Re: Speed limiters

On 7/6/2024 11:57 AM, Martin Brown wrote:

How many gallons to the mile does that do?

It's relatively easy to get vehicles that will fall in the < 10MPG (not GPM)
range.  A friend's camaro clocks in at about 8MPG.  My old (75) Monte Carlo was
about 14.

I saw a very unusual US car at a local show - one of 92 ever made and still in pristine condition. Auburn 1935 Boattail 851 speedster (spent most of its life in some pop stars garage). Now doing the rounds on the UK circuit - unless there is something even more exotic it wins best in show. It looks like something that Dan Dare ought to drive!

I am always amazed at how people spend their monies (which is a consequence of
how htey spent their -- or their parents' -- lives).  I have friends driving
"nonsense" cars -- a $300K Huracan, a $1.3M mclaren, etc.  And, "driving" is
an overstatement.  The cars "get rides" to shows to keep the wear and tear
to a minimum.  So, what value having something if only to say you *have* it?

In some ways I miss the old days when you could take a mechanical car apart and then put it back together again. These days everything is electronic and firmware based. I don't miss the Ford bolt of year award though for the one put in such a position that without the right custom tool you would inevitably skin your knuckles getting it undone.

I see nothing wrong with "electronic" or "firmware".  The problem lies in
the fact that these systems are all *closed*.  So, you are helpless to
understand what is happening, why and how to fix it.  (and, they are designed
with large/costly FRUs whereas the "fix" may be something trivial)
I've been looking for an old (~'61?) Continental to "instrument".  But, as
this will require *replacing* the plant, you don't want something that
is advertised as "low mileage" (can you say, "arm and a leg"?).  And, those
that are higher mileage often have other issues (esp body related) that
would be a nuisance to fix.
I found one, locally, but it was a rag top <frown>

Parking radar on the bumpers make trivial fender benders extortionately expensive now and insurance premiums are rising to take account of that.

Bumper covers, in general, are A Bad Idea.  Way too easy to damage and
costly to replace (esp as they always will need to be repainted).

The parking light failure sensor on my previous car failed (incorrect warning every time you start the car). Cost to repair required an entire light cluster assembly swap so no way was I going to do that! The parking light still worked fine but the sensor thought it didn't.

Was the sensor optically based?  Or, did it monitor the drop across the lamp
(or current through it)?