Kids Build Soybean-Fueled Car

[cjolley]

I think they have a better shop teacher than I did, and mine was pretty good.

Watch the vid too.

...
A car that can go from zero to 60 in four seconds and get more than 50 miles to the gallon would be enough to pique any driver's interest. So who do we have to thank for it. Ford? GM? Toyota? No — just Victor, David, Cheeseborough, Bruce, and Kosi, five kids from the auto shop program at West Philadelphia High School
...

[Fat Tone]

Watch the vid, don't read the site as it is just a transcript.

I'd love to find some more info on what they did.

[Claymonkey]

Impressive. I'll take one please.

[Dr Mordrid]

I'd give my eye teeth to get a look at their powerplant.

Another example of how our education system fails kids by pidgeon-holeing them using what is in my opinion arbitrary standards. In many states they classify kids this way and then don't put any effort into providing special education help to those who score too low on their tests. These bottom dwellers basically get no help and don't even take the state standardized achievement tests.

They only put any real effort into those close enough to the middle range to have a shot at pulling themselves up....at least in their opinion which is, as this example shows, often way off base at best.

Tailoring an education plan to each students learning style doesn't even enter their college educated, sheepskin-wrapped little minds. My dad called them "college educated itiots".

Not bad considering he quit school in the 9th grade to help support his family and did quite well for himself. My uncle Lowell did likewise and he ended up inventing a device which he later sold to Monroe (the shock absorber company) and by them to the world.

Dr. Mordrid

[Goc]

Great work!

[Technoid]

Great

Lets now hope the oil companies dont "hoax" them

[TransformX]

Ummm.. No petrol being used? No more power to KSA, IRAN etc...?
I wish it'll happen in my lifetime.

[Wombat]

It's probably just a standard diesel engine, but not bad for HS students.

Ummm.. No petrol being used? No more power to KSA, IRAN etc...?
I wish it'll happen in my lifetime.

Nah, there's plenty of petrol being used. It powers the farm equipment and fertilizer. Biofuels are still (energy in > energy out).

[ZokesPro]

I'd give my eye teeth to get a look at their powerplant.
Dr. Mordrid

What do you mean by eye teeth?

It's probably just a standard diesel engine

Someone from the car show mentioned that it was a hybrid.

@Doc: I too would love to see the engine.

[Mehen]

on a side note: I seem to remember Audi developing some crazy diesel engine for Le Mans or something like that. I think they got bored winning it on normal fuel

edit: http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/14/Auto..._diesel_racer/

[Mehen]

a sidenote to my sidenote:

650bhp direct-injection twin-turbo V12 diesel engine

[Wombat]

What do you mean by eye teeth?

Someone from the car show mentioned that it was a hybrid.

Hmm, they say that on the video. Well, that explains their MPG rating, as well as their 0-60 times.

[Dr Mordrid]

Audi may have had a bit of competition from the Ford GT, which looked to be a chip off the old GT-40 block, but with the closing of the Wixom, Michigan plant due to Fords continuing financial problems the Ford GT will not get into full production.

Bob Farago recently wrote a great article on this sad state of affairs here;

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/content/11391511961093072280/

Dr. Mordrid

[Mehen]

they continually had to put more and more power restrictions on the Audi R8 Le Mans because it was basically just too good - and it still wins like crazy. Nothing new to Audi though, awhile back, in the 80's I believe, Quattro was banned from some races because it was "unfair."