1980 Briggs & Stratton Hybrid - Jay Leno’s Garage

A hybrid from 1980? And it's a Briggs & Stratton? Jay does a full road test on this one-of-a-kind concept that hasn't been on the road since 1988!
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1980 Briggs & Stratton Hybrid - Jay Leno’s Garage
• 1980 Briggs & Stratton...
Jay Leno's Garage
/ jaylenosgarage

[@CraigClaerbout]

Hello, I'm the guest in this episode and I can finally comment on this, I've been locked out for about two years. With time I'll try to answer some of the common questions people have had. First one and most common comment, yes it does have seat belts. Jay didn't bother with his, I don't think he even looked for it. Mine jammed and wouldn't come out, it had been working fine prior to the show, and you know mechanical things, as soon as the show was done it started working again! I didn't mess with it much because when we first started driving we were driving indoors through his car collection and Jay was struggling a bit learning the controls. The jammed seat was minor compared to making sure he had good control of the car as we passed a few feet from millions of dollars worth of cars!

[@stickynorth]

What was the MPGe of that if my question? I love eco-cars and refused to buy anything that doesn't get at least 50 mpg or better... My first car is/was the Smart Fortwo cdi...

[@stickynorth]

PS, I'd love to see B&S do an updated version of this car using all the latest technology the company is working on... The way all the Canadian auto parts suppliers pitched in to build Project Arrow, a 5-door AWD CUV designed for Canadian winter driving...

[@robertphillips360]

Thank you for taking the time to share with all of us!

[@Arto343434]

I didn’t really understand the battery explanation. Why not have six 12-volt batteries instead of 12 six-volt batteries? More range in the shown application, but don’t they both add up to 72-volts?

[@waynesworldofsci-tech]

@@Arto343434 Delco 845 series 6vdc Deep Cycle batteries are commonly used on golf carts and small forklifts. Simple, off the shelf solution.

[@danielkirby8355]

"Is that how that works?" ... "Uhh, no." Everyone should be this blunt with Jay 🤣

[@fenderstratguy]

A plain-spoken Midwest answer. Not insulting, rude, or condescending, just matter-of-fact. Jay asked; he answered.

[@gostriderblack]

It would save allot of the small talk that Jay doesn't like. Jay is very intelligent and I think he believes the views of his KZbin channel has at least a basic understanding of automobile's (unlike the TV shows where they explain everything so even a kid can follow).

[@alexm566]

@@gostriderblack i know nothing about cars and just watch for the presentation and history lessons lol

[@jennifercunha2539]

Lol problem is he said uuhhh no and then went on to say the same thing Jay was saying

[@magmajctaz1405]

@@jennifercunha2539 I don't think he said the same thing. Leno was on the right track, but was still mistaken. Higher voltages lower the current. So a 12 volt battery capable of delivering the same power (WH) as a 6 volt battery will do so with half the current, allowing for smaller wire. But the topic got me thinking about why they'd go with 6 volt over 12. Ultimately, 72 volts was the design goal, the the overall voltage and current beyond the batteries will be the same. (No different in wire size/gauge.) I think the issue with 12 volts is there are more cells vs. 6 volts. And more cells means more dividers between the cells, which consume volume. And that's where I thing the B&S technician was going with this. For the same volume of 3D space, a 6 volt battery is going to store more energy than a 12 volt battery of the same volume, because there are 6 chambers (requiring dividers) than the 3 cells in a 6 volt battery. Thus, more energy density.

[@jbj27406]

This guy is a great ambassador for Briggs&Stratton. He knows the engineering, the economics, the whole product line, and the entire history of the company. He's frank and honest and very knowledgeable. Thanks to Jay for making this video. I had never heard of this car and I'm glad I found out about it. I think the styling has held up and the concept is fascinating.

[@piotrmalewski8178]

But can't divide 72 by 6. He says he worked on this car, so at least from memory he should have known he's got 12 batteries in there. 6*12=72. If he used 12 volt batteries, there would have been only 6.

[@sparky6086]

It's not easy to explain, about why they used the 6 volt batteries, when there would have been fewer connections & fewer batteries, if 12 volt batteries were used without getting into details, which might confuse or bore people who aren't well versed on such things. The way it would have been explained in Ben Franklin's day was, that the industrial 6 volt batteries held more "electrical fluid" in them, than the same size & weight 12 volt batteries, as far as what was readily available at the time. This may have worked for this video. Maybe begin the explanation with, "It's more complicated than this, but...".

[@rogerwilliams2042]

Apparently he’s weak in Math lol buts it’s all good. !

[@piotrmalewski8178]

@@sparky6086 Probably what was available on the local market at that time,

[@sparky6086]

@@piotrmalewski8178 True. It was a proof of concept, of that sort of hybrid. They weren't trying to invent new battery technology.

[@CurtHowland]

For anyone wondering why "68 mph" was only done on a closed course with a professional driver, the national speed limit was 55 mph at the time. The only "legal" way to go above that was on a track.

[@dh2032]

do poeple stick at 55 mph, or is consider ok to go faster, a remote places

[@brianb-p6586]

@@dh2032 the U.S. nationally mandated speed limit of 55 MPH was cancelled many years ago.

[@SchoolforHackers]

@@brianb-p6586 Right, but the car was built for that era.

[@brianb-p6586]

@@SchoolforHackers Yes, the nationally mandated speed limit was relevant to the B&S car; I was responding to dh's comment, which appeared to be about current practices.

[@chadmcmullen4064]

@@brianb-p6586 ...and the Sammy Hagar song "I Can't Drive...55!" was something of a protest song against that federally-mandated maximum speed. As a kid of the 80s, I remember how exhilarating and almost taboo it felt when the limit was raised to 65...70...75mph, so 'cutting edge' to see old 55 mph speed limit signs get replaced by these higher numbers. :)

[@watchingyou245]

The engineer on this show is a great credit to Briggs and Stratton. This video is being watched all over the world. I hope he gets the recognition and credit he deserves for being so clearly loyal to the firm.

[@mbrock5532]

Yeah, well, he got fired, so not so much!

[@92Jdmsupra]

@@mbrock5532 I can't find any evidence for your claim.

[@mbrock5532]

@@92Jdmsupra it was in one of the other comments. A guy who worked with him said B&S laid off 80% of their staff and this guy was one of the casualties.

[@pepperroni4016]

Doesn't China own Briggs & Stratton now

[@toddmoore139]

Yeah I agree. Very intelligent guy and a very knowledgeable and competent representative for the company. If they got rid of him its their loss.

[@DG-jq7il]

This guy is a real engineer. Leno is actually trying to get the guy excited, but he is a teacher, not a talker

[@jonnycando]

Jorn Navarre of course those of us who work for a living are like that....

[@trikelyfe6090]

@@jonnycando speak for yourself pal...

[@Phaedrus-th7bi]

Yeah, not Jay's normal 'tell a joke every two minutes' gig. They guy isn't an entertainer, but he knows his crap.

[@Elswalbe]

he's a lot more engaging to listen to than Jay...

[@tomaszkostyra7554]

ye an engineer who cant divide 72 by 12 and Leno hands him an answer...

[@blommaertbart3224]

Weirdly this is one of the most impressive car introductions. Craig Claerbout's explanation about getting this car of the museum floor onto the road. Fascinating man who knows what he's doing.

[@garyblack8717]

Very diplomatic too, trying to dance around telling Jay that 6V or 12V cells doesn't really matter. Lead acid batteries all have 2v cells, you either have 3 or 6 cells. Footprint was probably much more of a consideration than voltage, they needed batteries that would fit in a 1980 compartment, and they needed 72VDC.

[@philliphoward7455]

Jay: I think that early in the video you said that Briggs and Stratton never built a car. Technically, you are correct. However, they did build a buckboard - type of vehicle that had four wheels, two seats and steered with a steering wheel. It was powered by a what they called the Briggs and Stratton Motor Wheel. It was a wheel mounted on, I think, the left rear with a single - cylinder engine mounted to it. This was you might say a precursor to the cycle - car in the early 1800's. I have seen them at the Hershey Old Car Swap Meet. They're cute but not very practical.

[@philliphoward7455]

Oops, sorry. I meant 1900's.

[@1oolabob]

I want to commend Craig on his contribution to this video. He's obviously a bit nervous about appearing in a video, but when he gets to speak as an engineer, he's in his element and very fluent. Or maybe it's Jay's skill as an interviewer. Or both. It's just nice to hear a tech speaking eloquently about what he knows, without trying to be an entertainer.

[@TheRausing1]

Big fan of this guest. Knows what he’s talking about, without playing to the camera or showing off at all

[@fhowland]

everything will be ok classic humble Midwesterner!

[@swig1503]

Everyone should have a friend like this guy.

[@stevesmith728]

@@fhowland That accent is pure Wisconsin.

[@quartznation9499]

I see a matchbox version soon.. Way cooler than the amg 6x6

[@Mrbink01]

You betcha!

[@chosenideahandle]

The four wheels in the back are actually there to hold up the massive mower blades underneath.

[@The1stHomosapien]

mower? as in lawn mower?

[@osamabinladen824]

@@The1stHomosapien Yes

[@pyrrhicvictory1707]

It's the 1981 attachment package that never was designed

[@MircomFan]

@@pyrrhicvictory1707 lmao can u imagine someone mowing their lawn with this big thing 😂

[@alanmalcheski8882]

I saw one of these on the highway and it was going about the same speed as a lawnmower. That explains it.

[@scottcol23]

Thats really cool. This guy has worked for B&S for almost 40 years! I could listen to his stories all day. I love small engines. I got into cars from working on a 2.5 hp briggs when I was a kid in the early 90's

[@schmooter833]

Right on! I was in my early teens late 60s and small engines were amazing to me. Later became a two stroke mechanic in a kart racing shop at 18. Loads of research and dyno work. Still involved at 66 and still kart racing.

[@arcanondrum6543]

Well @scottcol23 and @Schmooter, I am genuinely interested to hear from either or both of you regarding what makes a 2 Stroke run/not run. Will they fail to start due to even the smallest amount of grime? What else? The 2 Stroke (and carburetor) made me decide that electrical and software were much easier for me. But if you guys have stories, I'm all ears.

[@arcanondrum6543]

...oh and I even edited my comment thanks to you guys.

[@scottcol23]

@@arcanondrum6543 what is the engine on? Most issues are with gummed up carbs. For info on that, look for videos detailing card removal and cleaning. If it is a weed eater or small yard tool its really simple. Just clean the brass jets and the little plunger seat under the float. Hope this helps

[@arcanondrum6543]

@@scottcol23 Thanks! It is engines from model aircraft, to chainsaws and string trimmers. I passed on the 2 Wheeled 2 Strokes. Now a diesel 2 Stroke for (real) Aircraft - the diesel part is OK but the 2 Stroke, hmmm.

[@parentsbasement7734]

Ya gotta know jay loved having a guy who knows what he's talking about doesn't fluff up the answers and can explain things on a manor where he doesn't come off like an a$$hole and seems to enjoy what he's doing. You can see him get more and more comfortable on camera as the episode goes on. I bet he asked jay a million questions when they toured jays collection.

[@reeepingk]

The nervous fidget the engineer gets when Jay starts getting the whole "voltage, garden hose" analogy wrong..... Exactly how I felt listening.

[@emoryjenkins6481]

God Jay really was causing me to lose a chromosome there

[@JF-lt5zc]

Wondering why amps were never mentioned....

[@johndee6916]

I wanted to scream "current".

[@88jscott88]

P = I x E

[@johnhines852]

um, amp hours maybe?

[@lanatrzczka]

I love how this guest doesn't react so much to jokes and such, but when it comes to talking the insides of engines he just lights up. GREAT episode.

[@davidowen3036]

He's very focused. LOL. Probably first time on camera?

[@mark-wn5ek]

Techno-dullard.

[@Jesse__H]

@@mark-wn5ek that feels unfair..

[@rokyericksonroks]

“It’s totally all original thinking” (19:54)

[@cat_daddy]

At least da guy didn't wear his cheese head, ya know

[@badgerpa9]

An Engineer that knows the product and can explain it for others to understand, rare man right there. Nice car I do not remember seeing it at the Museum but it has been a long time since I was there.

[@jameslovrek8634]

Thank you, Jay for bringing back some great memories. I was working for Briggs and Stratton when they created this car. I was fortunate to see it up close.

[@TheTruthKiwi]

Not gonna lie, this is more interesting than Jay's supercar vids or any that I've seen actually. The B & S guy really knows his stuff.

[@chosenideahandle]

That's no BS, it's B & S. 😂

[@mikeflippin5568]

@@chosenideahandle LMAO

[@drftsnvk]

Except math . . .

[@TheTruthKiwi]

@@drftsnvk Haha! That's true mate

[@aurtisanminer2827]

I love old b&s engines. There’s a small pile of em in my back yard.

[@reelreeler8778]

One of the best guests and most interesting vehicles ever.

[@manutd4life253]

Agreed

[@markdmartin77]

Absolutely agree. That dude knows his engines

[@the73spit]

Yup totally agree

[@BuckC]

Yes, Craig was so insightful!

[@zymmer4]

This is one of the finest videos I have seen on Jay Lenos Garage..The B&S engineer here is on point..very well spoken and "knows his onions"..I would buy one of those for everyday driving today in WV...Imagine that old car with the Vanguard battery pac and motor..I Want One.

[@chasingcloudsandflavorrevi9817]

I can't believe this has been on KZbin for 2+ years and I've never seen it until now. What a great thought process for this car, I mean it's slow but who the hell cares! I would buy this today just to say I drive a GD Briggs and Stratton powered hybrid 🤯😁

[@bocefusmurica4340]

People who actually wish to arrive at their destination in a timely fashion? They likely care.

[@bogfinken]

This guest actually seems to have some knowledge, and is able to pass it on in a clear yet humble way. A rare sight these days.

[@salvatoreo2186]

Yes, I saw the same thing and also like how he hesitated to correct Jay. Nice knowledgeable man. Would have liked to have heard more of their new batteries. Seems he has been with Briggs & Stratton for a long time.

[@shubjero]

Yes this representative did a great job

[@s1mph0ny]

Yeah, you can tell the difficulty representing something as dated and low-spec as one of these. Gotta be harder than standing next to the latest and greatest 60k+ sports car. Still, props to Briggs&Stratton for producing stuff more to the everyman market even if the result isn't that practical.

[@eloyex]

it is called .. engineer

[@Uniquecapture]

I really love Craig's no nonsense in depth knowledge. That guy really knows he subject.

[@FlipCouvillion]

I would love to see Briggs and Stratton do a remake with today’s technology.

[@usmale49]

Me too...that would be great!

[@jeffspaulding9834]

If they did it with today's technology, it would be just another small hybrid, only worse because B&S isn't a car manufacturer and doesn't have the expertise for the non-engine parts of the vehicle. What makes this car so interesting is the fact that hybrids weren't really a thing at the time - they were exploring new territory.

[@jaysunfjord7390]

no. Keep the 1980's tec. Much simpler, less things to go bad, better construction. And the squared looked is awesome.

[@robinsss]

@@jeffspaulding9834 but electric cars did exist at the time

[@lobdsk]

Well at least new batteries

[@theodricaethelfrith]

Still my favorite episode of Jay Leno's Garage.

[@twistedpixel2558]

I'm so glad that Jay or someone on his staff made that call to Briggs and Stratton. So cool.

[@jackallen6261]

"Does Briggs build a lot of air-cooled engines these days?" "Does Briggs still use any carburetors" Jay obviously hasn't seen a lawnmower in many years! lol.

[@theedrstrangelove]

I know. Weird. I just bought a mower with a Briggs.

[@onepunchgeorge9251]

Certain lawnmowers were built with A 4 STROKE V-TWIN!

[@ChrisMontgomery-xtrmagamr]

Manual Labor from Chihuahua does Jay's yard.

[@richardcarew4708]

They do.. and Koeler.. I worked in a chainsaw shop for a while in New Mexico.. and fixed B&S.. no harbor freight in 86.. the competition from China is fierce.. in a free market companies sink or swim.. .it's not actually a free market, but lawnmower engines may not be considered critical infrastructure.. so don't invest a bunch of money until we learn if they sink or swim

[@GodKing804]

I wish I was this ignorant, life would be easy too...but no... another dumb comment with no idea how promotion works

[@Frisenette]

Love that guy! My Briggs & Stratton mover, that came with the house, lasted some twenty years with abuse and being outside all the time. Oil change, cleaning of the air filter and spark plugs was the only maintenance. Just amazing quality. It didn't break, it simply was too loud when everyone had gone electric.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Not surprised at all that an 80's Briggs&Stratton engine would fire right up and run fine!

[@sapienproductions]

Well done to the team at Briggs & Stratton for bringing this car back to full road usage so that it could be featured on this show. A really interesting episode and an eye opener, thanks.

[@JamesSmith-op7yc]

I remember this car featured I in Popular Mechanics/ Popular Science magazines respectively. I still have one of those magazines in my "archives" (read attic boxes!) Such a forward thinking vehicle. Thanks for sharing Jay. J.

[@bravocompany-bu1cm]

@@JamesSmith-op7yc Wow! I knew I saw this before, and now since you say that I remember

[@tommurphy4307]

i understand they were up all night with a case of lucky lager (and then a case of something else).

[@tommurphy4307]

@@JamesSmith-op7yc not to mention forward-thinking

[@metalbob3335]

Strictly business with this guy , I can appreciate his way of thought. You can tell he actually knows the product.

[@markzieg3593]

So cool to see this piece of history. Half Track Briggs and Stratton!

[@perrymcclusky4695]

Awesome that they took it out of their museum and got it on the road again! Wonderful video.

[@stalati34]

This is one of the best guests Jay has had on the show.

[@JackOSUrulz]

Everyone loves this dude!! Briggs and Stratton need to give this guy his own channel to present their projects, history and futures

[@daltonbedore8396]

this dude is awesome. just a reguar guy who is really good at what he does. dont see guys like this on tv much

[@Falkenroth1]

I agree.

[@adimw]

missed opportunity for the plate "HYBRIG"

[@The1stHomosapien]

he said Don't think too differently otherwise you get fired.

[@americanpride9733]

The1stHomosapien But they made this car?

[@blazeelvirafirehoof7844]

Hybriggs&Stratton.

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

Ya man

[@robertholle5599]

Thanks for the excellent look at a retro hybrid. I had no idea. I figured hybrid meant different fuels. Does anyone think the back end of the Briggs and Stratton car resembles a late model ('85) Mercury Capri? Wondering aloud... Cheers !!

[@Altema22]

That's probably one of the most natural-looking six wheel cars I've seen. Nice job with the body proportions, and the drivetrain concepts involved were really groundbreaking No need to go with 6 volt batteries to arrive at a 72 volt output though. 12 volt batteries in 2 strings of 6 would give the same results, and be easier to source. Plus it would give you the option of lighter weight batteries that are now available (wink, wink). The traction will be determined by the amount of weight on the driven wheels, as the weight on the "trailer" wheels does not contribute to forward traction. As far as the philosophy "smaller engine means better economy", it's well known that a small engine working hard is not always more economical than a larger engine that is working lightly. I get 30mpg in our Karmann Ghia with a "stock" balanced and blueprinted 1600cc engine, and it tops 100mph without breaking a sweat. However, this is a fascinating car, and thanks for showing it to us!

[@jamesburrell677]

The Optimist - That glass is half full. The Pessimist - That glass is half empty. The Engineer - That glass is the wrong size.

[@_winter7745]

The Briggs & Stratton engineer - That glass needs six wheels and giant lead batteries

[@spencergorringe9448]

The Opportunist - Don't know what was in that glass , but I drank it anyway 😵

[@Evangelist001]

Technichally, the glass is full. 50% water + 50% air = 100% full.

[@justmewatching]

the glass is always full, top half is full of air

[@MrSGL21]

the Realist: thats a glass of piss.

[@kaboomcards6219]

i love how jay gets cars on the road driving, the way it should be

[@breakingames7772]

Ya with protection cars on all four sides filming. Or cars in front blocking traffic and ones in rear blocking with his nicer stuff

[@titmouse-distribution]

...

[@chrisPAT03]

@@breakingames7772 He drives his cars all over without protection, always has. And of course there are camera cars on the sides, in front, in back, etc. It's a TV show, moron. How the hell do you think they're gonna get the footage? Stating the absolute obvious, but obviously it was needed. Idiots...

[@Andersonnn88]

Yes that's true. It can have some kind of escorting due to filming and to protect the cars he doesn't own but he already put more than 8k miles on his brand new McLaren P1 and many people just buy to display and actually don't drive it. So yes he drives his cars

[@ayp1938]

@@misterpimlott6330 what a roast

[@Luscious3174]

Cutting edge design for sure back then, because for a car from 1980 I have to say it has aged well and looks quite good. Picking yellow as the color definitely helps.

[@kenshinflyer]

Briggs & Stratton is known for their gasoline and diesel engines that mostly power outrigger boats called "banca" here in the Philippines. It has that signature engine note.

[@thomassteffora2210]

I'd take this guy any day of the week over some of Jay's guests that are trying way too hard

[@workingguy6666]

@Random Uploader He's an engineer that helped refine the exact car we're watching. I thought it was great having him. You may be too elitist of a car geek (i.e. really NOT a car geek) to have watched the video, but ~ 21:40 Jay says that it was the Garage who called Briggs to ask about the car, and to have it on.

[@mabamabam]

@Random Uploader Nah, there are way too many sales reps that come on trying to make a dollar. Even with the little bit about the new batteries this guy was great.

[@michaelmartin9022]

@@mabamabam Yeah often when Jay has a new car on it gets really cringey

[@mabamabam]

@Random Uploader This guy was an engineer whos boss told him to mention their new electric lawnmowers. Nothing like some of the spivs who come on the show.

[@MasterMalrubius]

@Random Uploader So what? He's a technician. He's there to represent the company. It doesn't mean he's a salesman. He actually worked on the car. Not some guy that just reads some spec sheets and is there to get some interest in the car.

[@dhopkinsyt]

Briggs & Stratton: Sends engineer and a car to promote their new Electric Direction Jay Leno: So, tell me more about the air cooled gas engines you make.

[@whatyousaidbud]

Yeah lol! He kept tryin to slip it in but Jay was having none of it!! Lol!

[@jakeatkins4891]

Cos gas engines are the best ! When u need to power something u use a Briggs or a Honda . Electric motors are for dishwashers

[@counterfit5]

Jake Atkins the vast majority of freight trains use electric traction motors

[@LynxStarAuto]

counterfit5 the traction motors replaced the mechanical transmission on freight trains, but the main power source is still the king of the world aka the Diesel engine.

[@jookya2]

@@LynxStarAuto all the diesel engine does is create energy for the electric engines to do the work.

[@supertramp6011]

I love this engineer, stand up guy representing his company- who I believe let him go,sadly. Jay Leno is also a great host and asks pertinent questions. Thanks for sharing!👌

[@kishascape]

He also spread propaganda against electric. Detroit electic was around well before and actually had decent range and speed.

[@supertramp6011]

@@kishascape no need to spread ‘propaganda’ about electric cars,- the fallacy of running electric vehicles charged from oil and coal fired power grids speaks for itself, not to mention the issue of batteries which are clearly not fit for purpose, or environmentally sound.

[@klj2382]

@@supertramp6011 what if my local power grid is supppied by turbines in a river?

[@ashkenad]

@@klj2382 most aren’t

[@VirtualR]

Best part of this episode was the engineer, so full of amazing information on the company and range of engines, really enjoyed it.

[@moparedtn]

Yet again, Jay does what others in the hobby (and on YT, for that matter) haven't - and when he asks a company to blow the dust off an old concept car that everyone had forgotten about except him, they do it. Awesome. Those of us who have had some of these twin cylinder B&S engines apart know just how incredibly simple they are. There's tons of them out here in barns and sheds across rural America, having powered riding mowers and such for decades now. The first one I ever had apart was amazing to me after so many years of car engine assembling - the twin had no crank bearings, no rod bearings, just an incredibly simple engine. My dad had many acres of country lawn to mow and he went through riding mowers like nobody's business, meaning I got to try to keep them going. I got quite the scrap pile of B&S twin parts as a result and I mixed and matched parts all the time to do so, never measuring or machining much, just cleaning up and picking out good parts vs. bad ones. Frankenstein riding mowers resulted, but it all worked. Thanks again for bringing us what nobody else does, Jay. You're a credit to the hobby! -Ed on the Ridge

[@pablojose4890]

The front end reminds me of an old Renault Alliance

[@akishot6735]

Pablo Jose Dodge colt/vista vibe

[@alanblanes2876]

@@akishot6735 About a 1984 Dodge 600 front end.

[@Commentator541]

Old misubishis as well

[@die4race]

I thought of Renault 11

[@TheSpeedfreak665]

Mitsubishi look on front end.

[@FarCryBaby]

NOW I know why I always had a soft spot for Briggs & Stratton. Mower choices, I ALWAYS got one with the Broggs & Stratton motor. Awesome car for it's day.

[@scottcol23]

Next you need to track down the Evinrude Lakester which was also designed by Brook Stevens in the 70's. Its a Wild looking car with an outboard on it. He also designed the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile!

[@bsimpson6204]

It’s a bit cleverer than it looks, well done Briggs & Stratton

[@alexhickey5633]

And it has a good sound from the engine too. Then again all 2 cylinder briggs engines tend to sound nice. I wonder what it would do if they put in one of those new 40hp fuel injected engines

[@scrambler350]

@@alexhickey5633 ..and the newer lithium ion batteries.

[@alexhickey5633]

@@scrambler350 yup those too. I actually wonder what would happen and what it would turn out like

[@PC3Pointless]

@@alexhickey5633 2 Cylinder engines sound awesome. Source: Daily drive an 875cc twin :)

[@macmclemore]

Try “more clever” instead of “cleverer”. You’ll sound more clever. You’ll thank me later.

[@yadidimeanmaine]

The amperage is like the size of the hose. The voltage is like the pressure. Jay just got a little confused on what's watt.

[@MrJeffyb69]

The size of the wire is like the size of hose, the current (amps) is like the water and voltage is like the pressure :-) PIE

[@peaceforgaelandscot]

Amperage is equivalent to hydraulic flow rate.

[@MrJeffyb69]

@@peaceforgaelandscot I'm not sure about the "rate" part? Hydraulic flow yes! flow ate as in (GPM) pump pressure to size of pipe and type of fluid being pumped. In simple terms the higher the voltage the smaller the conductor needed to push the same current! Example: look at a power plant, the size of the conductors on the high lines are relatively small for the roughly 1100 megawatts of power being used being supplied by 345K volts( this example from a nuclear plant i worked at). If it was supplied by, lets say typical household voltage 120/240 volts the size of the power lines would be so large it would require structure supports every few feet! Not practical. The reason behind the 72 Volts in this car was for the application requirement of the DC motor, the cost savings of using existing golf cart batteries and the deep cycle needed.

[@conservativemike3768]

... and a Joule in the hand is worth two Faradays in the bush.

[@doct0rnic]

I think if Jay would stop and listen for five minutes at the experts instead of trying to finish their sentences with his own knowledge he would understand

[@gpslightlock1422]

Very awesome and also enjoyed learning more about the engines I've used all my life. Thanks to all who made that video.

[@brhino]

My 1st experience with an engine was the same as yours Jay except after removing the head I then knew more about engines than my father. As you can imagine... R.I.P. lawn mower engine.

[@MrMenefrego1]

*Briggs & Stratton are the finest small engines ever designed! Point of fact, I'm still using my grandfathers B & S lawnmower from 1967 to mow my lawn in 2020!*

[@Chris-adams-rc-journey]

That is freaking epic.

[@garagecedric]

Until plastic carbs and other junk solutions got introduced.

[@daleolson3506]

They lost their way and sat on their thumbs.

[@MitzvosGolem1]

True ... sadly they were forced to move to communist China like most mfg I have alot of older Briggs. Still run good.

[@bradbutcher3984]

My dad has had a horizontal shaft 5hp B&S motor sitting on his shop floor for 40 years. After watching this I walked over and added a bit of gas and she fired right up.

[@jsleeio]

I was smiling so hard all the way through this that my face now hurts. Utterly wonderful. Particularly because (a) it still drives, and (b) it looks like such a finished car, not just a concept car that is only finished barely enough to make it to a static display somewhere. Thanks so much for sharing

[@jonoedwards4195]

Ahahahaha, same here, twas a great show!

[@davidburgess9002]

I love Briggs engines, they run forever. When there is a choice between Briggs and a higher priced Japanese engine I've always went with the Briggs and have never regretted it.

[@aidenpowell6093]

I could listen to this guy talk stationary motors all day. Love it.

[@KhaosKryptos]

This dude is exactly what i thought what someone that works at Briggs & Stratton looks like!

[@johnj.baranski6553]

And I'm okay with that

[@spar8334]

Lmao i was gonna comment the same thing

[@gtijason7853]

You got it, typical hard working blue collar Milwaukeean. Probably lives in Cudahy, is part of a bowling league and drank Schlitz in his younger days !

[@KhaosKryptos]

@@gtijason7853 For sure

[@KhaosKryptos]

@@spar8334 lol

[@DireNeeds]

During a time when we're all cooped up at home Jay is taking us down the road one classic car at a time.

[@jackbuchanan6441]

Gotta keep going man - best thing you can do is keep trying to go about your day as normal as you can...

[@Rezin_8]

Briggs and Stratton engine kept us warm during the last freeze, kept our food cold during the last hurricane, and its ready to go for these triple digit heat 😅 ❤🙏🇺🇲

[@kristoffermangila]

In the Philippines, Briggs & Stratton is a respected brand, competing against Honda, Robin and others. The main uses for a Briggs and Stratton engine here: prime movers for pumps and other machinery, gensets and marine propulsion.

[@michaelp9707]

"The Pull Cord Startup is what really seperates it from other vehicles"

[@Mark-zu6oz]

The older models have the flip open/closed crank.

[@feellucky271]

@@Mark-zu6oz I remember we had a Jacobsen with the flip start. Hated it.

[@stacase]

@@feellucky271 My Dad had a Jacobsen and you are right, you'd wind the starter spring up with the flip out crank handle push a button and it would go,"Kaput poot poot" and wouldn't start. AND the mechanism used the fins on the aluminum impeller for air cooling to hold the spring tension. The f#$%ing thing broke the fins off.

[@dennisbecraft1303]

@@stacase My dad had a windup Briggs rotary mower. Rope starts won't run without the blade attached serving as part of the flywheel mass, but the wound up spring would spin it fast enough that it would keep running unless you let the RPMs get too low. With the light flywheel, it would rev quickly and responded like a 2 cycle engine. It was an interesting discovery 55 yrs. ago.

[@uncleknife9887]

Car keys & ignitions are for losers!

[@barryervin8536]

Wow, somebody finally told Jay flat out that he was wrong about something!

[@donc2446]

And Jay put it in the video. He seems like a really down to earth guy.

[@djmips]

He does it in such a polite way. He kind of let him pass on a few things though, like ozone...

[@GreatEgret]

@@jimperris1617 us Wisconsinites are nice as hell, but we'll give it to you straight.

[@blxtothis]

Another genius presentation from Mr Leno, the true pro and enthusiast. Boxer engines, even small capacity twins sound so great.

[@eddierags720]

One of my favorite episodes, I come back to every few months.

[@duncanforster8457]

Every time I think Jay has shown off the last truly remarkable car I've never heard of, he finds another one.

[@travistaylor3186]

Literally every kid who ever played with a Briggs & Stratton dreamed of making a car with it. I love this car!

[@tombax1653]

True dat. And everyone who ever used a Briggs had a good experience with it. Tough little engines. From sh*tty cheap tractors that would overheat on a hot day to dependable equipment. They were dependable. I remember taking my 3.5 horse Briggs & Stratton lawn mower apart and putting it back together to learn about engines. I also remember pulling some Briggs powered equipment out of a farmer's field "free if you get it out of here." Oil change and fresh fuel was all they ever needed.

[@appalachiangunman9589]

Tombax the decks on most lawn mowers rust away pretty quick but the Briggs and Stratton engines will run from now on.

[@harrisn3693]

Travis Taylor of Prestwood I’d buy a Briggs & Stratton car over supposed “American” big 3 (Ford, GM, CHrysler) any day!

[@jwillkens]

@@appalachiangunman9589 The exact reason a lot of new Briggs engines say "No oil change required. Just check and fill."

[@XBullitt16X]

@@tombax1653 Same here, got given an older briggs and stratton "Harry," that didn't run by one of my father's coworkers, all it needed was some carb clean, fuel and an oil change, ran as good as new. I tell you what, working on an engine for the first time and hearing it start up not knowing if what you did worked, was such a satisfying feeling. These engines are built to last thats for sure. You take care of it and it will last you a lifetime.

[@markrod9145]

Wow! Absolutely amazing. Never heard of that car. Even more respect to B & S. Thanks Jay!

[@tommurphy4307]

i'm confused- you're giving more respect to b&s because you've never heard of the car?? that is amazing

[@RalphRacc00N]

@@tommurphy4307 He respects them even more than before now after learning about B&S's engineering prowess.

[@claytonmatheny2428]

Thanks Jay Leno once again you have shown me a car that I never knew about

[@nicholas_scott]

It’s fascinating. Briggs built this, not to “save the world”, but as a way to sell its engine to existing auto manufacturing

[@alecfleming373]

Thus that strange make do fix to the batteries weight... Smart, because they know car manufacturers could solve for this easier.

[@rockzs74r]

@@alecfleming373 well adding "buying this thing will save the world" is one hell of a marketing slogan. Especially for gullible people

[@alecfleming373]

@@rockzs74r engineers don't make for good sales men

[@mustie1]

what a great episode, and l hope the electric motor/battery combos can be sold over the counter for the DIY guys, thinking mini bikes, go karts, dirt and street bikes. long live the Briggs & stratton company.

[@mercuryrising9174]

Man im looking forward to that video series lol..

[@672egalaxie6]

Hey Mustie!

[@mustie1]

@@672egalaxie6 hi guys

[@bimmerwman]

Mustie1 keeps showing us how to fix our own lawn equipment. That's gotta put a small dent in the sales of B&S. I have been watching you since 2015 and don't think I have bought a new piece of equipment since. LOL. We love you man!!

[@All2Meme]

Mustie1 I was thinking the same thing. It would be interesting to build an experimental gasoline/electric car with a 20 horsepower engine driving an alternator and a brushless electric motor driving the wheels. With a lighter electric motor and much lighter battery cells, it may be feasible to build a small car with even better performance (and fewer wheels) than the 1980 car.

[@Kwhopperfan]

Enjoyed this episode and the guest was excellent, appreciated his professionalism and seriousness on the topics discussed.

[@Ukepa]

I haven't heard of "Briggs & Stratton" for years. Glad to see they're still around and doing well!!!

[@YerluvinunclePete]

That looks like an AMC product. Not a prototype though, like something they'd actually release.

[@MaliciousSRT]

Renault Encore is what it reminded me of

[@5tr41ghtGuy]

AMC was also based in Wisconsin.

[@hobbyhermit66]

AMC Ain't My Car

[@DouglasLippi]

Yeah looks like AMC.

[@Colt45hatchback]

Looks like a Lada Samara to me haha

[@rsowen44]

That was more fascinating to me than jet cars, steamer cars. muscle cars . . . Briggs & Stratton finally earned my respect. I wish they would bring back this idea.

[@loktom4068]

Soon going under.

[@shadowopsairman1583]

Always been a fan of their lawn mower engines along with tecumseh.

[@dylanmccallister1888]

@@loktom4068 what? Of all the companies that might go under in this recession Briggs and Stratton is not one of them, 80% of lawnmowers in the US market still use their engines despite the fall they had last year. Their stocks have had an upward TREND during this entire outbreak after decades of steady decline. Meanwhile fortune 500 companies like Boeing are either going to get bailed out by the fed or file bankruptcy. BGG is a BUY right now.

[@_winter7745]

@@dylanmccallister1888 2018-2020 has been BRUTAL on B&S. $27.12 - $2.85. Also, double checked your claim that B&S is trending upward during this crisis--- no. Today so far they're up 14%. Over five days they're up 16%. Over one month they're DOWN 11%.

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

@@dylanmccallister1888, read online about BnS. The top echelon turned devil and ran business out of business and paid themselves huge bonuses while doing so. More industrial traitors. Stock price went up because of manipulation, not honest future ability. Tar and feather them, and run them to the place they'll fit, communist red china.

[@thesteward5052]

I still have the original package from B&S public relations. It has a specifications booklet and some other paperwork that explains the "why" of this project. Pretty darn cool. Thank you Jay and Greg.

[@wb6162]

Jay is the most comfortable with guys like this, techy and not flashy. Jay is an amazing guy truly. I'm so glad he successfully held up those clowns at NBC for as much money as he could get. Now he's doing such cool stuff with it for guys like us to see. God is good.

[@SirVic42]

Love that Richard Petty has the top speed in this car. For everyone else, the top speed was 60, but the King adds 8 mph just by grabbing the wheel. That's some serious street cred for this car.

Who is Richard Petty? Was he related to Tom?

[@melted_pistons]

yogibear2k2 please be joking

[@justinjohnson1766]

@@melted_pistons Ooooooh man I laughed hard at this 😂

[@justinanderson8758]

@ dear God please be kidding

[@justinjohnson1766]

@ Richard "King" Petty was the only NASCAR Driver to win 200 races in his career while retiring with 7 Winston Cup Championships.

[@joshsamuelson1793]

One of the most interesting cars I have seen on the show in a long time.

[@rosebarnes9625]

Check out the Doble steam car... that still blows my mind....

[@AugustusTitus]

Great episode! Thank you for this! Only Jay can make a call and get a 1980 hybrid from the manufacturer to California for a drive around! Great info from Briggs & Stratton! Thank you all!

[@tommurphy4307]

mavis did it

[@gaufrid1956]

How good is that Jay! Back in Australia I had a four stroke lawnmower with a Briggs and Stratton engine and it lasted longer than I stayed in Australia!

[@izregistered]

AMC should have added this model it would fit right into their 80’s designs

[@kirstenspencer3630]

I gotta find a PACER for my next project.

[@kayakingforthebirds2506]

Yeah, I actually thought it might have been adapted from some AMC model until he started explaining it.

[@robertf6344]

HA !

[@markzieg3593]

I see a 1980’s 323 Mazda in the rear, and a mustang from that era in the front. Still tho, like he says, the styling holds up. Pinto plus Sirocco! Who knew?

[@jamesfiegel9675]

Yes it has their styling of the time and maybe why they failed :)

[@05Forenza]

The longer I looked at this car, the more I appreciated the design. It was a really well designed car!

[@reeepingk]

I was going to say "Dang, that's a pretty decent looking car".... then they said scirocco doors and I said "Oh, that makes sense." The windshield/roof line is the same as the scirocco and that was a good looking car at the time.

[@catey62]

when I first saw it I liked it straightaway..yes, a very 80's design and style but a really good looking one that has held up well over the years.

[@badlands555]

Its a nice looking car. Be interesting to see what it would do with new technology batteries in it.

[@saadqureshi7127]

Just needs a v12 swap. lol

[@The1stHomosapien]

try driving it in a circle.

[@Falkenroth1]

That’s awesome. Thanks for asking them about it Jay. Enjoyed watching it.

[@pigface472]

A Briggs and Stratton single cylinder was everybody's first engine.

[@brrebrresen1367]

depending on how close to the coast you live i guess... my first engine was an Suzuki DT6 outboard x)

[@djbillye4943]

@Sharron Clark i started at 3 years old

[@TopiasSalakka]

Not mine, first engine i've worked on is a Mazda 1.5L.

[@noth606]

Pig face mine was a Honda J50 4 stroke engine, beautiful thing, 50cc 4 stroke OHC. After that a Saab V4 at school.

[@lawrencegenereux8567]

Mine was a Cox .049.

[@NinjaRelic1]

This thing makes me happy, so glad they decided to bring it out of the museum for this video. I wish more museums and companies did stuff like this, bring out your old stuff, go on youtube, show it off!

[@bentullett6068]

The British Motor Museum in Warwickshire are getting some of their cars started and restored so they can be used in road tests or taken to events.

[@ScottKenny1978]

The bovington tank museum in the uk not only has running tanks, they drive them annually!

[@travr1131]

Great episode, great guest and a cool, unique car! Well done!

[@scottjays360s.johnson2]

Briggs and Stratton was the first engine I ever tore apart and it started my fascination with the automobile in the early 1970's.

[@PigEqualsBakon]

I have an old car magazine from the 80s with this on the cover, front and center! I had no idea it still existed. Cool stuff!

[@ronaldharris6569]

My first time to see it,so many good ideas that are ahead of their time and technology. That's essentially a front wheel drive gasoline car with a golf cart drive added to the rear

[@bcgrittner]

@@ronaldharris6569 The Briggs and Stratton car is rear drive. Watch the cutaway view early in the video. But, I agree, the driveline concept certainly has similarities to the Toyota Prius.

[@flytii]

that's awesome!

[@ronaldharris6569]

@@bcgrittner my bad I thought he said the engine was mechanically linked to the front wheels....hmm that's a new idea for a hybrid 4wheel drive normal front wheel drive with a electric motor driving the rear the motor can be the generator to recharge the batteries, at highway speeds, the batteries are for city driving and stop and go in town once you are on the highway the gas engine takes over,?

[@matt420740]

Imagine this done with a modern 35hp Briggs and Li-ion Batteries

[@higgme1ster]

eyes light up with dollar signs, jaw drops open bigger than a barn door., have at it dude!

[@onepunchgeorge9251]

One that they build to irrigate feilds! I've seen all kinds of v TWIN Engines powering other devices. Once in Louisiana a sugar cane grower used an old Harley Davidson 80 cubic inch Flathead motor to Pump water into his growing areas. Had been doing it YEARS!😜🍺🎶

[@operator0]

Doable. I don't think B&S engines are all that fuel efficient though. I'm sure they could whip up something that would be if they wanted to.

[@rrandle77]

Replace the batteries with their latest, roughly four times the energy but also with no engine/gearbox up front put more batteries and a Tesla triple motor set up. Roughly 1205bhp

[@ChrisMontgomery-xtrmagamr]

Could get rid of 2 wheels for sure.

[@arcanondrum6543]

Thank you Jay for tracking down this vehicle and reporting in detail along with the engineer.

[@EdDale44135]

Real sharp looking car! Could see this on the road in the early 80’s...

[@byronrich8623]

Great episode. This guest is one of my all-time favorites on the channel. He's just genuine, informed, and honest. It's refreshing.

[@MrThatnativeguy]

As a lover of small engines (Briggs ,Honda , china clones) on motorized bikes and go karts this is probably the best car to be featured since the premiere of jay lenos garage

[@billybowbob2071]

As a lover of oddball, ugly, poorly colored, 14 inch wheeled, impractical, female repulsion cars; I too agree!

[@Lumber_Jack]

Really cool vehicle, ahead of it's time, and I like seeing a manual transmission and clutch -- probably engaging to drive. Glad they were able to get it out of the museum and back on the road.

[@douglasdepirro8364]

Engaging, I see what you did there. Nice

[@bigkk758]

This has to be one of my top 5 videos. What’s sad is not having anyone that originally worked on it. Can’t thank you enough for this one what great history

[@qdood]

Thanks Jay you never cease to surprise and amaze me with what you find.

[@_chipchip]

"Is that about right"? No. Gold

[@TheImtoomuch]

Trial N' ERROR a technician is not an engineer.

[@msudawg1997]

@@TheImtoomuch While your statement is definitely true, I can say that a few technicians I've worked with absolutely could have been engineers if they had gone through an engineering program and gotten the degree. And while those guys are certainly in the minority, they would be better engineers than some of the actual engineers I know. And yes, I'm an engineer so I know a lot of them.

[@TheImtoomuch]

@@msudawg1997 as an engineer myself, I completely agree with you.

[@chipsterb4946]

In 1968 I paid $40 for a used Sears go-kart with a 3 hp Briggs & Stratton engine. My Mom got me a book called “How Engines Work” and I took it apart. What a wonderful experience!

[@mrradman2986]

Fascinating! I just bought my first plugin hybrid vehicle last week. Has a 2 litre petrol engine and an 11.8 Kwh battery capable of upto 30 miles electric only driving plus over 400 miles petrol range. RWD on electric, FWD to the IC engine or capable of selectable AWD. In summer it can be fully charged by spare output from my PV panel system on sunny days. It works as a concept if the bulk of your daily car use is covered by the range of the battery with the petrol giving the range for occasional long journeys.

[@derekwhidden9730]

I was a Briggs and Stratton Master Service Technician for about 10 years. I knew they built an outboard engine and even packaged it with a boat, but had no idea this existed. Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

[@ClintsTractor]

I've actually had a B&S outboard come into my shop for repair a couple years ago. It's the only one that ever did too. It had a Quantum style L head on it.

[@derekwhidden9730]

@@ClintsTractor I only ever remember seeing one in the catalogs we got at the shop. I have never seen one in the wild. I did see a "go devil" come into our shop, it was a horizontal, 18 hp opposing twin. Crankshaft is basically extended 6 feet with a prop on the end.

[@ClintsTractor]

Now that's interesting. The one that came into mine had a vertical shaft on it. A lower unit and skeg with a prop. It looked like a proper outboard, until you looked up at the pushmower engine sitting on top haha...

[@davidpowell3347]

I think their larger engines were popular in Houseboats as used in Asia,also they might have made a few smaller inboard engines slow but dependable? The heavy old cast iron horizontal shaft engines with starter cup you wind a rope around to get ready to crank it?

[@derekwhidden9730]

@@davidpowell3347 I'm not sure. The one I am thinking of is literally a 5-6 HP rotary mower engine similarly found on most mowers today. The old cast engines like you were describing were only 10-16 HP but were significantly heavier. It should also be noted all of these engines are significantly louder than your average car engine.