seeking classic cars in AZ

[Guest]

First the question and then the reason. I am looking to see if you know of any "classic" cars that are clean burning, fuel efficient, or the such comparable to the cars of today. Be it a Stanley Steamer, 31 Cadillac, or 55 Chevy I am looking for a few cars in the Phoenix area that would fit into this category. Why? We are looking to do a classic carpool, featuring a couple classic cars. For this reason I can't have a car that pollutes more than a car of today carpooling around. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. you can respond to hemzacek@yahoo.com

[Guest]

Oh jeez, the <C> word again, PH where art thou?

As for clean burning, ever consider a Baker or Rauch and Lang electric???? they don't pollute.

[Guest Chuck Conrad]

The funny thing is, while electric cars themselves don't directly pollute as they travel down the road, the power source used to charge their batteries certainly does. Sure, you could use solar or wind power, but that did not exist in the days of Rauch Lang, Baker, etc. Most conventional power plants in the US and elsewhere are big time pollution offenders, making the miniscule emissions from our fossil fuel collector cars look insignificant.

Even if the power source were pollution free, older electric cars use lead acid batteries; they eventually contribute huge masses of toxic waste, when it comes time to dispose of them. Even more modern (and efficient) batteries must eventually be disposed of and all that I?m aware of use materials that are definitely something you would not want to ingest.

Things are not as simple as they look.

[Guest]

Oh how true, and you could certainly condemn any conventional energy source to the Nth degree.

However my electrified Renault Dauphine {custom built for violinist Jascha Heifetz in the '60's} is connected to a windcharger mounted atop my garage,so there....................it does drip oil from the transaxle occasionally so that may upset the "greens" out there................................

[EdA]

Got a photo of your Renault and the wind turbine? Why in the world did Heifetz want an electric? And why a Dauphine. Must be an amazing story connected to that.

Ed

[Guest]

Yes, I have a couple of pics that I shall try to post.

The story goes Heifetz was really concerned about the environment and the rising cost of Gasoline in the early '60's ;-) So apparently his friend, millionaire industrialist Bud Cohen had this Dauphine stripped and re-fabricated as an electric for him with an engraved silver presentation plaque, really a neat bit of work with a '20's vintage Baker electric motor mated right to the transaxle and a really gorgeous hand fabricated control box for the foot throttle. The Renault dash was thrown away and a solid walnut burl dash installed with delightful old black-faced current and voltage gauges and a TR2 steering wheel.

I drive it around town as it has about a 45 mile range btween charges but living in a hilly area halves this range as I know from experience!!! I can manage 40mph, it is a 96 volt system with an on board charger I must use as the windcharger is only effective after a couple of days.

Next spring I'm installing selenium photovoltaic arrays to aid the windcharger which originally kept cattle fence batteries charged!!

Apparently he drove this car for quite some time as I have all the registration renewals with his signature.