I've never been impressed with the Toyota Prius' fuel mileage knowing that, 20 years ago, Geo Metros were getting more than 50 mpg without all of the batteries and maggot-shaped styling features of the Prius. (I've also never been so underwhelmed by the look and feel of a car's interior as I was with the Prius.) So any way to give alternatives to one of these cars is always a plus for me, especially when it comes from the Ford family. Here's the latest news I have received over the wire showing the results of Ford's green efforts, led by William Clay "Bill" Ford Jr. (For the record, Bill Ford has been environmentally conscious well before Toyota has been loading its lots with gas-sucking TUNDRA's, SEQUOIA's and the like.)

Fusion Hybrid Averages 81.5 MPG, Sets World Record with 1,445 Miles on Single Tank of Gas

- Drivers trained in mileage-maximizing techniques achieve 1,445 miles on a single tank of gas in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - averaging 81.5 mpg in Washington, D.C. - and set world record for gasoline-powered, midsize sedan

- The Fusion Hybrid 1,000-Mile Challenge proves that fuel-efficient driving techniques can nearly double a vehicle's EPA-rated fuel economy

- The demonstration of the Fusion Hybrid's ultra high-mileage potential also raised more than $8,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

WASHINGTON, April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Drivers trained in mileage-maximizing techniques such as smooth acceleration and coasting to red lights were able to get an extraordinary 1,445.7 miles out of a single tank of gas during a fund-raising effort in Washington, D.C. that concluded today. They did it by averaging 81.5 miles per gallon in an off-the-showroom floor, non-modified 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient midsize car in North America - nearly doubling its U.S. certified mileage.

The Fusion Hybrid 1,000-Mile Challenge started at 8:15 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 25, from Mount Vernon, Va., and ended this morning at 5:37 a.m. on George Washington Parkway in Washington, D.C. After more than 69 continuous hours of driving, the Fusion Hybrid finally depleted its tank and came to a stop with an odometer reading of 1,445.7 miles - setting a world record for gasoline-powered, midsize sedan.

The challenge team, which included NASCAR star Carl Edwards, high mileage trailblazer Wayne Gerdes and several Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) engineers, raised more than $8,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) by exceeding the goal of 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas. The Fusion Hybrid's official estimated range is approximately 700 miles per tank.

"Not only does this demonstrate the Fusion Hybrid's fuel efficiency, it also shows that driving technique is one of the keys to maximizing its potential," said Nancy Gioia, director, Ford Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle Programs. "The fact that we were able raise much needed funds for JDRF while raising the bar on fuel efficient driving performance made the effort doubly worthwhile."

Maximizing mileage

A team of seven drivers prepared for the challenge by learning a few mileage-maximizing techniques, most of which can be used in any vehicle to improve fuel economy, but are especially useful in the Fusion Hybrid where the driver can take advantage of pure electric energy at speeds below 47 mph.

CleanMPG.com founder Wayne Gerdes, an engineer from Illinois who coined the term "hypermiling" to describe the mileage-maximizing techniques, provided the pointers. They include:

  --  Slowing down and maintaining even throttle pressure;
  --  Gradually accelerating and smoothly braking;
  --  Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and anticipating traffic
      conditions;
  --  Coasting up to red lights and stop signs to avoid fuel waste and brake
      wear;
  --  Minimize use of heater and air conditioning to reduce the load on the
      engine;
  --  Close windows at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag;
  --  Applying the "Pulse and Glide" technique while maintaining the flow of
      traffic;
  --  Minimize excessive engine workload by using the vehicle's kinetic
      forward motion to climb hills, and use downhill momentum to build
      speed; and
  --  Avoiding bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum

"You become very aware of your driving because you're constantly looking for opportunities to maximize mileage, and a more aware driver is a safer driver, too," said Gil Portalatin, Ford hybrid applications manager.

In addition, it is important for Fusion Hybrid drivers to manage the battery system's state of charge through the use of regenerative braking and coasting, and balancing the use of the electric motor and gas engine in city driving to avoid wasting fuel.

Fusion Hybrid drivers also can stay more connected to the hybrid driving experience with Ford's SmartGauge(TM) with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster that helps coach drivers on how to optimize performance of their hybrid.

The Challenge

The Fusion Hybrid 1,000-Mile Challenge team took turns driving several routes in and around the national capital over the course of approximately three days and nights. The route involved elevation changes, and ranged from the relatively open George Washington Parkway to a 3-mile stretch in the heart of the city that is clogged with roughly 30 traffic signals.

"The Fusion Hybrid works brilliantly," Gerdes said. "When you don't need acceleration power while driving around town, the gas engine shuts down seamlessly. There's not another hybrid drivetrain in the world that does that as effectively. The Fusion engineering team really knocked it out of the park."

Ford NASCAR star Carl Edwards took time away from the high speed world of professional car racing to contribute to the Fusion Hybrid team's success in D.C.

"It was exciting to be an active part in this challenge. The fact that it will help spread the word about the Fusion Hybrid's great mileage, and help out a great charity, makes it even more special," said Edwards, whose '99' team has used fuel-saving techniques to win races. "There's no question that the Fusion Hybrid will help consumers save fuel when they drive it. Having driven the car, I feel strongly about how great it is - so strong that I've purchased one myself."

While planning a "field trip" to see an Iola resident's barn-find '70 Road Runner (featured in the May 7 issue of Old Cars Weekly), I met up with Dennis Bickford of Vintage Woodworks. Dennis' Chrysler Town & Country work has been featured in OCW several times, but few know he's also a Corvette guy, and has been for years.

Dennis was the one who told me about the Road Runner, and he was going to escort John Gunnell and I over to the shop of the Road Runner's owner. When I pulled in Dennis' driveway, I surprised was to see him dusting off a 1970 Corvette. (I was aware that he owned a '65 roadster, as I'd seen him drive it to our local Wednesday night cruise-in on several occasions, but the blue '70 shocked me.)
Apparently, Dennis and his equally wonderful wife had bought the car slightly used in 1970 while Dennis was stationed in Hawaii.

Dennis gave me the "low-down" on the car, but one of the most fascinating stories of his experience with it was when he shipped the car to the U.S. mainland after his stint in Hawaii was over. He said that, while in California to pick up the car, they stopped at his wife's relative's home in LA for a visit. Knowing 'Vettes were the most stolen cars of the time, Dennis was more than a little worried the car would be robbed while in LA. To disable the car from starting, Dennis removed the rotor from beneath the distributor cap. But he also knew it could be towed away in the night, so he tied a string to the car, then ran the string across the yard and up through the bedroom window, tying it off at his toe. If the car was going to be stolen, Dennis (and his toe) were going with it!

2009 New Models '70 Buick GSX

As a Buick lover, it pains me to have to explain this, but here goes: Buicks have a bad rap for being the choice barge of “blue hairs,” but several times through the years, Buick has had the “baddest” beasts on the road, bar none. The baddest Buick of the bad has to be the 1970 Stage 1 GSX models. These cars visually leapt off dealership lots filled with green Electras and brown LeSabres, thanks to coats of Apollo White or Saturn Yellow paint and menacing black stripes. The GSX models were based on the Gran Sport (GS) models, but the “X” added exponential aggression with a GSX-only package that included chin and deck lid spoilers, the aforementioned stripes, a hood tach, GSX ornamentation and other details.

Now that those unannointed in the beauty of Buick have been brought up to speed, let me get down to business: The landmark Buick GSX muscle car has been scaled down from street-size to pocket-size, courtesy of Hot Wheels. For only a buck, GSX dreamers can pocket an authentic replica fo the 1970 Buick GSX, complete with correct Saturn Yellow paint on an all-metal body decked out in black stripes with a hood tach and rear spoiler. The chrome plastic chassis houses the chin spoiler and accurately replicated 1970-only front and rear bumpers and grille, which also carries a set of Hot Wheels five-spoke wheels to keep the car rolling down the sidewalk.

This isn’t the only 1970 Buick GSX to appear in scaled-down die-cast form, but it certainly has the best Buick bang for the buck (literally). Watch for it at your favorite Hot Wheels-carrying retailer or out on the swap field this summer.

Also, if you’re into Buick GSX models, check out the 2009 BPG Nationals at National Trails Raceway outside of Columbus Ohio Saturday August 1. Organizers are hoping to get 50 real GSX models from 1970 and up in one place, regardless of condition. Read more about it here.

Custom '53 Chevy Treasure Hunt

One of the coolest customs to come from the pen of Larry Wood and out of the Hot Wheels shop is the Custom ’53 Chevy. This cruiser sports a chopped Bel Air/Two-Ten Sport Coupe body dressed with frenched headlamps, ’55 Chevy tail lamps, a toothy first-gen ‘Vette grille and a cooler than cool clear louvered hood that goes the next step beyond those found on some early Rocket 88s and ’54 Fords.

As cool as this Hot Wheels casting is, it was only a matter of time before the Chevy made it to coveted Treasure Hunt duty, and it appears as car number 7 of the twelve annually produced for the line. Pictured here is the more common “regular” Treasure Hunt with metallic purple paint, white flames, chrome interior and five-spoke wheels. The “$uper” Treasure Hunt is identical, with the exception of whitewall Real Riders which add exponential coolness.

It’ll take lots of circling around your local toy department to find one of these hanging in the toy aisle for a dollar, but it’s worth it. If you’re a busy person, it’s also worth buying on the secondary market, even if you have to pay $10 or more.

I'm not a big fan of gold, whether it be jewelery or a car's color, but there is one exception: when it partially covers a car, and there are "Hurst" emblems in all the right places. So when I saw the debut of Hurst Challengers, I started doing the math to figure out if I possessed enough items that could be sold to purchase one.
Unfortunately, I came up more than day and a dollar short, but that hasn't stopped me from dreaming about a Hurst Challenger. In case you're dreaming with me (or on your way to the bank to make a deposit), you'll want to take note of the news below:

 

Hurst Performance debuts THE LEGENDARY black & gold COLORs on the Hurst/Hemi-Challenger
 
Legendary Performance Brand Makes History Again!
 
Irvine, Calif. (March 30, 2009) – Hurst Performance Vehicles, one of the most recognized and revered names in automobile history, today announced the legendary black and gold colors are once again available on a Hurst “Executive Hot Rod.”
 
The Hurst/Hemi-Challenger continues the legacy of Hurst Performance, a brand that has long been synonymous with speed, performance and quality. The legendary colors offered on these stunning cars pay homage to the Hurst Muscle Cars originally produced in white and gold and in rare cases, black and gold.
 
“Over the last 50 years Hurst has been a player in almost every segment of the automotive “go-fast” industry with the best shifters and some of the coolest cars ever,” said Nate Shelton, Chairman of Hurst Performance. “We consider it an honor and a privilege to continue the Hurst legend with the black and gold colors.  I can’t wait for each of you to see this car...it’s so cool I personally bought one for myself.”
 
Both the black and gold and the white and gold Challengers are available in performance stages. Series 2 vehicles are available through participating Dodge dealers nationwide, while Series 3, 4 and 5 vehicles are only available from Hurst Performance Vehicles. For more information please visit the company website at www.hurst-performance.com.







 
About Hurst Performance
Founded in 1958, Hurst Performance is one of the most recognized and revered names in the automotive performance arena. The Hurst brand has long been synonymous with speed, performance and quality, with an impressive track-record of pioneering high performance products and vehicles for all forms of motorsports and hot-rodding. Hurst was one of the first specialty companies to partner with the OEMs and bring enthusiasts limited edition performance vehicles like the legendary Hurst/Olds 442. For more information please visit www.hurst-performance.com.

Last weekend, I offered to help retired OCW staffer Kenny Buttolph remove roof supports for his pole building now that the snow is melting. The work didn’t take long with the help of another friend, Josh, and before long, I found myself in the backseat of a baby-blue 1978 Olds 98 on a road trip across central Wisconsin in search of a salvage yard.

With Kenny piloting, we criss-crossed little-traveled roads in the center of the state. We took so many turns, Kenny might as well have been blindfolded me and spun me around. After a few hours, we finally found an old salvage yard Kenny once frequented.

Time had not been kind to the yard, or its owner. It was early afternoon when we arrived, but Josh took a chance and knocked the door of the abandoned-looking house just off the road that fronted the yard. Lo and behold, a man matching a description of the house answered the door, complete with crooked and broken glasses and drool from Copenhagen running down his chin. After Josh told the owner he was looking for truck parts, we were allowed to walk in the yard. However, the owner was adamant that we didn’t enter a trailer filled with his “personal belongings.”

Kenny remained in his car, and I was glad he did. Upon opening the gate after Josh crossed in, I nearly stepped on a freshly severed cow leg lying on the ground. A few feet later, I found another cow leg, complete with hoof. A new fear took me over and I wondered what, or who, was hiding in the mysterious trailers we were warned not to enter. But I proceeded knowing Kenny stayed behind in case the next severed limbs lying on the ground were mine. Besides, the thought of entering a hidden yard was worth any horror movie script I might soon find myself living.

Soon after we entered, it became clear many of the cars had been crushed, but there were an abundance of old trucks. Sedan delivery, panel truck and half-ton truck carcasses abounded (as did the carcasses of two recently slaughtered cows lying on car hoods).

Josh and I began scouting the yard for parts, and eventually, the owner joined us. He turned out to be a harmless gentleman, and appeared happy to have someone to talk to. He even helped Josh and I hunt down 1946-‘47 Chevrolet truck parts for Josh’s project at home.

While Josh was searching out truck parts, I scouted out the rest of the inventory. A 1959 Edsel sedan here, a 1967 Impala sedan there. I also spotted 1937 Chevrolet and 1946 Hudson two-door sedans, as well as a 1971 Buick Skylark and 1967 Mustang two-door hardtops. There were also signs of cool but long-gone cars with: three 1957 Chevrolet hoods scattered about; piles of 1940s through ‘60s hubcaps heaped throughout the yard like hiking path markers; and stray front clips and other sheet metal strewn everywhere else.

I found a 1961-’62 Cadillac fender skirt lying in a pile of parts, but it was too rusty to drag home. The greatest find of the day (in my opinion) came from a lone 1941 Willys hubcap Josh pulled out of a pile of wheel covers. I was certainly more interested in it than Josh was, so it became my prize.

By dark, we left the yard with a good lesson: It’s worth knocking on the scary doors every once in a while to find some parts, even if it looks as though you might need to say a prayer before entering. But always leave someone behind in a running car in case you need to make a quick escape.

Last week, I featured some neat photos from reader Coy Thomas, which appeared in the "Reader Photos" section of Old Cars Weekly. This week, I feature a few photos from my own collection, so I'll call this "Editor's Photos."
The images below were taken on Jan 31, 1957, during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco's Chinatown. There are a few celebrities, including former Duesenberg owner Ben Blue, as well as the parade's royalty, but the real stars are the cars, of course.
Enjoy the pics!

Check out this slick lineup: a modified 1955 Cadillac Eldorado convertible (check out the hideously hogged-out wheel openings, exaggerated tailfins and round parking lamps), the MG-TF, the 1955 Cadillac Series 62 convert (more on this car below) and a 1956 Lincoln convert at the back. Parade big wigs certainly rode in class!






Wow! Check out this sharp 1955 Caddy drop top! It's like brand-new, even though it's a two-year-old car. Oh, yeah, the Chinese New Year parade princess and comedian Ben Blue are pictured in the Cadillac, too.



More sweet convertibles worth drooling over. Pictured here is a 1955 Chrysler convertible, a 1953 Packard Caribbean and a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible behind it. The sedan behind the Chebby is harder to identify. Any thoughts?




That's a brand-new Ford being hauled on a flatbed behind a trolley. No explanation is given for the Ford's royal behavior. Perhaps it's a prize during the festivities? Or maybe officials are being making an example out of the Ford, whose owner parked in a tow-away zone during the parade's set up.

Regular OCW readers know we run a weekly "Reader Photos" section, in which we feature wicked-cool old photos from reader albums. It's certainly one of my favorite features each, and it always seems we don't have enough space to run every photo.
One of readers who regularly contributes is Coy Thomas, who is a big Ford fan (among other cars). Recently, Thomas sent in a photo of a 1934 Ford roadster in Honolulu in 1942 (pictured below at top). After we ran the photo Thomas sent in the March 26 "Reader Photos," another package arrived with several more scenes of the same Ford. Since it was too late to include them, and we probably would not have had the space, I have included them here. Enjoy!

March 26 Reader Photos:

The near-perfect, year-round climate of Hawaii and the perfect all-around good looks of Ford’s 1934 V-8 roadster make for a perfect combination. Proof that at least one of these ideal car-to-island relationships existed comes with this 1942 photograph captured in Honolulu and showing a friend of reader Tom Slaughter’s father.

Even cars in Hawaii need a bath once in a while, and this ’34 roadster looks fresh from the tub. As an ominous reminder to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the clean Ford wears black-out covers on its headlamps and cowl lamps. Also check out the “919” license topper on the 1942 Hawaii license plate and the non-stock bumper guards fitted to the Ford. Unfortunately, those guards weren’t able to prevent a nick from forming in the driver’s front fender.

Does a cool ocean breeze still roll through the open cockpit of this Ford? Perhaps a Hawaiian reader will let us know.

The above is the original photo that appeared in Old Cars Weekly. Below are the additional photos Thomas submitted.







Thomas identified this gentleman in his second letter as Harry Rodin.



Here's Guy Slaughter, who supplied Thomas with the above '34 Ford photos, in Honolulu in 1943 with his own 1936 Ford three-window coupe. Note this car also carries black-outs on its headlamps.

Have $600,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Then have about $2 million (or more) to bring your initial investment up to show condition? Then have I got a deal for you!
This ad for one of the remaining Futurliners appeared in "Wheels of Time," publication of the American Truck Historical Society. (A great club and club pub, by the way.) While the attention a Futurliner gathers at a car show is comparable to bringing a sledge hammer into a Beverly Hills crystal shop, it takes a lot of money to bring one of these rigs up to tip-top shape. Of course, its worth every penny and every bead of sweat, I'm sure. Just as the volunteers who brought the NATMUS Futurliner to its awe-inspiring condition.