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To find the future of the auto industry, Doug Pelmear looked to the past.
The Napoleon mechanic says he's perfected an engine developed by his grandfather 60-years ago--an engine that gives his 1987 mustang 110-miles to the gallon.
"My grandfather had the idea back in the 40's that he can make a difference then," Pelmear says, "There was quite a need at that time also with the war going on and everything, there was quite the need then." And quite a need now.
So, Pelmear says, he wants to market his invention to save the U.S. auto industry.
"This'll bring back the automotive industry when they can sell trucks and SUVs' and the models that are almost dead at this time," Pelmear says. And the Mustang is no slacker, either. Pelmear says it goes 0-60mph in a neck snapping three seconds, and has a top speed of about 180 m.p.h.
"Even those of us who grew up in the muscle car age, this will pretty much blow your muscle car away," developer Mark Schnitkey says with a grin.
While Pelmear won't let us look under the hood, he says the technology can easily be applied to smaller engines for even better gas mileage. He's entering the car in the prestigious Progressive Automotive X competition; a race where inventors from around the world compete for the best mileage with a car that is the most marketable. Pelmear says, his technology is very marketable because it will allow people to drive large cars and SUV's without sacrificing gas mileage.
