Holiday Time - Life's a Gas!
Discussion
Ok so we're off to the Lake District tomorrow for a little holiday in my dual fuel Chimaera 
On my way out of London I'll fill up at the Asda in High Whycome, it's less than a mile off the M40 and their LPG is just £0.53p a litre.
Three and a half hours later and having driven 230 miles north I'll still have 70 miles of gas on board but will fill up at Morrisons in Morecambe just a couple of miles off the M6 taking advantage of their LPG at an even cheaper £0.52p a litre.
This sees me arriving at our hotel with almost 300 miles of gas on board, so plenty enough to tour the Lake District, North Pennines National Park, Northumberland National Park ect ect ect
On our way home I'll need to fill up again somewhere north of Birmingham so it makes sense to do so at my old favorite Hilton Auto Gas in Featherstone just one mile off the M6 where I'll be paying £0.55p a litre.
The whole trip is going to be roughly 700 miles in four days and at an average fuel cost of £0.53p a litre (£2.41 a gallon), my 24 year old TVR Chimaera burns LPG at an average of 21mpg so that's less than £0.12p a mile.
Total LPG cost: 700 miles x £0.1147p per mile = £80.29p
So what would the same trip look like on petrol
Well on a touring trip where a good percentage of the miles are spent on the motorway but will include me having some fun crossing the North Pennines National Park ect ect the car will consume petrol at an average of 24mpg, if I buy petrol wisely at supermarket prices I would be paying an average of £1.10 a litre (£5.00 a gallon) so that's a shade under £0.21p a mile.
Total petrol cost: 700 miles x £0.2083p per mile = £145.81
So while I could easily make the trip on petrol, if I flick the LPG switch and run on gas I will save £65.52, despite LPG being less than half the price of petrol because the car consumes 12% more gas due to LPG having a lower calorific value by mass, it's not quite half price motoring..... but it's damn close
Over the 7 years I've been running my TVR on LPG these savings really add up, the average saving over this period neatly calculates at £0.10p a mile, so that's 40,000 miles x £0.10p a mile saved = a total saving of £4,000 (less the cost of the conversion), but I'm still left very much quids in
On my way out of London I'll fill up at the Asda in High Whycome, it's less than a mile off the M40 and their LPG is just £0.53p a litre.
Three and a half hours later and having driven 230 miles north I'll still have 70 miles of gas on board but will fill up at Morrisons in Morecambe just a couple of miles off the M6 taking advantage of their LPG at an even cheaper £0.52p a litre.
This sees me arriving at our hotel with almost 300 miles of gas on board, so plenty enough to tour the Lake District, North Pennines National Park, Northumberland National Park ect ect ect
On our way home I'll need to fill up again somewhere north of Birmingham so it makes sense to do so at my old favorite Hilton Auto Gas in Featherstone just one mile off the M6 where I'll be paying £0.55p a litre.
The whole trip is going to be roughly 700 miles in four days and at an average fuel cost of £0.53p a litre (£2.41 a gallon), my 24 year old TVR Chimaera burns LPG at an average of 21mpg so that's less than £0.12p a mile.
Total LPG cost: 700 miles x £0.1147p per mile = £80.29p
So what would the same trip look like on petrol
Well on a touring trip where a good percentage of the miles are spent on the motorway but will include me having some fun crossing the North Pennines National Park ect ect the car will consume petrol at an average of 24mpg, if I buy petrol wisely at supermarket prices I would be paying an average of £1.10 a litre (£5.00 a gallon) so that's a shade under £0.21p a mile.
Total petrol cost: 700 miles x £0.2083p per mile = £145.81
So while I could easily make the trip on petrol, if I flick the LPG switch and run on gas I will save £65.52, despite LPG being less than half the price of petrol because the car consumes 12% more gas due to LPG having a lower calorific value by mass, it's not quite half price motoring..... but it's damn close
Over the 7 years I've been running my TVR on LPG these savings really add up, the average saving over this period neatly calculates at £0.10p a mile, so that's 40,000 miles x £0.10p a mile saved = a total saving of £4,000 (less the cost of the conversion), but I'm still left very much quids in
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Thursday 6th August 10:57
Classic Chim said:
Obsessed 
That’s quite some saving
I suppose you will be only carrying an over night bag
Only kidding, jealous really
Nah even now it’s worth the price. Enjoy the car, the sound, the vibes and of course the driving experience which makes it all worth it on any given fuel
Cheers Alun That’s quite some saving
I suppose you will be only carrying an over night bag
Only kidding, jealous really
Nah even now it’s worth the price. Enjoy the car, the sound, the vibes and of course the driving experience which makes it all worth it on any given fuel
What I'm really looking forward to though is spanking my Chimaera through the North Pennines National park and on up into Northumberland as my mate in his Boxster S tries to keep up
LPG just solves my last frustration with a great car, and makes it truly the most practical improved classic British sports car money can buy.
It's also a sports car with a huge boot, and even with the original targa panel in there too as the following image proves. Here's what's left over with the roof in there along with 300 miles of LPG and a further 130 miles of petrol on board, more than enough luggage space for two people to tour Europe for two weeks no problem at all, and I know this for a fact as I've done it loads of times
However, since buying my Surrey top I have hardly ever bothered with the original cumbersome and heavy targa panel, when touring with a full boot and when the sun comes out I just whip the Surrey top off, fold it up and lay it on top of my luggage. If the weather turns nasty it's right there, no pulling all the luggage out, just open the boot unfold and pop the Surrey top back on in seconds and away I go in the dry.
You'll need to click on the icon below to see the Surrey top effect.
The reality is a standard petrol Chimaera with the original targa panel in the boot has no more boot space than my LPG Chimaera with my Surrey top in the boot, probably less usable space actually so it really is a non issue, all you actually notice is the LPG Chimaera delivers very near half price TVR motoring.
So seven years ago people were super keen to tell me LPG would never work and has no place on a TVR, however seven years later I'm here to remind them just how wrong they were
Gas is good
Sorry it is wrong to talk about fuel economy with a tvr. But good on you for keeping at it.
I switched out to a mustang gt convertible and iam lucky to get 19 mpg, still it’s better than the Range Rover at 11 mpg. Would I convert the mustang to gas ? Nope .
There is more to running costS than mpg . The mustang in two years has cost nothing other than a service at £250 and a few pints of posh fuel, could put in the 95, just couldn’t do it.
Again, good on you.
I switched out to a mustang gt convertible and iam lucky to get 19 mpg, still it’s better than the Range Rover at 11 mpg. Would I convert the mustang to gas ? Nope .
There is more to running costS than mpg . The mustang in two years has cost nothing other than a service at £250 and a few pints of posh fuel, could put in the 95, just couldn’t do it.
Again, good on you.
David Beer said:
Sorry it is wrong to talk about fuel economy with a tvr. But good on you for keeping at it.
I switched out to a mustang gt convertible and iam lucky to get 19 mpg, still it’s better than the Range Rover at 11 mpg. Would I convert the mustang to gas ? Nope .
There is more to running costS than mpg . The mustang in two years has cost nothing other than a service at £250 and a few pints of posh fuel, could put in the 95, just couldn’t do it.
Again, good on you.
Utter ignorant nonsense!I switched out to a mustang gt convertible and iam lucky to get 19 mpg, still it’s better than the Range Rover at 11 mpg. Would I convert the mustang to gas ? Nope .
There is more to running costS than mpg . The mustang in two years has cost nothing other than a service at £250 and a few pints of posh fuel, could put in the 95, just couldn’t do it.
Again, good on you.
I suggest you drill a hole in your fuel tank, that way you can lower your MPG still further and feel even more of a man as you throw valuable chemical energy away as you drive along
If fuel economy interferes with your macho ego, consider this.....
Fuel is weight, in car design and especially motorsport engineering weight is the number one enemy, so the better your fuel economy the less fuel you need to carry to cover the same distance or complete the race.
Less fuel carried means a lighter car which will also be faster accelerating, better stopping, and far better handling. This is why despite it being counter initiative race car designers actually spend a lot of time trying to improve fuel economy, better fuel economy can also save you a pit stop which gives you a massive advantage.
So the truth is improving fuel economy can often be the best way to win a the race, its a mathamitical calculation but improving a race cars fuel economy often becomes more critical than making power, not so sissy now is it
Back to road cars, faced with the choice between a vehicle that performs exactly the same yet delivers 45mpg instead of 23mpg, I'm confident most will choose the 45mpg car, this is because most people aren't completely retarded idiots who think pish poor fuel economy is some sort of macho badge of honour
ChimpOnGas said:
Shiny shiny I gotta admit that’s pretty cool really. Still more space than many a sportscar let alone hot hatch type putridity
Now the next post should really be about the open road and how much fun the car is on Billies and shiny chassis. Enjoy
I’m fully expecting mine to feel more taught after new riggers
Stands to reason it will be slightly more rigid.
I have had LPG cars, the economy does add up if you do the mileage. I wouldn't do anywhere near enough in the Chimaera to make it worthwhile for the cost, extra servicing etc though. Mind you, I did get £10 discount on road tax on the car by simply sending the installation certificate to the DVLA. I never had any issues with LPG not working or finding a source to refill.
Edited by ahpboxster on Friday 7th August 10:29
I have ran LPG cars for years now and just sold my Honda CRV on Lpg but still have my Honda Accord as my daily that is also on LPG. I’ve considered fitting Lpg on my new CRV but for the miles it does it’s not worth it. I admire the installation on the Chimaera but doing very low miles every year it’s just not financially worth it.
Dave.
We all know you like to attack attack attack.
If this site is so full of morons, retards, idiots etc why do you bother posting.
It costs nothing to keep your trap shut & your fingers off the key board.
Do us all a favour & lighten up.
I went to Penrith last friday on the A66. 2 mile jam before the roundabout at dinner time.
Went onto Alston & Brampton & came back via the M6.
2 mile tail back on the M6 to get to Penrith.
Went onto Tebay to turn off.
So good luck with your thrash around the great roads up north.
The whole world & his dog is in the Lake district.
I was out today in Cumbria clear roads but no where near the M6 or Penrith.
We all know you like to attack attack attack.
If this site is so full of morons, retards, idiots etc why do you bother posting.
It costs nothing to keep your trap shut & your fingers off the key board.
Do us all a favour & lighten up.
I went to Penrith last friday on the A66. 2 mile jam before the roundabout at dinner time.
Went onto Alston & Brampton & came back via the M6.
2 mile tail back on the M6 to get to Penrith.
Went onto Tebay to turn off.
So good luck with your thrash around the great roads up north.
The whole world & his dog is in the Lake district.
I was out today in Cumbria clear roads but no where near the M6 or Penrith.
Wow, the roads up here are off the scale!
Crossed the North Pennies National Park which was fairly empty of cars and simply epic, then headed west to enter the northern end of the Lake District.
Travelled South taking in the whole thing ending back in our hotel at Grange Over Sands.
This is what TVRs were made for
Normally we wouldn't be in a global pandemic so I'd be bombing down through France, but with the right weather I've just doscovered its hard to beat the Lake District
Crossed the North Pennies National Park which was fairly empty of cars and simply epic, then headed west to enter the northern end of the Lake District.
Travelled South taking in the whole thing ending back in our hotel at Grange Over Sands.
This is what TVRs were made for
Normally we wouldn't be in a global pandemic so I'd be bombing down through France, but with the right weather I've just doscovered its hard to beat the Lake District
I do hope the passenger put their phone against the ‘Porker’ drivers chest to take those pics. Iam sure no one would take pics while driving.
Love the Lake District, we sponsored many cars in the RAC rally and were always given the manufacturers cars for the duration. Favourite, short wheel base Audi Quattro. Second Mazda 626 coupe group n rally car which I bought and ran for two years, on the road . I also had the same 626 coupe as my company car.
!
So who took the pics while driving ?
Love the Lake District, we sponsored many cars in the RAC rally and were always given the manufacturers cars for the duration. Favourite, short wheel base Audi Quattro. Second Mazda 626 coupe group n rally car which I bought and ran for two years, on the road . I also had the same 626 coupe as my company car.
!
So who took the pics while driving ?
Edited by David Beer on Monday 10th August 18:39
I have to admit, if you said to me that if I downloaded an app, and planned the route based on the fuel stops, calling in at supermarkets to refill, thst I could save £60. I'd give you the sixty quid to keep my life simpler! Even without the lost boot space, general faff, and installation cost.
However, fair play and each to their own, and an interesting write up. I'm quite sure I do equally faff things that others would consider bonkers. Like doing tqp weeks labouring in evenings to save £1500 on our new front wall. Or owning a coal fired steam narrowboat.
Daniel
However, fair play and each to their own, and an interesting write up. I'm quite sure I do equally faff things that others would consider bonkers. Like doing tqp weeks labouring in evenings to save £1500 on our new front wall. Or owning a coal fired steam narrowboat.
Daniel
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