I'm back (nearly)

[martin]

Hi
I have just agreed to buy my old truck back.
It's an M35 converted to an M109. Should be delivered in a couple of weeks.
The body was placed on the load bed so it's all coming off and will be replaced properly.
Not decided on the paint but am thinking three colour. Any suggestions for the pattern please?
I also want to change the data plate to show correct weights and loadings etc? Please can anyone point me in the right direction.
Here it is behind my Smart!
M

 

[BillIdaho]

You might want to tone down that paint on that battery box bolted on the drivers side running board.

 

[martin]

Ha Ha!
The 'battery box' is brilliant with fuel at £1.23 a litre! Ie $10 a gallon.
It does between 60 and 80 mpg.Will reach 85mph (where allowed) .
It's a bit of a transition driving one after the other.
M

 

[nf6x]

Hmm, I had looked into the "battery box", since they've fairly recently become available in the US and I have a 40 mile commute in my 15 MPG Toyota pickup truck. I didn't recall the EPA mileage ratings being that impressive. It seemed that they were optimized mainly for being small, and not so much for being economical (aside from the economy that comes for free with being small). I live in a rural area and don't travel into dense big cities, so the smallness isn't much of an advantage for me. My boss plans to buy one, but his motivation is to be able to cram it into his crowded garage.

I wonder if the US models are significantly different from yours? Or maybe the EPA mileage test is terribly unrealistic?

Well, sorry about the threadjack, and congratulations on getting your truck back! Hmm, I wonder if that Smart would fit through the double doors in the van body?

 

[martin]

Hi
Mine is a diesel. I'm told one of only 6 diesel Cabrios in the UK. It is left hand drive and develops 42bhp from an 800cc turbo it whistles like a very mini Reo!.The smallest common rail engine you can get. I was talking to a guy who gets 112mpg if he sticks to 55mph or so on a motorway!
They are very big inside.A friend of mine at well over 6 feet has one.If you try you will buy as the most expensive bit is the plastic surgery to get the smile off your face.
You may have to endure a bit of ribbing, as here, ones car size can be equated with ones anatomy! You will get the last laugh when you fill it up though. My kids think it's cool and don't mind being seen in it so they have 'cred' (whatever that is).

M

 

[nf6x]

Oh, we just get the gasoline ones here in the U.S. The EPA mileage ratings are 33 city and 41 highway, which is good but not great. I think a Smart would have trouble on my rough dirt road due to limited ground clearance, and the mileage just isn't amazing enough to win me over. Luckily I can telecommute regularly, so I'm saving fuel by just not driving as much.

Now, if they sold an 80MPG diesel here, I would be really tempted! Hmm, a Smart in digital camo or even plain 383 green CARC would look neat, but as small as it is I would want the shiniest color available to avoid being run over by big trucks!

 

[nf6x]

You may have to endure a bit of ribbing, as here, ones car size can be equated with ones anatomy!

It's exactly the same here. Some guys wouldn't be caught dead in a small truck or car, and lifted pickups with big wheels are a common sight. The funny thing is, when most people see some guy driving an oversized truck, they'll assume he's compensating for having a small package.

 

[FreightTrain]

well,the problem is if we could have the diesel here it would only get around 50MPG cause all the crap the greeny weenies made the US suppliers put on the cars through the EPA junk.You can take a new diesel pickup truck that gets 15MPG,buy a Particulate trap delete kit and get an instand 5-10MPG increase.Then more if you get rid of the EGR,more if you get rid of the Cat.More if...you get the point.You can't tell me that burning more fuel is cleaner than burning less.Sure,less black smoke but more fuel more exhaust gasses.

 

[nf6x]

Man, if I could get a diesel Smart with an engine that can burn straight WMO, my bank account would make an audible "pop" from the money suddenly coming out of it.

 

[martin]

Because it's common rail I have to use pump diesel and wouldn't want to take a chance.
They are brilliant cars,the diesel is doing 2500 rpm at 70mph which is the same as my V12 Jags did.
Regarding 'size' you are so right.The ultimate 'phallic' symbol is a 'people carrier' full of your kids.I have 5!
M

 

[martin]

Just to get back!!! Any ideas re camou pattern and data plate please.

 

[nf6x]

I like the 3-color green CARC camo pattern. Here's what it looks like on a shop van:

http://www.nf6x.net/greentruck/truck4/p04.jpg

I bought that truck from Bruce Kubu. I don't have it any more, though.

I think it would be really neat to have a vehicle painted with digital camo to match the new U.S. ACU fabric. I don't know how you'd do that, though, and I'd think that it would be terribly expensive to accomplish.

 

[SCSG-G4]

The SMART that's sold in the USA has a shiftless transmission (the won't call it an automatic) that I am very dissatisfied with, having test driven one of the machines last spring. Between that and the EPA junk the gas mileage is poor. Manual transmission gas engines in Europe get over 55 MPG in the same cars - the diesel versions get better mileage. EPA claims they pollute too much to have the European versions of the engine and tranny so we are stuck. The car will go 75, as one passed me this morning as I was going to the Georgia Rally. PM me if you want to see a 6'4" guy sitting in one (at the demo this past spring).

 

[dmetalmiki]

NICE TRUCK

should be great when the bodies fixed (on properly!) and painted. good luck..

 

[nf6x]

RE: NICE TRUCK

You know, I think that the current paint color looks nice, too.

 

[WillWagner]

RE: NICE TRUCK

EA...hmmm did you rent it to a gaming company?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Re: RE: NICE TRUCK

EA...hmmm did you rent it to a gaming company?

I was going to ask that too! EA Sports

 

[dmetalmiki]

astute people

YEP..it was used by a gaming co. fitted out with (banks of) monitors and (health and safety!) steps (huge) up the back sideways on for "punters"..sort of an avertising unit I think...was going to bid for it but did not like the idea of taking off the body and mounting it properly..but the other guy who posted from U.K.(Martin) used to own it and was going to do that alteration, so hopefully he succeeded in his "bid" to re-own it..(tho I believe he might just keep it "as iz"!)

 

[martin]

RE: astute people

Hi
I have already arranged for it to go to a yard where we can do the required lifting. They can get a large FLT in for the purpose.
Still not decided on the paint scheme.
M

 

[Elwenil]

RE: astute people

I was going to ask about the Electonic Arts logo, lol. I personally would go for 3 color NATO, but the older 4 color looks good too. Here are a few examples: