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What would be the annual reduction in fuel price per mile based on your present use to engender a savings you deem worthwhile ?
At today’s fuel price of $2.15/gl it’s $145 @ 5k annual miles to make the jump from 17 to 22. That 3-cents per mile. But the savings isn’t free.
At 15k annual miles it’s still a “savings” of under $500. Again, not free.
With modifications, how long do you plan to keep it in service, and what are the projected miles? $1,500 in materials, tools & supplies means no savings until past 45k miles and three years.
That 20% increase might not pan out as a savings.
For RV’ng, the rule of thumb is that fuel is one-half or less the daily cost of travel (when the RV is wholly-owned AND not in need of serious repairs).
Engine compression, and a rig with ZERO steering, handling or brake defects (extremely unlikely given age) are the first steps in best mpg with an ancient vehicle.
What is the front/rear weight bias? Port to starboard? Cold cranking compression, per cylinder.
Aero won’t matter much until the hard work is done. Icing on the cake, is what it represents.
Finally, is this your only vehicle? As an aero TT coupled to the family car can shoot FAR past 22-mpg (with more interior space than that baby Moho). No high mph motorhome will ever have “good” mpg when it is a second vehicle (as you already possess a vehicle drivetrain).
Renovations, much less restorations, tend to take years. Modifying existing is worse yet.
Were it me and I were “stuck” believing:
1). Motorhomes a good choice
2). A decrepit version my only choice
I’d start from the ground up. Body & subframe bushings. Correction of frame twist. New steering gear. Correct weight imbalances. Etc.
This is assuming engine compression still within 10% of new.
Planned Use is how to make an RV more economical. The “test” is how many days at one location (no hookups) without the need to start the engine to leave on a re-supply mission.
From there are further details: time of day; best location to make acquisitions; best routing, etc. This REALLY IS what works.
A great big lumbering rig with 2X your per-mile fuel consumption CAN be the more economical choice as it has far greater storage capacities.
So, be certain in your allocation of time & money. Other rigs MIGHT better fit the travel you envision for your budget.
My 63’ combined rig (one ton pickup and 35’ travel trailer) which weighs 17,000-lbs loaded for camping gets the same mpg as you under best conditions. (Total acquisition cost just under $30k one dozen years ago).
Of we two, which will have to pack up and leave the campground first? I’d bet it’s twice as often with that Moho. So, in a sense, you’re at 9-mpg in comparison.
As I only own one drivetrain, how much greater are my actual annual savings versus yours?
All this was a way of saying, before you start cutting, make sure that the rig AND your actual use justify that which won’t start paying for itself until 2025 (Two years to build; three years of savings assuming 45,000-miles of travel).
The Year of Our Lord 2026 is the target.
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