The traffic light is still red, but the noise is indescribable: Drivers are feathering their gas pedals, and the shiny metallic vehicles at their control are jerking impatiently. When the light finally changes to green, there’s a massive roar accompanied by plumes of smoke rising into the air and a merciless fight for position. Welcome to Manila, where the Jeepneys reign supreme, as they have for more than six decades.
Jeepneys are the Philippines’ most popular form of public transportation, and they are a pure anachronism. They got their start as Willys Jeeps left behind when American GIs departed the Philippines at the end of World War II. Filipinos then began recycling them as buses with bodies made from galvanized or stainless steel, fabric covers instead of side windows, and longitudinally mounted benches with room for 20 (or more) passengers. Those beginnings are still apparent, despite the cheeky Mercedes-Benz stars affixed to the front of many modern Jeepneys.
Always colorful and adorned with pious symbols, the Jeepneys don’t just dominate Manila, they also serve specific routes all over the country. In theory, Jeepney drivers have to stick to designated stops. But theory and reality don’t always agree, and a Jeepney therefore will often stop anywhere it’s being flagged down or wherever someone would like to disembark. If their Jeepneys are not filled to capacity, drivers tend to reduce their speeds to a minimum. After all, there might be someone nearby looking for a ride. But while Jeepneys often serve as rolling roadblocks, they are driven rather aggressively at other times.
The constant stopping doesn’t help traffic flow through Manila’s notoriously clogged roads, but it’s hard to blame the drivers. Maintaining a large population of passengers is crucial, as a ride is remarkably cheap, beginning at just 15 cents, with each extra kilometer (0.6 mile) adding another two cents. Hopping onto a Jeepney is much less expensive than taking a cab, the train, or even one of the many three-wheeled cycles that carry one to two passengers. The Jeepneys are so cheap and simple that politicians reliably balk at any proposal to change the system, especially since the vehicles are de facto cultural icons.
Ed S. Sarao wholeheartedly agrees with this description. His factory builds about 40 Jeepneys annually, fully by hand. “In the past, we have built 200 to 300 per year,” he says, referring to the Marcos era of the 1970s and ’80s, a “golden time” for his company. Today, Sarao doesn’t really need to continue the business, as the family has invested in real estate, and building Jeepneys is “kind of a hobby.” He also restores American and Japanese classics, both for customers and his own collection, and his most treasured possession is a 1962 Pontiac that his father bought nearly new from a friend.
Jeepneys are built almost everywhere in the Philippines, but Sarao Motors is a manufacturer with an especially long tradition and a good reputation. That’s why it can ask for higher prices than the competition: A Sarao Jeepney bus in its longest form will set customers back 650,000 pesos, the equivalent of $13,800. It takes 60 to 90 working days to finish a Jeepney. They’re built from scratch, with a heavy boxed frame, front and rear leaf springs, and a stainless-steel body ready to be fitted with eye-catching embellishments.
Power typically comes from an overhauled Isuzu four-cylinder diesel engine with 3.3 liters of displacement—workhorses without a lot of power. Sarao isn’t very specific regarding their output: “They used to be rated at 68 horsepower. Today they make perhaps 80.” This is channeled to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Customers can also opt for a brand-new engine instead of a refurbished one at a hefty premium of up to 300,000 pesos, or more than $6000.
But there is little reason to spend so much extra money, as these lazy, large-displacement engines are virtually indestructible. They are not turbocharged, and they’re entirely devoid of the complex and delicate injection systems fitted to modern diesel engines. There is no need for such high-tech equipment, and there is no exhaust aftertreatment, either.
The businessman is open to conforming to stricter emissions regulations, should they ever arrive, but only if the R&D is financed by the government; Jeepney makers like Ed Sarao say they are unable to do this themselves. If you consider the leisurely pace at the Sarao plant and the fact that virtually all of the labor is performed manually, then the claim is entirely believable.
Nevertheless, Sarao has a vision for the future in the form of a significantly larger Jeepney powered by a 4.2-liter Nissan engine with an enclosed, climate-controlled passenger cabin. The concept is the graduation thesis of Jackie Sarao, the son of the company boss and a fledgling designer. “I wanted to stick to the size of the classic Jeepney, but the project grew a bit,” the 25-year-old says with a laugh. Can we go for a ride in the prototype? Maybe next time, as the powertrain still needs a bit of fine-tuning.
In the meantime, Jackie Sarao’s vision of the Jeepney’s future is parked next to current models in various stages of completion. And among collectibles from the past few decades, there is a short-wheelbase Jeepney that especially piqued our interest; with two rows of seating, it’s even closer in spirit to its historical precursor, the Willys Jeep. The last of these so-called “owner Jeepneys” was made by Sarao in the 1980s, but the company would be happy to build new ones to order. They could even be fitted with the 4.2-liter engine, although Jackie Sarao suspects that such a rear-driver would be slightly overpowered.
It’s an appealing thought. For a little more than $10,000—Sarao’s proposed price for such a creation—you could dominate those stoplight races in Manila.
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