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Sven7 · 06-19-2015, 01:41 PM

So it's coming time to drive to MN and back. I've got to bring home a drill press and it's cheaper to drive Boo than take Amtrak then rent a pickup/minivan/car.

I've had a shop here do a lot of work to it last week (incl. carb rebuild), and am taking it in tonight to tie up loose ends and discuss concerns.

In the mean time, I'm trying to throw together some aeromods. Last time the air dam paid for its $20 self, and I'm hoping the addition of a well-designed tonneau will help even more. I bought two 4x8', 1/2" OSB sheets and am going to hopefully throw something together.

Putting the template over it, it appears that I can gain some efficiency by extending the [blue] tonneau back about 15" from the inside of the tailgate. The blueprint is incorrect; I added a new tailgate line where the bed really ends (7' long, 6' wide over top of bed rails).

I'd love to build some sides on it to create a box cavity, but don't think I'll have time for that. I'll taper the edges of the tonneau in about 10-15 degrees and hope for the best. I'd love to do a partial tonneau, but I'll be carrying bicycles in the back.

Other temporary mods will include passenger mirror removal, and perhaps some tape-on wheel skirts if I feel like messing with painter's tape again. I'd like to have a more aero-friendly mirror to throw on the driver's side, but it's not in the cards this time around. Also might try some air flow trips on the front leading edges of the truck. These trucks actually have pretty decent stock grille blocks though.

I suppose it will be something like 5-7% improvement, since the stock bed is too short to really create a phantom boat tail. Add to that the air dam that I kept from the last trip, and we might be talking about something from maybe 6-10% improvement, no?

So, maybe 17 mpg or so. Last time I topped out at 17mpg but it was running rich. I'm really hoping the new tune and new tonneau will bring it back up there, and maybe brush closer to 20 mpg. 18mpg would be about 38 gallons and $115 one-way. An Amtrak round trip ticket is ~$140 and renting a truck for the weekend is $600+

06-19-2015, 01:41 PM	#36 (permalink)
Sven7 Master EcoModder Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Warren, MI Posts: 2,456 Boo Radley - '65 Ford F100 90 day: 13.28 mpg (US) Thanks: 782 Thanked 668 Times in 410 Posts	So it's coming time to drive to MN and back. I've got to bring home a drill press and it's cheaper to drive Boo than take Amtrak then rent a pickup/minivan/car. I've had a shop here do a lot of work to it last week (incl. carb rebuild), and am taking it in tonight to tie up loose ends and discuss concerns. In the mean time, I'm trying to throw together some aeromods. Last time the air dam paid for its $20 self, and I'm hoping the addition of a well-designed tonneau will help even more. I bought two 4x8', 1/2" OSB sheets and am going to hopefully throw something together. Putting the template over it, it appears that I can gain some efficiency by extending the [blue] tonneau back about 15" from the inside of the tailgate. The blueprint is incorrect; I added a new tailgate line where the bed really ends (7' long, 6' wide over top of bed rails). I'd love to build some sides on it to create a box cavity, but don't think I'll have time for that. I'll taper the edges of the tonneau in about 10-15 degrees and hope for the best. I'd love to do a partial tonneau, but I'll be carrying bicycles in the back. Other temporary mods will include passenger mirror removal, and perhaps some tape-on wheel skirts if I feel like messing with painter's tape again. I'd like to have a more aero-friendly mirror to throw on the driver's side, but it's not in the cards this time around. Also might try some air flow trips on the front leading edges of the truck. These trucks actually have pretty decent stock grille blocks though. I suppose it will be something like 5-7% improvement, since the stock bed is too short to really create a phantom boat tail. Add to that the air dam that I kept from the last trip, and we might be talking about something from maybe 6-10% improvement, no? So, maybe 17 mpg or so. Last time I topped out at 17mpg but it was running rich. I'm really hoping the new tune and new tonneau will bring it back up there, and maybe brush closer to 20 mpg. 18mpg would be about 38 gallons and $115 one-way. An Amtrak round trip ticket is ~$140 and renting a truck for the weekend is $600+ __________________ He gave me a dollar. A blood-soaked dollar. I cannot get the spot out but it's okay; It still works in the store Last edited by Sven7; 06-19-2015 at 02:06 PM..