Yesterday, the whole family went to the Greenwood Auto Show, which is a free annual event in Seattle. People bring their classic cars and line them up on Greenwood Avenue for people to check out. I'm always amazed at how people keep some of these vehicles so pristine - it truly is a walk through memory lane for many visitors.My mom had great fun looking at the cars that were popular in her "hey day" and it was interesting seeing many of the older folks stop and relay stories of their youth when they see a car they haven't seen in 60 years. I can't say I'm a huge car aficionado, but I can appreciate the history behind these antiques.
In looking at the cars, some from the 1920s, it was odd to think of these vehicles starting off the motor revolution that changed the way of life for people around the world but, most particularly, in America. With its vast expanse and distance, the car changed the face of America. With it, the fossil fuels burned along the way changed the face of our climate.I couldn't help but think that, as petroleum becomes more scarce and cars start switching over to alternative fuels (see more about this in my post this upcoming Friday), classic cars won't have available a fuel source to keep running. So, those old Ford Fairlanes and Model Ts will sit idle when fuel pumps that carry petrol become hard to find due to environmental concerns of burning gasoline.
Just like any change in technology, these petroleum running cars will become obsolete. You wouldn't be able to drive your classic car very readily to a car show. It would need to be shipped. It's a bit of history that will become a lot less accessible. And you will see more automotive museums, much like we have for airplanes today that can no longer fly.I guess that's not such a bad thing.
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Speaking of Peak Oil considerations and future transportation realities and alternatives:
"The Irresistible Fleet of Bicycles."
http://thegreenhorns.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/100-million-new-farmers/
Just imagine if we as a culture spent even just 5% of the time, energy, money and obsessions that we do on cars and building freeways, on our food, farmers and pedestrian/bicycle friendly city planning... Food poverty would be a thing of the past.
Just some wishful thinking. Maybe peak oil is a miracle after all?
I drive a classic car... Not a super cool old hot rod, but a 4-door 1971 Chev, it's big enough to seat all 6 of us and is much safer than a minivan. Imo, this is the ultimate recycling, I've had it for 7 years so far, and don't anticipate ever needing to upgrade, I really love this car... Parts are cheap and readily available, and unlike any new car, there are no computerized components that need special tools or training to work on.
I was told that converting a car like this to burn alcohol is easy, (carb changes), and we could probably get a permit to run a still here... But my plan is to one day redo it as an electric car, the trunk is plenty big to hold enough batteries and suitable electric motors are out there... (My only holdup is cash flow, this could cost 10 times w/ I paid for it...) I could go on, but my point is that it's not so black and white, cars were built better back then, and also that car aficionados can be very innovative when it comes to getting around stuff like no fuel. A combustion engine does not a car make!
At least some people are switching classic cars to bio-diesel which will last longer. I love cars and classic cars. I hope someone comes up with a really easy and good way to switch them to the next fuel at least for hobby cars.
A lot of classic car owners hardly drive them and haul them to car shows on trailers already. Many times they look so good because they aren't driven, are kept in garages, and are covered when being transported.
Despite my wanting to agree with you, i think it's still going to be a while before oil ceases to be available. Besides, old car fans will surely be able to retrofit their gas tanks to accept bio-fuels.
Maybe we'll convert them to electric......I'd like something other than a neutered Prius to drive.
http://keelynet.com/energy/teslafe1.htm
At the appointed time, Nikola Tesla arrived from New York City and inspected the Pierce-Arrow automobile. He then went to a local radio store and purchased a handful of tubes (12), wires and assorted resistors. A box measuring 24 inches long, 12 inches wide and 6 inches high was assembled housing the circuit. The box was placed on the front seat and had its wires connected to the air-cooled, brushless motor. Two rods 1/4" in diameter stuck out of the box about 3" in length.
Mr. Tesla got into the driver's seat, pushed the two rods in and stated, "We now have power". He put the car into gear and it moved forward! This vehicle, powered by an A.C. motor, was driven to speeds of 90 m.p.h. and performed better than any internal combustion engine of its day! One week was spent testing the vehicle. Several newspapers in Buffalo reported this test. When asked where the power came from, Tesla replied, "From the ethers all around us". Several people suggested that Tesla was mad and somehow in league with sinister forces of the universe. He became incensed, removed his mysterious box from the vehicle and returned to his laboratory in New York City. His secret died with him!
It is speculated that Nikola Tesla was able to somehow harness the earth's magnetic field that encompasses our planet. And, he somehow was able to draw tremendous amounts of power by cutting these lines of force or causing them to be multiplied together.
LOL I belong to a classic car club, and have two of the money draining hobbyist vehicles myself- a 66 plymouth valiant and a 79 MG MGB. I was discussing alternative fuels with the old boys at the club- the general response besides a bunch of snorts was basically something like Charlton heston- they can take the keys from my cold dead hands. Oh well. The plymouth is for sale, btw. And I plan on someday converting the MGB to an electric car. At least the little MGB is a little more earth friendly- better gas mileage, emission controls and such. But having a < a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYn2HyjMR68/SCnU8hduMlI/AAAAAAAAAJU/2O5CDyqZwlY/s1600-h/vespa.JPG">vintage scooter is also a blast!
Deanna, Is the project good4girls still going on? Could you please let me know details about that please.
You might be looking at this the wrong way. As more and more people get hybrids, electric cars, hydrogen powered cars, and the like, there may actually be BETTER availability of gasoline, methanol, alcohol, and biodiesel for use in classic cars.
When the first cars hit the road, people predicted the end of the horse. Horses didn't go away, their role simply changed. Instead of being used to plow fields, pull wagons, etc. they are now used for recreation and pleasure. I think the same will be true of the internal combustion engine. 50 years from now we'll be relying on electric and hydrogen powered vehicles to do our dirty work (hauling freight, people moving, etc.) and we'll be using our classic cars - which will include todays Mustangs, Camaros, etc. - purely for pleasure driving and competition.
-Grant (1970 Camaro owner)
I don't know about this. Small airplanes all use gas combinations similar to auto gas (the fuel types have been narrowed down to two over the years, so older planes have to do a little variation work). Their engines can't run on anything containing more bio-fuel-related products. I can't imagine that industry vanishing... esp since a large portion of pilots tend to be very wealthy and influential.
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