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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: moTthediesel on March 12, 2011, 09:45:52 am

Title: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: moTthediesel on March 12, 2011, 09:45:52 am
I just got back from my dream trip in my 1.6TD powered Porsche 356. From Northern NY, down to the Gulf, through Texas, out to San Diego, up the coast to San Francisco, than back home to NY. A great trip, and a 57 mpg average for the loop!

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_lZn3yG4mjOE/TVhpX99hmAI/AAAAAAAAAHY/wVmA4qJbIg0/s720/dieselchicken.jpg)

I did a travel blog for my friends and family, if you're interested, you can view it here:http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/vonbondo/
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: macka on March 12, 2011, 09:51:38 am
I love the vonbondo name. Cool trip I'd say I was jealous, but only because you did it one of the coolest porsche's ever.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: Bugsy_malone 666 on March 12, 2011, 11:56:30 am
Thats really cool, Its quite different, I'd be really interested to see a build up thread of the car :)

I'm really impressed, hats off to you dude :)
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on March 12, 2011, 12:31:27 pm
oh, but there is a great build thread on the car 8)
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: sdwarf36 on March 12, 2011, 04:19:52 pm
OMG!! That is by far the coolest car I have seen on this site! Please post a link to the build thread--my gears are turning. A kit car ragtop version? hmmm...
 I can remember when these things were cheap(ish) and plentiful. I'm sure you've pissed off a few purists, but its been your long enuff you deserve the right. I work at an automotive machine shop--and we have a few Porsche guys bringing stuff in (we've had as many as 3 sets of Carrera 4 cam heads in there at once) but a TD in use is better than a flat four hidden in a garage any day.
 Great job on the blog--and finding time for shooting pics!
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: DJPyro on March 13, 2011, 07:41:56 am
Very envious of your car and your trip. Thank you for documenting it for the rest of us to enjoy as well.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: moTthediesel on March 13, 2011, 07:50:14 am
I don't really have a comprehensive build thread on my car, sorry!

I did write an article about the car for the Porsche 356 Registry Magazine last year. I have scanned it and uploaded it to my Picasa page, you can view it here: https://picasaweb.google.com/106656261021789066852/356RegistryArticle#

As you might imagine, I'm not too popular with a lot of other Porsche owners, but it's my car, and I've owned it for 36 years, so they can just get over it -- or not  ;)

Here's a look at the engine room --

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_lZn3yG4mjOE/TLdOIhYsHwI/AAAAAAAAABs/dWV5BtVBjHk/s640/IMG_0280.JPG)
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: dieselweasel on March 13, 2011, 11:16:16 am
Just read your article...what a story!  Definitely one unique set of wheels.  Any idea how much it weighs? 
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on March 13, 2011, 12:52:17 pm
I don't really have a comprehensive build thread on my car, sorry!

I did write an article about the car for the Porsche 356 Registry Magazine last year. I have scanned it and uploaded it to my Picasa page, you can view it here: https://picasaweb.google.com/106656261021789066852/356RegistryArticle#

As you might imagine, I'm not too popular with a lot of other Porsche owners, but it's my car, and I've owned it for 36 years, so they can just get over it -- or not  ;)

Here's a look at the engine room --

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_lZn3yG4mjOE/TLdOIhYsHwI/AAAAAAAAABs/dWV5BtVBjHk/s640/IMG_0280.JPG)

it bugs me how people just cant be happy that you took an awesome car, and made it even MORE AWESOME.. how many gasser 356's are getting 74 mpg? how many have the cool diesel rattle and turbo scream?

i dont care what people think, your porsche is BY FAR the coolest, most unique porsche i have ever seen in my entire life.. and the best part? its most likely the only one on the planet..

purists piss me off ;D

like you said, its your car, has been for 36 years.. build it the way YOU want it.. you have nobody else to please but you.

all the people who have something against you, its just because they are jealous. they want 74 mpg also!

(how many other Porsche 356's have you seen in Diesel Power magazine?)
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: moTthediesel on March 13, 2011, 03:25:01 pm
Just read your article...what a story!  Definitely one unique set of wheels.  Any idea how much it weighs? 

I haven't weighed it yet, but I'd guess it's about 2100 lbs.

I'm competing in the Green GP again next month at Watkins Glen, and this year they are using the calibrated scales at the track to figure fuel usage by weight. So after that, I'll know for sure --
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: maxfax on March 14, 2011, 01:08:07 am
NEAT!!!   But how do you fit in it??  ;)
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on March 14, 2011, 09:38:19 am
NEAT!!!   But how do you fit in it??  ;)

very carefully i bet..

it was probably like parking a Fleetwood in a garage big enough for a civic..
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: moTthediesel on March 14, 2011, 10:05:47 am


it was probably like parking a Fleetwood in a garage big enough for a civic..

Ha! That's about right --

Actually, the engine itself fits in pretty easily, it's all the damn plumbing and electric that makes things interesting  ;D
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: ktzdsl on March 14, 2011, 12:23:31 pm
Glad you got it going and had a tremendous trip. Gives me inspiration to complete my quantum to rabbit pickup build.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: rabbitman on March 14, 2011, 09:48:54 pm
Man that is cool!! There's nothing like road tripping in a vintage vehicle......

I didn't realize how tiny that car is, those pics with you standing by it really make it look small.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: moTthediesel on March 15, 2011, 04:45:26 am
Man that is cool!! There's nothing like road tripping in a vintage vehicle......

I didn't realize how tiny that car is, those pics with you standing by it really make it look small.

Maybe it's a normal size car, but I'm a giant?  ;D

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_lZn3yG4mjOE/TX9OQ8DVd_I/AAAAAAAAAOU/VKDQ3IHJS6I/s640/IMG_1053.JPG)

At the "Cool Springs Gas Station" Sitgreaves Pass, Arizona -- on the original Route 66. (That section is a GREAT DRIVE!)
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: DJPyro on March 15, 2011, 05:42:19 am
I agree with Rabbitman... You look like 6'2"-6'6"ish, but that car looks tiny still... I was always under the impression they were a fair bit bigger than that.

I too, am far from a purist, so I absolutely love what you did, and I'd giggle like a school girl if I saw you roll by in that thing. I'm half way through your blog and loving the adventure. I think I'll be planning a very similar tour for sometime in the next year or two, it just sounds too fantastic not to do.

I've been across Canada in both directions now, and I'm going to James Bay this summer, so next year, maybe a Southern tour is in order...

It sounds like you got great mileage, what kind of total fuel costs did you rack up? And for that matter, how are fuel costs around the country? I know it changes quite a bit up here from region to region and province to province. I should blog my last trip across Canada, it was quite the adventure.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: moTthediesel on March 15, 2011, 06:07:43 am
Na -- I was just kidding, I'm only 5-11  ;D  The car is TINY by today's standards!

Here's a picture of it next to a 997 Cup Car that I saw on my travels -- my how Porsche's have grown!

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_lZn3yG4mjOE/TWKI3zW0ThI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/UTLrJ1JER2A/s640/IMG_0790.JPG)

I'd love to travel more up in Canada, I've lived my whole life right on the Ontario border and I've been married to a Manitoba gal for 27 years, so I figure I'm about 1/2 Canadian now  ;)

Unfortunately, I can't get away from work in the Summer, and I don't think I'd want to drive up to James Bay in February --
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: DJPyro on March 15, 2011, 07:32:24 am
It's hard to judge when there's not many people around you in your pictures, but I'd pegged you over 6' for sure...

Just getting past the part where you saw that new Porsche, in your travels actually. Love the shots.

I love reading travel blogs, they're so inspiring.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on March 15, 2011, 11:20:05 am
Glad you got it going and had a tremendous trip. Gives me inspiration to complete my quantum to rabbit pickup build.

how on earth are you going to turn a quantum into a rabbit pickup?
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: rabbitman on March 15, 2011, 11:31:00 am
Maybe it's a normal size car, but I'm a giant?  ;D

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_lZn3yG4mjOE/TX9OQ8DVd_I/AAAAAAAAAOU/VKDQ3IHJS6I/s640/IMG_1053.JPG)

That crossed my mind.........that's the picture I was looking at too :D.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: macka on March 15, 2011, 06:57:23 pm
Na -- I was just kidding, I'm only 5-11  ;D  The car is TINY by today's standards!

Here's a picture of it next to a 997 Cup Car that I saw on my travels -- my how Porsche's have grown!

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_lZn3yG4mjOE/TWKI3zW0ThI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/UTLrJ1JER2A/s640/IMG_0790.JPG)

I'd love to travel more up in Canada, I've lived my whole life right on the Ontario border and I've been married to a Manitoba gal for 27 years, so I figure I'm about 1/2 Canadian now  ;)

Unfortunately, I can't get away from work in the Summer, and I don't think I'd want to drive up to James Bay in February --

I used to have an outline drawing of an early 356 porsche inside a 928. I have no idea where it went, otherwise I'd post it up for you.
Title: Re: 8600 miles in 30 great days
Post by: Jory on March 17, 2011, 07:16:19 pm
great trip, AWESOME car.  :)