Hawaii gas and Z sighting

[Kurbycar32]

I visited Kailua Kona in Hawaii last week and saw some interesting car related things.

 

First:  Jeeps are cool.  I drive a Ram 2500 with a Cummins most days so driving a truck was no new thing to me.  I decided to rent a Jeep while on the island because most rental cars are joyless econo-boxes and I was expecting some off-road beach driving .  It was a good thing too because with the flash floods I ended up fording quite a few rivers that appeared over the main roads after rainfall of up to 4 inches per hour.  The Jeep Wrangler 4 door made decent power, was comfortable to drive and would go anywhere I wanted including some off-road trails to the southern most point of the USA.  I have no place for a Jeep in my life but i think my son is getting one when he turns 16

 

Second:  Hawaii is selling ethanol free fuel!  Regurgitating what I researched on the internet:  Hawaiian law makers repealed the ethanol mandate when they realized that most of the ethanol used in their fuel was being imported and that the environmental benefits were not being realized.  Propaganda at the pumps indicate that ethanol free gas will increase your mileage by 10-20%.  For us with older cars and anyone that owns a small engine this is great news and hopefully might be a trend.  This article is optimistic about repealing the ethanol mandate in other places https://www.hotrodhotline.com/legislators-look-repealing-ethanol-mandate#.VgCLht9Viko

 

I also spotted an Orange Z in Kona, does this belong to a member?

 

[hr369]

I visited Kailua Kona in Hawaii last week and saw some interesting car related things.

 

First:  Jeeps are cool.  I drive a Ram 2500 with a Cummins most days so driving a truck was no new thing to me.  I decided to rent a Jeep while on the island because most rental cars are joyless econo-boxes and I was expecting some off-road beach driving .  It was a good thing too because with the flash floods I ended up fording quite a few rivers that appeared over the main roads after rainfall of up to 4 inches per hour.  The Jeep Wrangler 4 door made decent power, was comfortable to drive and would go anywhere I wanted including some off-road trails to the southern most point of the USA.  I have no place for a Jeep in my life but i think my son is getting one when he turns 16

 

Second:  Hawaii is selling ethanol free fuel!  Regurgitating what I researched on the internet:  Hawaiian law makers repealed the ethanol mandate when they realized that most of the ethanol used in their fuel was being imported and that the environmental benefits were not being realized.  Propaganda at the pumps indicate that ethanol free gas will increase your mileage by 10-20%.  For us with older cars and anyone that owns a small engine this is great news and hopefully might be a trend.  This article is optimistic about repealing the ethanol mandate in other places https://www.hotrodhotline.com/legislators-look-repealing-ethanol-mandate#.VgCLht9Viko

 

I also spotted an Orange Z in Kona, does this belong to a member?

 

That 240 is owned by a guy that works or worked at costco gas station in kailua kona. Whenever i would be gassing up my 280 he'd come over and chat with me. He bought it new and its his dailybdriver. If you truly want a 4wd adventure hop on over to lanai. The jeeps are pretty pricey but most of the island is jeep trails and the beaches are pretty deserted.  My black 280 is nice and safe in the garage with all this tropical storm flooding. Yes ethenol free is here i think because of the large number of boat owners that need ethenol free gas. My z sure runs alot better on that stuff but

when gas was around 5 bucks a gallon, i used costco gas to commute with.  In the 10 or so years i've lived here i've only seen about 5 z's on the whole island.  There was a guy over on molokai selling a low number 70 240 but it wasn't running. That place is way too remote to try to ship a non running car from.

 

 

You know its funny, the tesoro refinery in honolulu exports gasoline to calif, australia and new zealand.  Nice way to get around the ban on export of crude.

Edited October 2, 2015 by hr369

[SteveJ]

Second:  Hawaii is selling ethanol free fuel!  Regurgitating what I researched on the internet:  Hawaiian law makers repealed the ethanol mandate when they realized that most of the ethanol used in their fuel was being imported and that the environmental benefits were not being realized.  Propaganda at the pumps indicate that ethanol free gas will increase your mileage by 10-20%.  For us with older cars and anyone that owns a small engine this is great news and hopefully might be a trend.  This article is optimistic about repealing the ethanol mandate in other places https://www.hotrodhotline.com/legislators-look-repealing-ethanol-mandate#.VgCLht9Viko

Ethanol free gas is available in lots of places, including a couple of gas stations that are on my way to most of the places I go to.

Look up http://www.pure-gas.org. There are even stations selling it in California...just not anywhere close to you.

[Hardway]

Good eye Kurby!  Appears to be a '73 and in good shape.  Everywhere I travel I am always looking for interesting cars.  Drives my wife crazy sometimes but it has paid off a few times as I spot something even she likes.

[bartsscooterservice]

Love the scenery in the back on the first picture ! More more !

[hr369]

Love the scenery in the back on the first picture ! More more !

That is coffee country you're looking at up on the mountain. Hot steamy jungle that rains almost every night at the same time. I prefer watching the kona sunset at the beach.

[Bonzi Lon]

I remember it like it was yesterday.  February of 1982 after a 12+ hour flight, very little sleep, I was given my first taste of Kona coffee and fresh pineapple.  OMG!!!   Black as tar and smooth as silk with a nutty buttery aftertaste.  I was hooked.  Very hard and expensive in the mainland, but worth every dollar.  When anyone mentions Hawaii, I think of Kona coffee and pineapple. 

 

Bonzi Lon