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Old 08-08-2009, 12:34 PM   #7 (permalink)
aerohead
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40 +

40 or over is pretty ambitious.If you've looked at the VW diesel Rabbit-based truck,then you're already familiar with that.My friends early-1980s Toyota diesel pickup,at the old 55-mph speed limit could do 38-mpg.A recently resurrected Mitsubishi diesel truck was so disappointing in mpg ( lucky to hit 30mpg ) that it's already been disposed of.Friend John Gilkison did see 42-mpg at old 55 limit,on downhill reach with tailwind descending from Cloudcroft,NM to Dona Ana,NM.--------------------------- I'll be lucky to see 36-interstate/38-hwy with the full boat tail trailer-T-100 combo.----------------------- If you found a pre-Tacoma,say,1993 Toyota,you might do it with extreme mods.That truck will do 31.6 mpg in interstate driving,with a cab-high cap (straight top and sides).-------------------------- You would probably have to lose the entire bed and build from scratch,with as much plan taper as would just contain the rear wheels and teardrop taper to roofline,with increasing tumblehome,such that at the tailgate,the sides would be rolling right into the roofline in almost semicircular form,viewed from rear.------------------ You'd also need a completely new all-curvature nose,full wheel skirts all around,complete bellypan with diffuser,airtight optimized cooling system,sculpted rocker panels,Moons,tire fairings,and boat tail.---------------------------- If you had the fortitude to work through that process you would have done the "impossible."
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