Wednesday, March 7, 2012

This Car is One of a 100!


Last year, I introduced you to my brother René, and his billiards paintings. Now I'm featuring my other brother, Cliff, and his interesting car, the Corbin Sparrow. Cliff will be today's guest blogger, and I'll turn the reins over to him now ...

Thanks, Mark! My fascination with electric cars began in October 2003, while on vacation at our son’s home in Newburg, New York. I spotted a Comutacar on Ebay at what I considered a reasonable price and made an impulse bid. Much to my surprise (and my wife’s dismay) I won the auction and we trailered the car home from Staten Island, NY to St. Petersburg, Florida. I owned that car, Sparky, for about 5 years, and enjoyed driving it around town and displaying it at auto shows.

Sparky the Comutacar
In spite of my affection for the car, it had a short wheel base, drove like a milk truck, and when it reached 35 mph it felt distinctly like riding the “tilt-a-whirl” at a carnival.


In January 2008, I was at Beach Battery Burnout, an electric car gathering in Florida, and got a chance to drive a Corbin Sparrow. I immediately fell in lust with this vehicle and bought one from a gentlemen in Eugene, Oregon. I’ve enjoyed the car ever since.


The Corbin Sparrow was the brainchild of Mike Corbin, and was born in Hollister, California in 1999. The first model of this vehicle (the one that I own) was nicknamed the “Jellybean” because of its bright jellybean colors.


100 of these vehicles were made before the body style was changed to the “Pizza Butt,” so named because a number of that model were bought by Dominoes Pizza to be used as delivery vehicles. 200 of the second-edition vehicles were manufactured before Corbin filed for bankruptcy and ceased manufacturing electric cars.


The power used to recharge the car is equivalent to keeping a radio turned on all night.

The Sparrow is an all-electric, single-passenger vehicle with a top speed of 70 mph and a driving range of 30-50 miles, depending on the terrain and how it is driven. It has 13 twelve volt batteries (156 volt system) and weighs a total of 1400 pounds. The rights to the car and all parts and equipment were sold to Myers Motors and the car renamed the NMG (No More Gas).


The Sparrow has interesting aesthetic details, from the dimpled fender to the elegant brake pedal, which Mark likes to point out.


I bought my car in non-running condition for about $7000. I turned it over to my friend Ron Anderson of Black Sheep Technologies (http://www.black-sheep.us/index.php). He installed a new battery pack, upgraded the entire wiring system, and redesigned and rebuilt the controller. Because of these improvements I am able to enjoy carefree driving around our city.


Speaking of driving around the city, the Sparrow draws attention wherever it goes. It’s rare not to be approached about this car when I stop at coffee shops or the grocery store. The car is so unique that it creates a segue to discuss the future of transportation in the United States. A typical conversation about electric cars would run something like this:

Bystander: “How far will it go?”
Me: “I don’t know because I’ve never run out of electricity”.
Bystander:  “What’s the farthest you've ever gone?”
Me:  “Let’s see, out to the beach and back is about 18 miles.”
Bystander: “What would you do if you did run out of electricity?”
Me:  “What would you do if you ran out of gas?”
Bystander: “I’ll never run out of gas because I keep the tank full.”
Me:  “I’ll never run out of electricity because I only drive around town and I keep the batteries charged. I’ve never gotten low, but if I did, I could charge at the Dunkin Donuts on 4th Street, and very soon there will be charging stations at the malls.”
Bystander: “Um, well what would happen if you wanted to drive over the bay to Tampa?”
Me:  “I’d take my KIA van.”
Bystander: “Oh. Where did you say you got this?”

More information can be found about Sparrows
at www.corbinsparrow.com.


.

24 comments:

  1. I admire your initiative in having this car rebuilt. That sort of spirit of adventure is still seems necessary for electric car owners. By the way, how much leg-room is there--the picture makes it look rather cramped.

    I highly recommend Noel Perrin's "Solo--Life with an Electric Car". From 1992, the technology is a bit outdated, but many of the issues are still there, and Perrin is always an entertaining writer.
    --Road to Parnassus

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    1. Hi Parnassus:

      The restoration (and concurrent learning process) has been quite an experience.

      The leg-room does looked cramped, but it accommodated a 6'7" friend easily. The interior was ergonomically designed so that the seat is very comfortable, the arms fall naturally onto the arm rests, and all the instrumentation is easy to reach.

      I have read and own Noel Perrin's book and found it very entertaining. Thanks for your interest!

      — Cliff

      Parnassus, I took the photo of the interior, and I think you're seeing some foreshortening from the camera. If you look at the last photo, you'll see that there's ample leg room.

      — Mark

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  2. Mark, Cliff,
    In the early '80s I owned a wet-cell battery company that acquired a Vanguard electric car. http://www.hightechscience.org/electric_car.htm
    It looked just like your picture of the blue commuta-car. I don't remeber the huge front bumper though. It may have been there, I just don't remember it. Anyway, it was cute as a novelty for a battery company to own one, but it was not a practical car at all, especially in the west Texas heat, with no airconditioning, and constantly refilling the electrolite in the batteries. Also as you mentioned the ride left a lot to be desired. My car was probably ten years old when I got it, and in all honesty I didn't do more to it than just getting it operating correctly. I think it might have been a lot more fun had it been in better shape. Anyway, just wanted to share, possibly overshare.
    D.

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    1. Hi Archguy:

      It sounds like we had exactly the same car. Your observation on the bumper is accurate. The original Comutacar bumpers were foam filled plastic which were prone to cracking. My bumper was an aluminum after-market addition. The batteries were the deep-cell lead acid type, and I also had some difficulty maintaining them until I installed an automatic forklift battery refilling system!

      Thanks for your comments.

      — Cliff

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  3. Hello Mark and Cliff:
    What fun your bright red jelly bean 'Corbin' looks to be. We are quite sure that you must get noticed wherever you go in this very dashing piece of machinery with its bespoke paintwork.

    We gave up cars [sadly, petrol ones]several years ago and have not really missed any of them except for our Minis. Perhaps if we had owned a 'Corbin' we should not have wished to have been parted from it!!!

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    1. Hi Jane and Lance:

      You're right, the Sparrow is a joy to drive. Everywhere that I park I am approached by folks who are attracted to it's unique body style. I even carry information cards in my trunk and give out "Beanie Buttons" to all the kids.

      Thanks for checking in on my collaboration with Mark!

      — Cliff

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  4. Love it! The color, the design, the compactness. Love it all!

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    1. Hi, Michael - I've watched my brother drive the Sparrow down the street, and I can vouch that it's a real head-turner! — Mark

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  5. Hi Mark and Cliff,

    Cool beans fellas. I love the little cars. They are like cute babies--makes me want to hug them. Love the names Jelly Bean and Buck. I appreciate your feedback and name "Buck" for our 1951 Chevy pickup. It may be an old truck, but its my little Buckaroo. Thanks for the inspiration. (smiling)

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    1. Hi, Linda - It's funny that you say they're like cute babies, because to our family, the car is familiarly known as "Beany-Baby." Glad you like the name "Buck" for your great '51 Chevy truck. I know both the name and the truck will hold up well! — Mark

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  6. Hello Mark, Is your brother married? They say that if you need friends (or a wife), take a dog (or a car) for a walk. Your brother probably needs neither.
    What a wonderful post and thank your brother Rene for sharing this beautiful toy with us.

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    1. Hello, Gina - Yes, both my brothers are married, but I'm not. I should be the one using the Sparrow as a magnet!!

      My brother Cliff owns the car; my brother René does great paintings.

      — Mark

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  7. That Sparrow is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Very cool and way ahead of its time. I wonder if they would make it today.

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    1. Hi Urban Cottage:

      I’m happy that you enjoyed the post. I actually think that the Sparrow is 20 years ahead of it’s time. A small number of these units are still being manufactured by Myer Motors, but the cost is considerable. I don’t think that any electric car will be accepted by the populace until we wring the last drop of gas out of the gas pump. Most people have “range anxiety” and cannot come to terms with the fact that our everyday lives usually require driving 40 miles or less of travel.

      In a perfect electric car world, electric cars would be charged at home at night (when electricity is plentiful and cheap). During the day, as one traveled from destination to destination, the electric car would be charged at charging stations. The end result would be that the car would never be fully charged but never really run down. Such a charging system is already being built and may be accessed by going to: http://carstations.com/

      The exception to this rule may be the Toyota Prius. This year Toyota came out with a “plug-in” version of the Prius, which is on sale in a limited number of states. The first 14 miles of the day are run completely on electricity, with normal Prius technology taking over when the plug-in electricity is expended. I think that this vehicle may bridge the gap and Toyota may be able to ramp up production as the cost of gasoline rises.

      For a really interesting account of how some European countries are switching over to electric cars you may want to visit this website: http://www.betterplace.com/

      — Cliff

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  8. Hi Mark,
    The Segway had the best intentions, but my money would have gone on the Corbin. Addresses a wider range of people and offers protection from the elements. Brilliant concept for city dwellers.
    Good for you Cliff!
    Anyes
    XX

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    1. I agree. The Segway’s best use may be in factory or production areas as a substitute for golf carts. In cities it doesn’t go fast or far enough to replace the automobile.

      — Cliff

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  9. Dear Cliff - welcome to the blogosphere, and for the introduction to your jolly red jellybean of a vehicle. Although it is red, it is actually very 'green'.
    Over 25 years ago, Sir Clive Sinclair, a UK entrepreneur, designed a single seat electric vehicle, called a C5. They sold 17,000 and it seemed as if it was a hit, but they then became the object of ridicule. People did not have such an environmental awareness then. It did not have a top to it, unlike yours, but I think perhaps it should have been developed further.
    I have just looked on 'wikipedia', and apparently as of November 2010, he is working on a new prototype.
    Are there any more Ruffnerian brothers or sisters to look forward to?

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    1. Hi Rosemary:

      Thank you for the warm welcome to the blogosphere. Actually, to use the words of Ted Turner, “I was blogging before blogging was cool”. To be specific, this year is the 10th anniversary of my website, which can be viewed at: www.aboatbuildingjounal.com

      I’m very familiar with the C5, and I think its biggest drawback was its size and height. I can’t imagine taking the C5 into any kind of traffic.

      I’m afraid that this is the end of the line for Ruffnerians, at least the progeny of Clifford and Yvonne Ruffner!!!!

      — Cliff

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  10. I wish more people had the same spirit of adventure as well as the notion to save the enviornment in any way they can. Your brother, Mark, is to be commended.

    Esthetically, I love the way this little bruiser looks. It's a definite cartoon car. I love cartoon cars.

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    1. Hi, Yvette - Cliff is indeed adventurous, filled with curiosity, and environmentally concerned.

      It's funny that you should call this a cartoon car. Because of its unusual shape, a (modified) Corbin Sparrow was used in one of the Austin Powers movies as a high-tech car of the future.

      — Mark

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  11. My name is Norm, I live in Eugene, Oregon and I knew the prior owner for your Jellybean. I have a purple Pizzabutt. We used to kid about being co-presidents of the local Sparrow Club. Ron Anderson is the right guy to have work on the car. He has rebuilt my controller when it experienced a "Fireball!". I'm glad to hear that you enjoy your Sparrow as much as I do.

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    1. Hi Norm:

      It must surely be a small world if you're from Eugene, Oregon and have personal knowledge of my car!!!!

      Ah yes, unfortunately I am familiar with the ole "Fireball," which is usually accompanied by a loud explosion and smoke filling the cockpit. (Sparrows have "cockpits" versus passenger compartments and are driven by "pilots" or "sparrownauts" versus drivers).

      For those of you not familiar with Electric Vehicles (EV's), the controller is a device that controls the flow of electricity from the battery pack to the electric motor. (Think of a controller as a large household light dimmer switch that varies the size/frequency of the electrical pulses going to the motor). The first production runs of the Sparrows were actually Beta models which had crude controllers that were not up to the amperage supplied in spurts by the 156 volt battery pack. These controllers repeatedly heated up until they eventually melted down and "arc'd over" or blew up. A good explanation of the whole setup may be found at: http://canev.com/Faq/pages/controllers.htm

      Ron Anderson was able to solve that problem by beefing up the controller components and encasing the controller in an aluminum box with fins a.k.a. a heat sink. These changes decrease the temperature in the controller by as much as 90 degrees Fahrenheit!

      Again, good to hear from you Norm and happy to hear that Ron was able to help both of us.

      — Cliff

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  12. oh wow..I truley do learn something new everyday. I never heard of or saw anything like this car before...how fun!!!

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    1. Hi, momto8 - It is a lot of fun, and it also helps the environment! Don't forget to become a member!

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