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Old 08-27-2013, 10:32 AM   #2 (permalink)
elhigh
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SE USA - East Tennessee
Posts: 2,314

Josie - '87 Toyota Pickup
90 day: 40.02 mpg (US)

Felicia - '09 Toyota Prius Base
90 day: 49.01 mpg (US)
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Hi, and welcome. I reckon a moderator will be along to welcome you much more officially soon enough.

You have an uphill climb with your Rambler but it isn't a lost cause by any means.

I know you state very clearly you're happy with the Caravan, and I was happy with mine too until it puked up its own brain (long story), but it's kind of heavy. Would you be willing to switch to a smaller/lighter dinghy, perhaps something with a manual transmission? That could eliminate the need for a tow dolly.

I thought about recommending a largish scooter or a motorcycle as your exclusive dinghy, but if it rains that just stinks. Bikes are no fun in the rain. They just aren't.

Check this out: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...d-e-18151.html Forum member Orbywan has a Class C RV, a bit smaller than yours and with a turbodiesel, but he's made some serious aero mods to it and just looking quickly, I see a ~15% improvement. You could extend your aero tail, if you're inclined to make one, to shroud the nose of your dinghy and the dinghy's presence could have the effect of extending your tail even further. Some testing would be required to confirm that.

That'd be pretty cool though, if with the addition of a few aero features you could effectively negate the load of the dinghy, maybe even make further steps toward the positive. An RV that gets better mileage towing than bobtail, funny. Like I said, testing required.
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