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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (March 17, 1961)
Friday. March 17, 1961 BULL HERALD AND NEWS, Klamath Falls, Ore. Shell L68. One hundred and sixty-eight miles per gallon must be a world's record. Like most records, it could never have been achieved without the most painstaking effort. The two Shell scientists who hold this record have given us a report on how they managed it. They have also added some tips on how you can increase your car's mileage. Not by using their own extreme modifications and outlandish techniques. But by a quiet marriage of careful driving and today's Super Shell gasoline. Unless you are a millionaire, the details are worth reading. Shell scientists are a competitive lot. Their constant pursuit of top perform ance has all the elements of a race. . Some years ago, an argument as to who could get the most miles out of a gallon of gasoline boiled up into a challenge. And Shell's Mileage Marathon was born. Shell scientists have competed in this Mileage Marathon for several years. Not as a publicity stunt. But purely as a private contest of ingenuity. They use their own cars. Their own time. Their own money. Not for everyday use The best mileage recorded so far is a resound ing 168 miles per gallon. Many of the things contestants did to push mileage up to this world record are positively not recommended for informal marathons on the public highway. But they do throw some light on what makes a little gasoline go a long way. Here are some details. Record-breaking car cost $35 Shell's record-breaking car was a highly modified 1924 2-passenger coupe (see cut). It was rescued from a junkyard for $35. The only rigid requirements that had to be met to qualify for the Mileage Marathon could be written on a book of matches. Tlie car had to have four rubber-tired wheels. It httd to weigh no less than 2000 founds. It had to have at least 100 cu. in. piston displacement. And it had to use the same gasoline that anybody could buy at a Shell service station, with no doctoring allowed. After that, no holds were barred. The car that won used a standard carburetor from an old one-cylinder engine. Tire pressures up to 110 pounds Some Marathon contestants inflated their tires as high as 1 10 pounds per square inch to reduce road-wheel friction. Such cra.y pressures would, of course, be quite unsafe under normal road condi tionsand hideously uncomfortable, too. But, under Shell's carefully controlled Marathon safety rules, the only ill effects weie a few rattled vertebrae, sonic broken Research scientists reveal how they 47 miles per gallon springs and an embarrassing bruise or two. Pressure problems for tike champs Dave Berry and Fred Schuette, who eventu ally set the existing record, had to be satisfied with something less spectacular in the tire pressure department. Their 1924 car's beat-up tires couldn't possibly take more than 5Q pounds. And, even then, they felt more solid than pneu matic. But there was a helpful mileage divi dend in the old, wood-spoked wheels. They took tires that were nearly a yard in diameter. This moved the car forward an extraordinary 9'i feet at every revolution. VVnat's more, these ancient tires were worn so smooth that road friction was cut to a minimum. Other competitors achieved a similar result by buffing off their treads, till only the slimmest strip touched the road. SAFETY NOTE FROM THE CHAMPS: Don't try buffing the tread off your own tires. You risk more than a puncture. It might mean a blow out and a crash. Muffled radiator and no fan Many competitors went as far as to remove their engine's water pump and generator to save engine load. But Berry and Schuette grandly ignored this refinement. However, they did remove their cooling fan to save energy.. And they did muffle their radiator completely to save heat. As anybody knows, all cars go better when properly wanned up. And, because our mile age champs used an "engine-off, engine-on" driving technique in the contest, they even designed a special exhaust-heated air duct that warmed the mixture as it was sucked into the carburetor. Incidentally, did you know that fast warm-up is specially provided for in today's Super Shell? Its formula contains a gasoline ingredient called "Pcntane Mix." This acts in your engine much as kindling acts in a log fire. net result: Your car delivers top perform ance in a hurry. One push and wheels spin for 30 minutes Since the contest had nothing tolo with HltiilliflMiiiTftiTinV Shell Research scientists, Dave Berry and Fred Schuette, in the rebuilt 1924 coupe which set the world mileage record. Its original frontal area was reduced by about 75 per cent to cut down wind resistance. Shellzone anti-freeze was wear, many daring liberties were taken with lubrication systems. On the winning car the transmission and wheel bearings were lubricated with light engine oil instead of with heavy oil and grease, to reduce drag. It worked. Wlien the front wheels were jacked up and given an experimental push, they continued to spin for half an hourl Of course, no Shell serviceman would ever approve of such liberties being taken with your own car's lubrication. And he would be right. A Marathon car is a Marathon car. And nobody minds if it breaks down after it wins. But your family car is a different matter.. Trust your Shell serviceman's advice on all lubrication problems. He's an expert and he's got the finest tools, charts, lubri cants and gasoline to give your car the maxi mum mileage it was designed to deliver. The champs' "on-and-off" driving Shell's record was set in two trips over an 11.94 mile course. The run was almost a walk. The winning car was accelerated to 20 miles per hour, at which point the driver cut his engine and coasted in neutral. Only when the "speed'' dropped below 5 miles per hour was the engine restarted and the cycle repeated. All acceleration was done in high gear and at nearly full throttle. There was little choice. All other gears wore removed prior to the contest. Serious or scientific fun? You already know tlie result of all this eccen tric tinkering and mad-hatlcr driving. But, since "on-andolf" driving is illegal on the public road and since most Mara thon modifications arc positively dangerous for normal use-you may be wondering if Shell's Mileage Marathon has any point. Is it a serious test? Or is it a piece of semi- scientific fun that is just an excuse for a pic nic? The answer is a bit of both. Knowledge passed on When Marathon Day rolls around at Shell, there is certainly a picnic atmosphere at the testing grounds. The somewhat bizarre parade of vehicles coughing and jerking and puffing around the track has a Mack Scnnett quality about it. You expect the Keystone Cops to arrive at any minute. But remember that the Marathon itself is only a climax to months, and sometimes years, of serious and ingenious work. Not everybody sets a world record. But every contestant learns a little more about the care and feeding of automobiles. Which, after all, is Shell's main job. Eventually, every bit of this knowledge whether it comes from the Marathon, the workshop, or the lab is passed on to you in the form of better and better products., Today's Super Shell is a shining example. Thanks to continuous engine studies and mileage tests, Super Shell now contains a special mileage booster called Platformatc. Among Platformate's extraordinary super-energy components are benzene, toluene and xylene. These three com ponents alone release 1 1 per cent more energy per gallon than the finest 100 octu)ie aviation gasoline. The lesson is obvious. The first thing you do to get extra mileage from your own car is to put extra energy into your fuel tank, by using today's Supcr.Sliell. Then, if you want to boost mileage even more, take these tips from Shell's experts. Seven tips that save gasoline 1. Don't rare your engine when stationary. .vcry "" Pure U'"L" " 15 ,akin8 Vou mhcre. 2. Avoid jack rabbit starts. In the long run, got used as a coolant. And rcc-fitting aluminum alloy pistons were installed, each of which had only two piston rings to reduce friction. Special shock ibwrben were the sole concession to comfort. they waste gallons of gasolins by holding automatic transmissions in low gear too long. 3. Drive ut moderate speeds. Your car uses about 40 per cent more gasoline at 60 mph than at 35 mph. 4. Keep an even speed. Ragged driving uses fuel without using the power it generates. 5. Puce yourself to traflic. Don't be the fast est or the slowest. It traps you into wasteful spurts and slowdowns. 6. Keep tires up to their proper pressures. Soft tires soak up power the way a blotter soaks up ink. 7. Get your Shell man to make these checks. Your carburetor should be adjusted periodically. Spark timing should be correct. Fuel filters arid air cleaner should be clean. Brakes should be properly adjusted. And your thermostat must be in working order. Follow these simple rules and you'lj probably be surprised at the extra mileage you get with today's Super Shell. Many car-owners report up to 30 extra miles per tankful. We can't guarantee this saving. But, unless you're a millionaire, it's worth thinking about. A BULLETIN FROM SHELL RESEARCH where 1,907 scientist are working to make your car go bettor and better.
