Will Cars of Today Become Classics?

[JimmyZ]

IMHO Cars as we know them today won't be in use in another 20 or thirty years. The push for developing hydrogen or other means of energy for use in cars will make even our Z's showpieces for your living room, garage, or shrine like the Ferrari's in Ferris Beuler's Day Off.

In time we'll view fossil fuels much as we'd view using gas lamps for lighting.

2c

[Stickerman]

In time we'll view fossil fuels much as we'd view using gas lamps for lighting.

2c

You know they were saying that in about 1975 also....

[JimmyZ]

When gas goes for $6+/gal people will get motivated. Like the bionic man opening line... "We have the technology"

There has alos been a discovery of how to get electricty from nuclear waste which has some promise. Eventually someone will make the next leap. Steam>gas>??? We live in exciting times.

[The Wingnut]

Gasoline is already at that price in many other parts of the world. The shift is not to different sources of power, but to more efficient use of it. Petroleum exploration will not cease as long as mankind wishes to produce polymers, lubricants, solvents and myriad other petroleum derivatives. While billions of gallons of petroleum are used annually for fossil fuel production worldwide, yet more is used for other purposes. It would remain one of the most important commodities even if fossil fuel production were to cease entirely. Disregarding the consumer level, fossil fuels are essential to rail, ocean and air cargo transport and the methods of powering these transports - especially ships and aircraft - is next to impossible without fossil fuels. The global switch to non-fossil fuel powered transportation would not only be impractical, it would create other unforeseen loads into different methods of power production. In California, the state that styles itself as leader in environmental consciousness, the majority of electrical power is produced by coal and natural gas fired plants. A 31 year ban on the production and upgrade of nuclear powerplants is in effect and will not be lifted until a '100% safe method of radioactive waste disposal' is achieved...meaning never. If our own crippling of our power generation continues(year after year of power scandals and rolling blackouts have plagued California because of its elected officials' and bureaucrats' mismanagement of electrical power generation), how can we hope to produce alternate means of energy at the consumer level? This is the state that is leading the charge?

The solution is not to eliminate the current technology, but continue to refine it and supplement it with means that fit the existing infrastructure. The internal combustion engine is not going to disappear anytime soon.

[JimmyZ]

Time will tell. The cost of not advancing may be too high though. I'm not a tree hugger but believe that anyone can see this writing on the wall.

Iceland seems to be giving it a try.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/archive/2208013.stm

Here in my backyard NASA is giving hydrogen a try as are some CA city buses etc.

You are right that we'll never drop petroleum due to it's many uses in modern life. We can curb or stabilize it's consumption though. Believe I read somewhere that the world's population will max out in 2017 roughly.

I did find a neat article on recycling nuclear waste. seems that politicians and scientists are against it for economic reasons. Perhaps this is just a bunch of bull.

http://www.nuclearwasterecycling.com/

I agree that there are certain means of transport that are unlikely to use another means. Planes trains semis etc.

The average person's transportation will see great change in the next 15 years though. Europe's diesel version of the Smartcar is one example. Too bad we can't get them here...yet:)

[ta240]

So people won't be doing Hydrogen power conversions on their Z's? I think the guys at hybridz.org will be all over that

IMHO Cars as we know them today won't be in use in another 20 or thirty years. The push for developing hydrogen or other means of energy for use in cars will make even our Z's showpieces for your living room, garage, or shrine like the Ferrari's in Ferris Beuler's Day Off.

In time we'll view fossil fuels much as we'd view using gas lamps for lighting.

2c

[ta240]

Europe's diesel version of the Smartcar is one example. Too bad we can't get them here...yet:)

I get nervous on the freeway in the Z with some of the monster vehicles out there and can’t imagine being in one of those tiny things. I know there are all sorts of videos of them crashing into walls and each other showing how safe they are, what I want to see is one getting plowed into by an SUV. It is much like the current frontal crash tests for cars they smash the car into a stationary object so the smaller the car, the smaller the force. That is why the small print on the frontal crash stars says that they are only valid as a comparison between cars of the same class.

I keep reading articles about how you are twice as likely to die in a crash in a small car as compared to a midsized car.

When gas goes for $6+/gal people will get motivated. Like the

I remember seeing a biodiesel z on ebay once. Any one do an electric Z?

[JimmyZ]

I remember seeing a biodiesel z on ebay once. Any one do an electric Z?

Can you imagine how much space would be left and what the weight distribution would be like with an electric Z?! If it moved like the lexus hybrid that would be OK I guess.

We could always hit up the restaurants for their cooking oil. (Ref the oil powered suburban)

In keeping with the thread all I'm trying to say is that cars as we know them today are going to be more than nostalgic once newer technologies come along. Doesn't matter if it's still fossil fuel or alt fuel powered, we won't be driving them much in 15 -20 years.

[KDMatt]

Ahh yes, alternative fuels will play a role... Hopefully we'll have teleporters/transporters and people will drive purely for entertainment which means that any car that's remotely fun to drive will be a 'classic' ... well... maybe...

[ta240]

Can you imagine how much space would be left and what the weight distribution would be like with an electric Z?!

you are thinking old technology. Even the latest stuff can be smaller and lighter:

http://www.teslamotors.com/ <- I'd take one of those any day.

just imagine when battery technology makes its next jump.

[mbc]

Here is a list of some cars that I think have a chance of being classics:

'97- '02 Camaro SS/ Firebird WS6

'03- '04 Mustang Cobra

'07- Jeep Cherokee SRT-8

'06- Pontiac Solstice/ Saturn Sky

'00- '06 Honda S2000 ( I hope)

'03- '06 Chevy SSR

'05- '07 Pontiac GTO (Holden)

'97- '03 Ford F-150 Lightning

'02- Mini Cooper S

'83- '87 Buick Grand National/ Olds T- type ( I know these are '80's )

'01- 05 Chrysler Prowler

I'm sure there are more that I can't think of.

[JimmyZ]

you are thinking old technology. Even the latest stuff can be smaller and lighter:

http://www.teslamotors.com/ <- I'd take one of those any day.

just imagine when battery technology makes its next jump.

THAT is a beautiful car! 98K is a bit steep but I'm sure that this will be a classic:) I've always been fascinated by the real Tesla's inventions. Cars like this make for a future we can hope for. Fast, beautiful cars AND clean air.

Don't get me wrong. I DO enjoy the smells of the Z and will miss them when that day comes.

2c

Jim

[ta240]

THAT is a beautiful car! 98K is a bit steep but I'm sure that this will be a classic:)

yep, all they need is the standard price drop as the technology gets better and more common. It basically runs off laptop batteries. I read awhile back about all the testing and batteries that caught fire and exploded while they tried to figure out how to keep them cool.

Just replace the engine in the Z with batteries up front and put the electric motor back where the gas tank and spare tire currently are. And no more changing oil! You just have to hum to make the engine sounds as you drive

We went on a tour of an old gold mine in the area once and they had people acting out the parts of the people that were there back at the start of the 1900's. The lady was telling a story about her electric car dieing on the way into town. Can you imagine if cars had gone the way of electric what our battery and electric motor technology would be at today?

[1 Bravo 6]

Hmmmm, yes,

I can just imagime ............

30 years from now, ..........

Young Will junior walks towards his "Classic" 2007 model whatever car with the remote opening ignition key in his hand, presses the "open" button, and nothing happens. "Oh, bugger it" he says as he unlocks the car manually and wonders where the heck he's going to get a replacement battery for the car key.

He gets behind the wheel, inserts the key and turns the ignition to on. Now, .... the thirty year old computer has been suffering from short term memory loss lately and, incorrectly, it refuses to acknowledge the key as being the correct one, thinks to itself,"Hmmm, someone's trying to steal me 'cause I'm a very valuable CLASSIC car" and, following it's 30 year old program, shuts itself down completely. Will Junior now wonders how he's going to get to the show n shine he's been looking forward to.

Poor Will Junior is now stuck with a dead 30 year old classic that not even dear old Will Senior's vast vehicle library can help solve his problem.

After listening to Junior's tale of woe, Will Senior, in sympathetic understanding, tosses a set of keys to Junior and says, "Here son, .... take the Zed".

Rick.

:devious::devious:

[The Wingnut]

It's inspiring...you can run diesel, jet fuel, just about any combustible with a low flashpoint and burn residue. The major weakness is that it's using a free turbine for power transfer.

...drop the turbine into the hatch area(put in a firewall and replace the rear hatch with a vented plex cover), use a shaft driven generator, hook the output to a transformer / rectifier. Put a small battery pack in the engine bay, and a high-torque electric motor(combined weight enough to offset the rearward shift from the turbine) on the trans input shaft. Run the motor off of the power output from the generator and dump the excess load into the battery pack, use the battery pack for electrical load balancing and emergency power.

Insane? Yes. Easier said than done? Sure! Makes cool noises? Oh, hell yes.

[karlb]

Gentlemen

I hope the Z cars become classics. I don't think they are there yet. Prices for 1st generation Z's are still rather modest. Check the prices in Hemmings or on e-bay.

Which of today's cars will become "classics" or special interest. It will be the ones the 20 something year olds are lusting for but can't yet afford. These future classics are fairly high end, moderate production volumes (not so limited that the guy next to you at the stop light won't know what it is, but enough that parts will be around for awhile), a little impractical (no granny cars or mini van people haulers) and styling that typifies the asperations of the generation. It will be the cars that they think are worth the long term costs to own.

The level of technology in most of today's cars (computerization and front wheel drive, etc.) and expense of repairs will rush most of today's cars to the scrap yard after there useful lives, eg., how many early to mid 80"s front wheel drive cars are still on the road-not many. The shade tree mechanic is just about history so the long term survival rate for the current crop of auto's will be relatively low.

My picks would be the Honda, Vette, Viper, Solistice, Sky, Gran Prix, maybe the Mustang GT 500 and the Dodge 1/2 ton with a Hemi.

karlb

[karlb]

Gentlemen

I hope the Z cars become classics. I don't think they are there yet. Prices for 1st generation Z's are still rather modest. Check the prices in Hemmings or on e-bay.

Which of today's cars will become "classics" or special interest. It will be the ones the 20 something year olds are lusting for but can't yet afford. These future classics are fairly high end, moderate production volumes (not so limited that the guy next to you at the stop light won't know what it is, but enough that parts will be around for awhile), a little impractical (no granny cars or mini van people haulers) and styling that typifies the asperations of the generation. It will be the cars that they think are worth the long term costs to own.

The level of technology in most of today's cars (computerization and front wheel drive, etc.) and expense of repairs will rush most of today's cars to the scrap yard after there useful lives, eg., how many early to mid 80"s front wheel drive cars are still on the road-not many. The shade tree mechanic is just about history so the long term survival rate for the current crop of auto's will be relatively low.

My picks would be the Honda, Vette, Viper, Solistice, Sky, Gran Prix, maybe the Mustang GT 500 and the Dodge 1/2 ton with a Hemi.

karlb

[KenshinX]

No one thinks about the Ev-1 excellent example of a replacement source to fossil fuels to bad about what happened to the car. I think if there were any left that it should also be a classic.