Post by pledm on Dec 31, 2008 5:52:24 GMT -5
Classic cars are beautiful, extremely well-designed works of engineering, but, unfortunately, are also often gas guzzlers and heavy greenhouse-gas emitters because of their antiquated engines. But Neil Young of “Heart of Gold” fame has decided to transform his classic 1960s Lincoln Continental Mark IV convertible from a regular vehicle to a fabulously efficient hybrid vehicle.
Neil Young’s move may shock some car collectors, but the eco-challenges facing the planet require new ways of looking at the old. In fact, Neil Young is filming a documentary to showcase the process and hopes to raise awareness of the available technology and performance of hybrids in mainstream America. After all, what could be more American than turning something classic into something new? Jonathan Goodwin of H-Line Conversions will perform the Lincoln Mark IV’s transformation. The electric-biodiesel vehicle is expected to achieve around 100 miles per gallon.
Rock legend Neil Young may be the grandfather of grunge, but he has got a passion for clean-air cars.
Young, an avid collector of antique cars, decided to play a new automotive tune: one that harmonizes with alternative fuels. His “aha” moment was when he heard about an MTV “Pimp My Ride” segment in which mechanic
Jonathan Goodwin turned Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1965 Impala into a biodiesel car.
Goodwin, who has been dubbed a “motorhead messiah” for his modifications of big cars into clean-burning, high-mileage, high-horsepower vehicles, started trading e-mails with Young a few years back.
Long story short: Young and his producer, Larry Johnson decided to drive Young’s 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Convertible from California to Goodwin’s garage in Wichita, Kan. During the nine-day ride on the historic
National Scenic Byway known as Route 66, they started filming a documentary called “Linc-Volt.”
Young spent much of the past year in Kansas working along with Goodwin on the 2.5-ton, 19.5-foot long Lincoln, turning it into a “series-hydro-hybrid electric,” which is basically a hybrid with an electric motor and a turbine generator. The Lincoln came into the shop at a laughable 9 miles per gallon. They’re looking at getting it up to a clean 100 mpg with a 0-to-60-mph timing of 8 seconds; twice as fast as it was.
When it reaches that 100-mpg mark, Young plans to race it cross-country with other 100-mpg vehicles for a $10 million prize funded by the XPRIZE Foundation.
But that’s not the only prize that’s come out of this. Goodwin and Young formed a partnership, aptly called Goodwin Young, that supports the conversion of other eco-unfriendly vehicles into clean-burning alterna-machines.
A current project is a Ford F-150 that came in at 17 mpg and will leave the garage at 75 mpg.
Goodwin Young wants to offer converted vehicles at factory sticker price within a year. Hmmm . . . makes you think about hanging on to your Hummers and classic land sharks.
I heard neil talk about this awhile ago,something the big 3 car companies should think about.