpture made from assorted motorcycle parts.

1960 Cadillac Fin Attaché Case


Here is what he has to say about his art car work:

"I love wood and metal, but in my heart I'm a car freak.

The Cadillacs of the 1950's are the cars I love the most. I've collected dozens of them over the years, and have incorporated them into furniture and sculpture, hoping to keep them from going to the crusher (perhaps the most evil piece of machinery ever invented). I have made cedar chests, entertainment units, beds, lights, and other pieces of usable furniture out of these once rusting piles of metal. I am, after all, my fathers son."

- Steve Heller

1957 Buick Two-Tiered Bar

The Low-Down on High Octane Gasoline

Are you tempted to buy a high octane gasoline for your car because you want to improve its performance? If so, take note: the recommended gasoline for most cars is regular octane. In fact, in most cases, using a higher octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner. Your best bet: listen to your owner's manual.

The only time you might need to switch to a higher octane level is if your car engine knocks when you use the recommended fuel. This happens to a small percentage of cars.

Unless your engine is knocking, buying higher octane gasoline is a waste of money, too. Premium gas costs 15 to 20 cents per gallon more than regular. That can add up to $100 or more a year in extra costs. Studies indicate that altogether, drivers may be spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year for higher octane gas than they need.

What are octane ratings?

Octane ratings measure a gasoline's ability to resist engine knock, a rattling or pinging sound that results from premature ignition of the compressed fuel-air mixture in one or more cylinders. Most gas stations offer three octane grades: regular (usually 87 octane), mid-grade (usually 89 octane) and premium (usually 92 or 93). The ratings must be posted on bright yellow stickers on each gasoline pump.

What's the right octane level for your car?
Check your owner's manual to determine the right octane level for your car. Regular octane is recommended for most cars. However, some cars with high compression engines, like sports cars and certain luxury cars, need mid-grade or premium gasoline to prevent knock.

How can you tell if you're using the right octane level?
Listen to your car's engine. If it doesn't knock when you use the recommended octane, you're using the right grade of gasoline.

Will higher octane gasoline clean your engine better?
As a rule, high octane gasoline does not outperform regular octane in preventing engine deposits from forming, in removing them, or in cleaning your car's engine. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires that all octane grades of all brands of gasoline contain engine cleaning detergent additives to protect against the build-up of harmful levels of engine deposits during the expected life of your car.

Should you ever switch to a higher octane gasoline?
A few car engines may knock or ping - even if you use the recommended octane. If this happens, try switching to the next highest octane grade. In many cases, switching to the mid-grade or premium-grade gasoline will eliminate the knock. If the knocking or pinging continues after one or two fill-ups, you may need a tune-up or some other repair. After that work is done, go back to the lowest octane grade at which your engine runs without knocking.

Is knocking harmful?
Occasional light knocking or pinging won't harm your engine, and doesn't indicate a need for higher octane. But don't ignore severe knocking. A heavy or persistent knock can lead to engine damage.

Is all "premium" or "regular" gasoline the same?
The octane rating of gasoline marked "premium" or "regular" is not consistent across the country. One state may require a minimum octane rating of 92 for all premium gasoline, while another may allow 90 octane to be called premium. To make sure you know what you're buying, check the octane rating on the yellow sticker on the gas pump instead of relying on the name "premium" or "regular."

Star Wars Car For Sale

I came this Star Wars Car for on ebay today, a Custom Painted 2007 Chevy Cobalt LS. called the "Star Car" painted by Greatlakes Airbrush. 15 year auto tech and Artist John Deltgen with brother of 25 year Sign & Graphic Art expreriance with over 30 Awards, Artist David Peterman. This is pretty amazing car and for a mere $20K it can be your.

Start Wars Car Yoda Close Up

Star Wars Car - C3PO and R2D2

Star Wars Car - Darth Vader

Star Wars Art Car

Harley covered with a million lights

This amazing motorcycle Harley Davidson Electra Glide covered in a million lights was taken back in 1974. Photo sent by Sparky who left a nice comment about my daughters pen car. Thanks I needed something to write about.

Photographer: (1974) Steven R. Hudson, Patterson, GA
The event was in Daytona Beach, Florida.

HYPERTHERMIA (Heatstroke)

Problem : Children die each year from heatstroke, after being left alone in a vehicle.

You live by your daily routine and it helps you get things done. Be extra careful, though, if you have to change any part of that routine. This is more likely to happen when you, or caregiver who helps with your children, forgets that a child is in the back seat. This can and does happen when you break a well-established routine.

Disasters happen quickly
At other times, you are on your way home and realize you need to stop in at the store and pick up one or two things for dinner. So, you leave your child unattended, thinking, "I'll just run into the store for a minute." Even cool temperatures in the 60s can cause the temperature to rise well above 110° Fahrenheit inside your car. The inside temperature can rise almost 20 degrees within the first 10 minutes.

Some children die in hot cars after climbing into an unlocked vehicle without an adults' knowledge. Once in the vehicle, they may become confused by the door opening mechanism or trapped in the trunk, and unable to get out before heatstroke occurs.

Prevention Tips :

• Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
• Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.
• Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open.
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle - front and back - before locking the door and walking away.
• If you are dropping your child off at childcare, and normally it's your spouse or partner who drops them off, have your spouse or partner call you to make sure the drop went according to plan.
• Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child does not show up for childcare.
• Do things to remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle, such as

Writing yourself a note and putting the note where you will see it when you leave the vehicle;

Placing your purse, briefcase or something else you need in the back seat so that you will have to check the back seat when you leave the vehicle; or

Keeping an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she is leaving the vehicle.

• Always lock vehicle doors and trunks and keep keys out of children's reach. If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk.
• If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

What you need to know, now:

• Vehicles heat up quickly - even with a window rolled down two inches, if the outside temperature is in the low 80s° Fahrenheit, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in only 10 minutes.
• Children's bodies overheat easily, and infants and children under four years of age are among those at greatest risk for heat-related illness.
• Children's bodies absorb more heat on a hot day than an adult. Also, children are less able to lower their body heat by sweating. When a body cannot sweat enough, the body temperature rises rapidly.

• In fact, when left in a hot vehicle, a young child's body temperature may increase three to five times as fast an adult. High body temperatures can cause permanent injury or even death.

Dangers of extreme heat :

• Symptoms of heatstroke : Warning signs vary but may include: red, hot, and moist or dry skin, no sweating, a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse, a throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, being grouchy, or acting strangely.
• If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly.

Frequently asked Question about Smog Check Program

Q What are the environmental benefits of the Smog Check Program?
A The Smog Check Program has greatly reduced air pollution created by millions of cars in California. According to the California Air Resources Board, the program removes about 400 tons of smog-forming pollutants from California’s air every day.

Q Is my vehicle required to get a Smog Check?
A Your vehicle needs a Smog Check if it is more than six model years old and the model year is 1976 or newer. (This does not include diesel vehicles, motorcycles, electric and hybrid vehicles, and two-cylinder engine vehicles.)

Q How can I help my vehicle pass a Smog Check?
A Performing proper and regular vehicle maintenance according to your owner’s manual, and not tampering with the emissions control equipment are keys to passing Smog Check.

Q How often does my vehicle have to be tested?
A Your vehicle must be tested every other year. A Smog Check is also required if you sell your vehicle and it is more than four model years old. Some vehicles may require a Smog Check at a Test-Only or Gold Shield station.

Q What happens if my vehicle fails a Smog Check?
A In order to complete your registration, you will need to obtain the repairs necessary for it to pass its Smog Check retest. Before beginning repairs, find out if you are eligible for our Consumer Assistance Program (CAP).

Q What is a Test-Only station?
A Test-Only stations are licensed Smog Check stations that are only allowed to test cars. State law prohibits them from making repairs.

Q What is CAP and how do I qualify?
A The Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) provides financial assistance to repair or retire a vehicle that fails a Smog Check.

Repair Assistance — If your DMV renewal notice requires a Smog Check at a Test-Only or Gold Shield station, you may qualify for up to $500 in repair assistance once you pay the first $100 in repair costs. You may also qualify if your income is within certain levels, regardless of where you got your Smog Check. If you qualify based on income, a $20 co-pay is all that you need.

Vehicle retirement — If you feel your car is not worth repairing, the State may buy the car from you for $1,000 and have it scrapped at a local dismantler.

Q What is a Gold Shield station?
A Gold Shield stations are licensed Smog Check stations that meet certain performance criteria in order to test and repair all cars. They also provide repairs on vehicles that qualify for financial assistance under the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP).

Q How will I know if I need to take my car to a Test-Only or Gold Shield station?
A You will be notified on the registration renewal notice sent by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if your vehicle must be inspected at a Test-Only or Gold Shield station.

1-year-old girl gets her very own toy pen art car.

My smallest daughter has always been fascinated by my Mercedes Pens Art Car covered in 10,000 pens. And every time she sees it she wants to go over, sit on the car and play with the pens. So I decided for her first birthday that she needed her own pen car so I "penned her ride" as well with crayola caps and other colorful felt tips. I even tried to spell out her name on the front. She loves her Toy Pen Art Car and now that its raining we brought in the house and she sits in it while watching her favorite DVDs, with her feet up on the dashboard. The only problem is that she managed to take off all the pens on the other side. No worries, daddy will fix it.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

For every litre of petrol used in a motor vehicle, 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2 ), a major greenhouse gas, is released from the exhaust. The Australian transport sector accounts for around 76 million tonnes of Australia's total net greenhouse gas emissions, representing 13.5 per cent of Australia's total emissions.

Emissions from different fuels

Fuels differ in the amount of carbon and energy they contain as well as other characteristics, with implications for fuel economy and greenhouse emissions. The table below lists the amount of CO2 emitted from the exhaust for each litre of a particular fuel covered by the calculator.

CO2 Tailpipe Emissions/Litre of Fuel Consumed

Fuel Type CO2 Emissions

Petrol 2.3 kg
LPG 1.6 kg
Diesel 2.7 kg

It might seem odd that a greater weight of emissions is produced than the weight of a litre of fuel, but this is because of the addition of oxygen from the atmosphere to the fuel during combustion to form CO2.

This is not the end of the story because it also matters how much fuel is consumed to travel a given distance. LPG has lower greenhouse emissions per litre of fuel consumed than petrol, but also has a lower energy content. Therefore equivalent vehicles tend to consume more of LPG than petrol to travel a given distance. In the case of diesel, its greenhouse emissions per litre are higher than petrol, but engines designed to operate on diesel tend to be far more fuel-efficient than petrol engines. To be sure that one vehicle has lower greenhouse emissions than another use the calculator provided.

You can make a difference

Purchasing a vehicle with low fuel consumption and driving it efficiently can make a real difference to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it produces. The following table gives an indicative guide to annual CO2 tailpipe emissions from petrol vehicles travelling 15,000 kilometres annually.

CO2 Tailpipe Emissions from Petrol Vehicles

Fuel Consumption Annual CO2 Emissions

6 L/100km 2160 kg
8 L/100km 2880 kg
10 L/100km 3600 kg
12 L/100km 4320 kg

Art Shanties on Ice - from Artcars On Ice 2009!

Here is a great video that just came out about Art Cars on Ice 2009 in Minnesota that ends this weekend. For a native Californian this is totally nuts, riding your art car on a frozen lake just seems dangerous, but what do I know. These guys took traditional ice fishing houses and turned them into themed works of art for pretty much an entire month.

Money Doesn't Grow on Trees, But Gasoline Might

Researchers have made a breakthrough in the development of "green gasoline," a liquid identical to standard gasoline yet created from sustainable biomass sources like switchgrass and poplar trees.

George Huber poses with a vial of green gasoline compounds.

Reporting in the cover article of the April 7, 2008 issue of Chemistry & Sustainability, Energy & Materials (ChemSusChem), chemical engineer and National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER awardee George Huber of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass) and his graduate students Torren Carlson and Tushar Vispute announced the first direct conversion of plant cellulose into gasoline components.

In the same issue, James Dumesic and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin-Madison announce an integrated process for creating chemical components of jet fuel using a green gasoline approach. While Dumesic's group had previously demonstrated the production of jet-fuel components using separate steps, their current work shows that the steps can be integrated and run sequentially, without complex separation and purification processes between reactors.

While it may be five to 10 years before green gasoline arrives at the pump or finds its way into a fighter jet, these breakthroughs have bypassed significant hurdles to bringing green gasoline biofuels to market.

"It is likely that the future consumer will not even know that they are putting biofuels into their car," said Huber. "Biofuels in the future will most likely be similar in chemical composition to gasoline and diesel fuel used today. The challenge for chemical engineers is to efficiently produce liquid fuels from biomass while fitting into the existing infrastructure today."

For their new approach, the UMass researchers rapidly heated cellulose in the presence of solid catalysts, materials that speed up reactions without sacrificing themselves in the process. They then rapidly cooled the products to create a liquid that contains many of the compounds found in gasoline.

The entire process was completed in under two minutes using relatively moderate amounts of heat. The compounds that formed in that single step, like naphthalene and toluene, make up one fourth of the suite of chemicals found in gasoline. The liquid can be further treated to form the remaining fuel components or can be used "as is" for a high octane gasoline blend.

"Green gasoline is an attractive alternative to bioethanol since it can be used in existing engines and does not incur the 30 percent gas mileage penalty of ethanol-based flex fuel," said John Regalbuto, who directs the Catalysis and Biocatalysis Program at NSF and supported this research.

"In theory it requires much less energy to make than ethanol, giving it a smaller carbon footprint and making it cheaper to produce," Regalbuto said. "Making it from cellulose sources such as switchgrass or poplar trees grown as energy crops, or forest or agricultural residues such as wood chips or corn stover, solves the lifecycle greenhouse gas problem that has recently surfaced with corn ethanol and soy biodiesel."

Beyond academic laboratories, both small businesses and Fortune 500 petroleum refiners are pursuing green gasoline. Companies are designing ways to hybridize their existing refineries to enable petroleum products including fuels, textiles, and plastics to be made from either crude oil or biomass and the military community has shown strong interest in making jet fuel and diesel from the same sources.

"Huber's new process for the direct conversion of cellulose to gasoline aromatics is at the leading edge of the new ‘Green Gasoline' alternate energy paradigm that NSF, along with other federal agencies, is helping to promote," states Regalbuto.

Not only is the method a compact way to treat a great deal of biomass in a short time, Regalbuto emphasized that the process, in principle, does not require any external energy. "In fact, from the extra heat that will be released, you can generate electricity in addition to the biofuel," he said. "There will not be just a small carbon footprint for the process; by recovering heat and generating electricity, there won't be any footprint."

The latest pathways to produce green gasoline, green diesel and green jet fuel are found in a report sponsored by NSF, the Department of Energy and the American Chemical Society entitled "Breaking the Chemical and Engineering Barriers to Lignocellulosic Biofuels: Next Generation Hydrocarbon Biorefineries". In the report, Huber and a host of leaders from academia, industry and government present a plan for making green gasoline a practical solution for the impending fuel crisis.

"We are currently working on understanding the chemistry of this process and designing new catalysts and reactors for this single step technique. This fundamental chemical understanding will allow us to design more efficient processes that will accelerate the commercialization of green gasoline," Huber said.

Car or Bike? Either Way Good for the Environment

Not sure about this salvage special. Is it a hybrid car that's pedal powered or is it a really safe bike with a car shell. Either way you see it, the environment is a winner. As a hybrid it uses very little gas and that's good but the power source will produce a bit of methane every once in awhile. Now as a ultra safe bike this is also good especially on a front end collision or a roll over down the ditch. I can't say anything about getting rear ended, but it is safe to say your you will have a sore touchy for a month but will cut down on the methane emissions for a month as well.

Afro Truck

Last one, this Afro Truck made with a big giant pile of sticks all tied together in the back, definitely no smoking while driving. Also looks like a lions mane and a heart shape. OK now its late and I am starting to see stuff, time to go.

"End Times" Car - Less Art, More Armor

Only I can go from fashion week to mad max in one post but this Mad Max Bad Boy is freaking awesome. Some say we are living in the "end times" and if that is the case I want to be driving this around town when I go shopping for my $100 loaf of bread at Costco. That 's were I will be getting my $150 gallon of gas, 50 Caliber rounds, propane for my flame thrower, grease for my tank tracks, battery for the CB radio, DW40 for rusty hinges and turtle wax for the paint job. It tends to get a bit scuffed up when the vermin trying to steal my bread bounce of the hood at high speeds. Mad Max eat your heart out, I bet you didn't have bullet proof front wheels like these.

Fuzzy Scouter at made at Fashion Week

This fuzzy scouter looks like it was created from the all the leftover material from this years fashion week. Which of course I know nothing about but I assume any model caught on this beauty would be given at least fifty strands of spaghetti...to eat. Its late folks and I am simply delirious and my free association filter is on the fritz.

Ballon Scouter - By Crazy the Clown

How would want to be the lucky clown that got the request from little "Bobby" to make this crazy balloon scouter? Oh yes, meanwhile there is a line of angry kids at the party waiting for their flowers and poodles. Kids let this be lesson, you will at some point in life end up behind the guy with 16 items at the 15 items or less line.

Simpsons Three Eyed Mutant Fish is back!!!

Isn't this the three eyed mutant fish from the Simpsons? Well it apparently turned up at Burning Man only much bigger and with a more vibrant glow.

Hamburger Harley - I want fries with that.

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Harry Sperl has created one of his long time dreams.

The dream ... a hamburger motorcycle. That's right!! A Harley-Davidson trike fashioned to look like an exact replica of a hamburger; And this burger's got all the trimmings.

With cheese, pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomato, not to mention a side of fries and a shake, this bike is gonna make your mouth water when it goes by. You'll be able to see the steam coming off the medium rare beef patty, of course its rigged that way.

Airbrush artist Chris Cruz is responsible for the detailed paint work on the entire burger trike, from the melting cheese front tender, to the ketchup bottle shock covers.

Involved in every step of the production of the trike, Harry says, "This is just the beginning'. Harry intends to construct a hamburger golf cart and a hamburger drag car. But the next project,now that the trike is done, will be the Hamburger Museum, according to Harry.

The Hamburger Museum building will, of course, look like a double bacon cheeseburger, and will be the resting place for Harry's elaborate hamburger collection.

Harry owns over 500 burger replicas of all sizes and all kinds of materials from plastic to glass, and owns over 1000 burger related items like posters, pictures, and memorabilia from all restaurants. It would take Harry too long to build the museum by himself financially, so he is looking for a sponsor to help with his dream to display his collection.

And why has Harry been collecting burgers for over 7 years, he loves to eat them. To Harry hamburgers are an important part of his life. Originally from Germany Harry feels the hamburger is Americana. He loves burgers because they are an icon of the United States.

Harry still goes burger hunting at flea markets or anywhere there may be burgers. Harry currently displays his burgers in his home in Daytona Beach, and holds an open house once a year to show off his collection.

Copy from Hamburger Harley

Wrought Iron VW - Heavy Metal Bugs Hit the Road

via kodac
Joe Gomez of San Antonio, Texas, relates that "One day when I was in bed, I dreamt that I was building a wrought iron car. I woke up, ran to the kitchen and got some paper, and started sketching. My wife thought I was crazy.Everything on this car is handmade, nothing is factory. It took me a little bit better than nine months. The reason I chose the Volkswagen is because the motor's in back -otherwise I'd have all the fumes in front." The car brought more customers to Gomez's wrought-iron company than he could handle, and he soon retired. He later found out that two other people have made wrought-iron Volkswagen's! And here are some more of them


Photo and links below by iamthemaintrain

1. Metal Beetle, 2. ROT IRON, 3. vw iron work, 4. wedding car, 5. RotIron1, 6. Joe Gomez - wrought iron VW bug, 7. Air Conditioned Bug, 8. CIMG0027, 9. Rod Iron VW, 10. IMG_3719, 11. ROT IRON, 12. Wrot Iron VW Bug, 13. IMG_3717, 14. www.flickr.com/photos/udpride/2294504563/, 15. Day 203: No blind spots on this car...., 16. IMG_3764

Aero Car - Flying BMW by Dave Major

by Delta Niner
The AeroCar 600 is a 1959 BMW 600 turned airplane! Created by Dave Major, this little vehicle is as much airplane as it is car. It has a handmade propeller turned by a 12 volt electric motor, a tail from a real airplane and tires from a Beech Jet 400A. It even has a custom dash with a working altimeter, airspeed indicator and aircraft compass!The car is street legal and has a 600cc 2 cylinder air cooled BMW engine in the rear. The front of the car opens up to allow "the pilot" to enter the aircraft. Dave displays the car at a variety of car shows where it is quite popular. The Aerocar 600 also appears in many art car parades around the country.

Land Raft Sets Sail Across Burning Man Desert

Its Mutant Mondays and today we have the land raft made from plastic 55 gallon drums roped together under a wooden platform with a sail. It looks sturdy enough and has set sail across the Burning Man desert abyss on its way to another party. My advise is: keep your hands and feet inside at all times and do not unbuckle until the Land Raft come to a complete stop. 7 days is a long time to be adrift this sea.

via

Quilted Gas Station - How Stay Warm Without a Heater.

This Quilted Gas Station was the brainchild of artist/activist Jennifer Marsh who came up with an idea to bring greater attention to the world's dependency on oil. She put the word out to fiber artist all over the world to submit 3x3 foot squares to cover the abandoned gas station. This old gas station located on the way to her studio was the perfect candidate to be covered in 5,000 square feet of fabric (colossal handmade blanket). With the help of other artists from 15 countries and more than 2,500 grade-school students from 29 states, Marsh covered everything including the pumps, light stands and signs. With more than 3,000 fiber panels, crocheted, knitted, quilted and stitched together she managed to cover this 50-year-old gas station that on a cold nights is the perfect place to stay warm.

"Gas-Saving" Products: Fact or Fuelishness?

Gas prices are up, and so is the volume of advertising for "gas-saving" products. When gasoline prices rise, consumers often look for ways to improve fuel efficiency. Although there are practical steps you can take to increase gas mileage, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns you to be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been small.

"Gas-Saving" Advertising Claims

Be skeptical of the following kinds of advertising claims.

• "This gas-saving product improves fuel economy by 20 percent."
  
  - Claims usually tout savings ranging from 12 to 25 percent. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated or tested more than 100 alleged gas-saving devices and has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage. In fact, some "gas-saving" products may damage a car's engine or cause substantial increases in exhaust emissions.
  The gas-saving products on the market fall into clearly defined categories. Although the EPA has not tested or evaluated every product, it has tried to examine at least one product in each category. See "Devices Tested by EPA" at the end of this brochure for category descriptions and product names.
  
  
• "After installing your product on my car, I got an extra 4 miles [6.4 kilometers] per gallon [3.8 liters]."
  
  - Many ads feature glowing testimonials by satisfied customers. Yet, few consumers have the ability or the equipment to test for precise changes in gas mileage after installing a gas-saving product. Many variables affect fuel consumption, including traffic, road and weather conditions, and the car's condition.
  For example, one consumer sent a letter to a company praising its "gas-saving" product. At the time the product was installed, however, the consumer also had received a complete engine tune-up - a fact not mentioned in the letter. The entire increase in gas mileage attributed to the "gas-saving" product may well have been the result of the tune-up alone. But from the ad, other consumers could not have known that.
  
  
• "This gas-saving device is approved by the Federal government."
  
  - No government agency endorses gas-saving products for cars. The most that can be claimed in advertising is that the EPA has reached certain conclusions about possible gas savings by testing the product or by evaluating the manufacturer's own test data. If the seller claims that its product has been evaluated by the EPA, ask for a copy of the EPA report.
  

Product Complaints and Refunds

If you're dissatisfied with a gas-saving product, contact the manufacturer and ask for a refund. Most companies offer money-back guarantees. Contact the company, even if the guarantee period has expired.

If you're not satisfied with the company's response, contact your local or state consumer protection agency or the Better Business Bureau.

Shifting Gears: Real Money-Saving Steps

There are numerous no- or low-cost steps you can take to combat rising gas prices. The most important place to start is at the gas pump; buy only the octane level gas you need. All gas pumps must post the octane rating of the gas under the FTC's Fuel Rating Rule. Remember, the higher the octane, the higher the price. Check your owner's manual to determine the right octane level for your car.

Here are some additional tips to help you get better gas mileage.

Drive more efficiently

• Stay within posted speed limits. The faster you drive, the more fuel you use. For example, driving at 65 miles per hour (mph), rather than 55 mph, increases fuel consumption by 20 percent. Driving at 75 mph, rather than 65 mph, increases fuel consumption by another 25 percent.
• Use overdrive gears. Overdrive gears improve the fuel economy of your car during highway driving. Your car's engine speed decreases when you use overdrive. This reduces both fuel consumption and engine wear.
• Use cruise control. Using cruise control on highway trips can help you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, reduce your fuel consumption.
• Anticipate driving situations. If you anticipate traffic conditions and don't tailgate, you can avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, and improve your fuel economy by 5 to 10 percent. In city driving, nearly 50 percent of the energy needed to power your car goes to acceleration. Go easy on the gas pedal and brakes. "Jack-rabbit" starts and sudden stops are wasteful.
• Avoid unnecessary idling. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait. No matter how efficient your car is, unnecessary idling wastes fuel, costs you money and pollutes the air.
• Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
• Remove excess weight from the trunk. Avoid carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by one to two percent.

Maintain your car

• Keep your engine tuned. Studies have shown that a poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 to 20 percent depending on a car's condition. Follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your owner's manual; you'll save fuel and your car will run better and last longer.
• Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Car manufacturers must place a label in the car stating the correct tire pressure. The label usually is on the edge of the door or door jamb, in the glove box, or on the inside of the gas cap cover. If the label lists a psi (pounds per square inch) range, use the higher number to maximize your fuel efficiency. Underinflated tires cause fuel consumption to increase by six percent.
• Change your oil. Clean oil reduces wear caused by friction between moving parts and removes harmful substances from the engine. Change your oil as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Check and replace air filters regularly. Your car's air filter keeps impurities in the air from damaging internal engine components. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter improve your fuel economy, it also will protect your engine. Clogged filters can cause up to a 10 percent increase in fuel consumption.
• Consider buying a fuel efficient vehicle. Deciding which vehicle to buy may be the most important fuel economy decision you make. The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG (miles per gallon) and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $3,125 over 5 years, assuming gas costs $2.50 per gallon and you drive 15,000 miles a year.
  

Efforts

The EPA evaluates or tests products to determine whether their use will result in any significant improvement or detriment to fuel economy. However, the EPA cannot say what effect gas-saving products will have on a vehicle over time because it hasn't conducted any durability tests. It's possible that some products may harm the car or may otherwise adversely affect its performance. In fact, today's vehicles' emission control systems are very sophisticated and complex. They have On Board Diagnostic features that alert the driver to problems associated with the emission control and fuel delivery systems. Retrofit products may have an adverse effect on these systems.

Devices Tested

The following list categorizes various types of "gas-saving" products, explains how they're used and gives product names. Those with asterisks may save measurable, but small, amounts of gas. All others have been found not to increase fuel economy.

Air Bleed Devices. These devices bleed air into the carburetor. They usually are installed in the Positive Crankcase Ventilation line or as a replacement for idle-mixture screws.

Vapor Bleed Devices. These devices are similar to the air bleed devices, except that induced air is bubbled through a container of a water and anti-freeze mixture, usually located in the engine compartment.

Liquid Injection. These products add liquid into the fuel/air intake system and not directly into the combustion chamber.

Ignition Devices. These devices are attached to the ignition system or are used to replace original equipment or parts.

Fuel Line Devices (heaters or coolers). These devices heat the fuel before it enters the carburetor. Usually, the fuel is heated by the engine coolant or by the exhaust or electrical system.

Fuel Line Devices (magnets). These magnetic devices, clamped to the outside of the fuel line or installed in the fuel line, claim to change the molecular structure of gasoline.

Fuel Line Devices (metallic). Typically, these devices contain several dissimilar metals that are installed in the fuel line, supposedly causing ionization of the fuel.

Mixture Enhancers (under the carburetor). These devices are mounted between the carburetor and intake manifold and supposedly enhance the mixing or vaporization of the air/fuel mixture.

Mixture Enhancers (others). These devices make some general modifications to the vehicle intake system.

Internal Engine Modifications. These devices make physical or mechanical function changes to the engine.

Accessory Drive Modifiers. These devices reduce power to specific auto accessories.

Fuels and Fuel Additives. These materials are added to the gas tank.

Oils and Oil Additives. Usually these materials are poured into the crankcase.

Driving Habit Modifiers. These are lights or sound devices to tell the driver to reduce acceleration or to shift gears.

Frozen Shuttle Van Technology Saves Life - An Art Car Story

Shuttle Van Frozen Rear Thrusters

Shuttle Van Frozen Door Handle

Shuttle Van Frozen Side Panel

Shuttle Van Frozen at Night

I got this email today and its a reminder that a lot of good people are having a rough time with this crazy weather. Its also a great story of the positive and life saving aspects of owning an art car. The story is about the Shuttle Van Art Car and written by Bill Viereck about how the Shuttle Van Technology saved his bacon not having any power due to heavy frost.

"So when do you fully realize the payback on the undetermined investment made in your art car? Well, start with a deadly ice storm that encapsulates younder 2+ inches of solid rock and devastates all infrastructures around you. No power, no water, no heat, no dice.

My search through camping supplies, used on various multi-car odyssey's, uncovered battery lighting and a sterno burner complete with three cans o' heat. Now hot tea and camp coffee was awesome, but an ice melt sponge bath is a horrific trauma. However, the inch-thick slab of ice on the roof of a good sized doghouse will provide enough non-potable water to flush your toilet a few times. You'll need lots more sterno, though.

My 2000 watt generator was purchased to operate the Shuttle Van's systems during stand-around appearances and to recharge at campsites lacking power. A gallon of gas will run a 1700 watt fog machine (or a typical space heater) for about four hours in favorable weather. My lawn tractor kindly donated almost three gallons of old gas. At the peak of the storm when temps were down to 16 degrees, three hours of heat were a very special treat.

Later 48 hours of entombment, my civilian vehicle had to be moved to escape the new overhangs of trees threatening from above. After working through the better part of daylight to chisel enough away to move that car 12 feet, I turned my attention to the Shuttle Van. All four passenger doors were sealed under the 1/2 inch layer over all vertical surfaces (six times that on the horizontals) but I chipped around thrusters, etc. and accessed the rear tailgate. I wedged my middle-aged girth into the crawl space and reached the two isolation switches for the battery banks. If you're forced to design systems in your art car to handle 111 amps of power drain, you've got some juice available for indoor camping. Fully charged when the power went out, Shuttle Van's reserves could provide some heat for a few hours or operate various other low-consumption devices for much longer. An extension cord stretched from my stranded spacecraft to my satellite receiver just in time to catch the evening news, none of it good. 200,000 customers out of power in NW Arkansas alone, with no clear estimate on restoration. I used the available amp-hours to keep a phone charged, run a portable DVD and a light for well over 24 hours.

Once that initial charge was exhausted, the battery banks offered the advantage of storing the power produced by the gennerator rather than having to use it as it burned. My last gallon and a half of rationed gas gave me 6 1/2 hours of charge for the Shuttle Van, a fresh-brewed pot of real coffee for me and about and hour of heat for my cat.With that I made it to the point of escape, carving 1500 sq. ft. of ice shelf off my driveway and breaking free of the property to buy six gallons of gas and a bucket of chicken.

Do I love my art car? Yes, and I owe my art car. After this Apollo 13-type experience I feel inspired to do more, after I clear nine acres of formerly wooded hillside. Still without power after nine days and eight cold nights I long for hot showers and a warm bed but am able to compose this anecdote on my computer thanks to Shuttle Van technology."

Car Sharing

The primacy of car-based mobility has become a widespread problem in most cities in the world. In Australia, the situation is no different, as the car has an even more dominant role than in European cities. In most of the countries, transport is the fastest growing sector contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from transport are second in magnitude only to the stationary energy sector. Enormous amounts of land and capital are bound up with cars, roads and parking space. This is a result of high levels of private car ownership. Although in medium and high-density urban areas many people walk, cycle and use public transport, there are occasions when they still see a need for some car travel. This is the 'mobility gap' that car sharing seeks to all.


This report describes the concept of car sharing. Its purpose is to identify car sharing organisations in other countries and to examine the preconditions required to establish and run a car sharing organisation (CSO) in order to examine the countries conditions as a basis on which to encourage local initiatives. At an anecdotal level, car sharing is known to exist in a number of cities. For example, approval was granted to a high-rise residential development to operate a car sharing scheme through a local car provider as a substitute for not providing on-site car parking. Other CSOs are small-scale and none is known to be linked formally to public transport providers.

Car sharing is one of a number of mobility strategies, which solves some car ownership problems and problems associated with high car-reliance.

In the primary layer, individuals gain the benefits of private cars without the costs and responsibilities of ownership. Specifically, car sharing allows a member (such as a household or business) to access a meet of shared cars and other types of motor vehicles as needed, paying a usage fee each time. This removes high fixed costs such as registration and third-party insurance, as most costs become both variable and lower. Vehicles are available to members more or less as required for any length of time (from one hour, up to several weeks or more) and at many points (dozens of locations in a city or even in other cities). So, instead of buying a car, people and/or companies, share a meet of vehicles with usage costs dependent on the kilometres travelled and the period of time for which the vehicle is booked. In the second layer, car sharing helps the community reduce the number of trips and distances travelled by private cars. In the third layer, urban communities gain space for productive uses when space currently occupied by roads and parking is not expanded and communities also experience less air and noise pollution.


Car sharing should not be confused with car pooling, which is more accurately termed 'ride-sharing'. In car pooling, owners of cars provide rides to other passengers in a more or less organised way, on a regular or irregular basis. It requires mutual agreement and trust and is generally not suitable for organising as a for-profit business.

The opportunity remains, however, to systematically develop appropriate indicators and an agreed methodology to compare different car sharing schemes.

Some potential indicators include:

• number of vehicles/members (total members)
• reduction in private motor vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT)
• CO2 emissions reduced
• number of cars replaced
• increase in public transport use
• increased time walking and cycling
• area/kerbside distance of parking saved with opportunity for improved re-use, e.g. as dedicated cycleway, parkland and/or open space
• more affordable housing or other savings in developments, e.g. saving space and costs of parking and improving amenity.

Benefits to individuals involved in car sharing :

The following are some of the key reasons individuals may choose to be involved in a car sharing organisation:

• Economic : significant reduction of costs as opposed to owning a motor vehicle, including no need for private parking space and the opportunity to redeploy household expenditure that would typically have been devoted to the sunk costs associated with motor vehicle ownership.
• Convenience : no administrative effort or time expenditure on insurance, purchase and sale, repairs, permits etc.
• Improved access: enhanced mobility options, including access to multiple types of vehicle resulting in a choice of the most economically sensible transport mode.

Expired Parking Meter Tombstone - Very Funny

I was sent this email with this funny photo of a parking meter tombstone. Barbara had a great sense of humor and always used to say that when she died she wanted a parking meter on her grave that says 'Expired'.. So her nephew got her one on eBay! The grave is right by the road so everyone can see it and many people have stopped to get a chuckle. This photo is testament to Barbara's sense of humor and is a great reminder that life too short to be grumpy. Its car related and very funny so I had to.

OMG! Space Invaders Car - I'm so excited!!!

For me this Space Invaders Car is a find of a life time. I loved this game way back when all you had was a joystick that was left and right and a fire button. The green glow of the monitor a roll of quarters and free time was all you needed back in the days. Thank you so much for the good memories my friend, may your car last forever.

by san~~