Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site amdahl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!decwrl!sun!amdahl!ems From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) Newsgroups: net.consumers,net.auto Subject: Re: Restrictions on Japanese Cars Message-ID: <1210@amdahl.UUCP> Date: Fri, 1-Mar-85 13:48:54 EST Article-I.D.: amdahl.1210 Posted: Fri Mar 1 13:48:54 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Mar-85 03:41:16 EST References: <3305@umcp-cs.UUCP> <163@umich.UUCP> <404@crystal.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores of the Pacific, Ca Lines: 36 Xref: watmath net.consumers:1905 net.auto:5913 > > Ok, I'll admit that the Korean car is low priced, but there IS a very > low-priced car coming from Yugo. According to R&T's 1985 Road Test Annual > and Buyer's Guide, a Yugoslavian car called the Zastava will be imported > into the U.S. by early summer with a base list price of (no kidding) $3990. > This is a three-door model, powered (to use the term loosely) by a 1.1 L > 4-cyl, reportedly seating 5, although it will be the smallest car sold > in the U.S. (smaller than Chevy Sprint). > The "DELUXE" model will list around $4700-4800, with a 1.3 L > engine. One interesting point in the description mentioned that the > importers (something called IAI) were working with some Euro. companies > to make this the first car sold in the U.S. with a Continuously Variable > Transmission. Does anyone know how this works? > There are several ways to make CVT's. One I saw on a riding lawn mower had a spinning disk with a wheel running on it. By moving the wheel closer to the center of the disk, you got 'low gear'; moving it to the rim got 'high gear'. A trick used by Volvo on one of their cars used two pulleys and *BELT* drive. The pulleys were tapered split disks. By varying the closeness of the two sides of the pully, the belt ran closer or farther from the hub. The two pulleys were adjusted in opposite directions to maintain constant belt tension while varying the 'gear ratio'. The last one I saw proposed used two cones with parallel axis and the pointy end of one near the wide end of the other. A disk ran as an 'idler gear' between them. By moving the disk closer to one fat end or the other the 'gear ratio' was changed. I am sure there are other ways... E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems Computo ergo sum The opinions expressed by me are not representative of those of any other person - natural, unnatural, or fictional - and only marginally reflect my opinions as strained by the language.