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Old 01-08-2010, 10:25 PM   #6 (permalink)
Frank Lee
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: up north
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Blue - '93 Ford Tempo
Last 3: 27.29 mpg (US)

F150 - '94 Ford F150 XLT 4x4
90 day: 18.5 mpg (US)

Sport Coupe - '92 Ford Tempo GL
Last 3: 69.62 mpg (US)

ShWing! - '82 honda gold wing Interstate
90 day: 33.65 mpg (US)

Moon Unit - '98 Mercury Sable LX Wagon
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One that I recall from back in the day:

How To Increase The Fuel Economy Of Your Truck With Common Aftermarket Products by Gregg Hall at Article Archive (aarch122519)

Quote:
In 1982 a test was conducted by Popular Mechanics without any variables to test the aerodynamics of a truck and whether taking simple measures to improve the aerodynamics of a truck affected the fuel economy or not. They had put on a tonneau cover on an open bed truck and drove it for a distance. Then they drove the same truck without any tonneau cover. The mileage increased by a staggering 9% with the cover. The drag created by the open bed of the truck as the experiment showed was eliminated by the tonneau cover. Popular Mechanics further insisted on installing a camper shell. A camper shell, they said, would take care of any turbulence at the back of the vehicle created by the cover and the air caught in the gap and would eventually increase the mileage by 13%.
Google books Popular Mechanics March 1982; didn't immediately see how to link it.
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Last edited by Frank Lee; 01-08-2010 at 10:53 PM..
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