Internal Combustion R.I.P.

With "Eco" cars/SUVs making HP gains I feel as if some day soon the Internal Combustion engine is going to compared and treated like cigarettes, and people with these cars are going to be treated like smokers.

I don't smoke, I hate cigarettes, however I think you should be able to smoke. Even now some states are trying to ban smoking in cars.

Hybrid and Gas will hopefully Coexist..

I don't think combustion engines will disappear like the dinosaurs, in a blinding flash of light, then a dark curtain pulled down.
but I just sold one of my classics
(1970 Olds Cutlass, 403"Pontiac, 350RocketHeads, GMC 4.10 rear end; with 1,573 on the odometer)
because the cost of higher octane fuel and tires.
I still have some others with collector plates, and I still have my '70-1/2 split bumper Camaro, but I currently drive an Audi, and my daughter getting near that permit age; so I'll be shopping for an "Eco" or hybrid for her, so she is more prepared for the uncertain future which you mention.
...still, no matter what condition, hold on to that RamAirIII.
(even if fuel were to vaporize, you could convert to propane like some of the mid-70/80s Cadillacs).
and that body style will NEVER come back.

That 403 olds powered car was a T/A?

Yes I dont think it's going to be something that happens overnight, but I think "gas" is going to fall into the same area smoking is right now.

I cant help to think of a movie I seen long ago, it had to do with gas no longer being used, but some people in some place started useing it again. So some guy dug out his F1 racer he had hidden at his home.. You know about that movie?

I think it was in Hot Rod about 2 years ago that they had a SBC with twin turbos that made 1,500+hp and it was made on propane, it would be kinda cool to do, I remember seeing everything but the turbos Iced over with water/ice running off the engine where the hedders were at.

I did plan on selling my GTO, things have changed a little physicaly for myself dew to no falt of my own. The car got parked right before I moved to VA (the car is in PA) and has stayed in it's place for about 8 years now. When I rebuilt the car (for speed) I turned back the miles on the speedometer, I felt that not only was it a good idea, it was not even the orignal one for the car since the car was really just a frame and firewall back body.

So I have only put 175 miles on the car since it was finished. Everything was replaced, I think the only bolts that was reused were the spindle bolts, and the steering colum bolt that has the curved cut taken out of it to.

I love the car, but It was ment to be driven, and loved, not sitting collecting age and dust.

I have the car here if you would like to see it.
www.geocities.com/ramairgto72

yup,
the 403 I borrowed from a rolled 'bird' and started building...
was going to keep the highway gears in the back, but after a friend did a neutral drop and turned the factory driveshaft into a pretzel (I have it hanging on the wall; people are constantly saying WOW! what DID that?,
brute power... you don't get it anymore), so after about $5K into motor/trans/driveline, then another $1K in brakes/rearend, then $1K in wheels and tires... then came the expensive stuff: body and interior...
so I still plan on holding onto some of my others, but, with rising fuel, I'll gladly stay in my V6s and I4s 'til that ocassional weekend to fire one of the eights and watch the fuel gauge plummet as the speed increases.

that movie sounds cool... if you remember the name, or even actors, let me know. you talk about vehicles in mothballs, I am going to take one of mine and try a water or steam injection system to increase mpg, just haven't decided which one to start the teardown on yet. I'm leaning on a throttle body or older carbed one, as they are easier to "fannaggle" with in a controlled experiment.

...as far as Hot Rod magazine (forget two years ago) I have one from 1970 showing the introduction of the LT-1 engine...
they put a forced induction turbo on it, and were pushing out 700+HP!
so, why have we come SO far, and done SO litlle?

until having to temporarily relocate to Texas, I lived (and still have a home) in Colorado, and I participated in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and the Eco-Power Saab 9-3Viggen AWD 2.0l twin-turbo was pushing almost 1300HP!!! a four cylinder...
(but it still didn't sound like a Poncho with straight pipe winding up to 6Gs)

I have allways wanted to goto a Pikes Peak Hill Climb, it really looks like a cool thing to see in person.

I remember watching a race on TV, I even called my buddie on the phone so he could turn to the same station to see it. I watched as a 2 man team drove in the woods, at night no less then in the snow as these guys raced, it was crazy I was moving on my chair trying to help make the turns watching from the dash cams.

I asked my bud "what would you do if you were in that car?" he said "if I could not get the wheel from the driver I would be trying the door handle" LOL.

You know I have no idea why alot more people are not running propane, I was even thinking about it for my GTO.

I'm woring on getting into a house right now, still looking but when I do my next project is going to be a 1/2 track (military) I have wanted to get a military 6x6 or duce, and I still might, but I want to do the half track, not to do it as a restore, but a 1/2 track that fits in 2005.

I want to use a injected engine, not sure what brand, I would love to go with my beloved PMD engines but the head to hedder area on the cast head can crack if I go into deep water....

I may do a inline 6 like an Jeep I6, lots of aftermarket stuff for them, or even a GMC 6 those engines have been used on the military and civi platforms. What do you think? What kinda engine would you pick, it dose not have to have more then 200hp and it has to be some what of a easy engine to find parts for. Even tho it's cool, I dont see a Lycomeing aircraft engine (some were used in 1/2 tracks) in my track.

I was even thinking about a PMD Iron Duke with a small turbo on it. This engine was used in many Jeeps and even the Ferio.

It sounds like you have a collection of nice cars. I like the idea of keeping some broken parts, I had my buddie keep some of the SBC parts that "gave up" in one of his SBCs.

It is funny how broken engine, drivetrain parts have such a draw to them, it seems that when no history of the broken part is know they seem to get more attention then the ones you know about.lol

When you say "participated" did you get to drive or work or both in any way during the races?