94 Caprice Wagon 5.7L project--46 MPG so far

[funkhoss]

Originally Posted by Tahoe_Hybrid

need to have 8 lug axle to be C2500 series but could say a 1500HD...?

Point taken. However...

GM made a 6-lug 2500 series truck from 1988 to 1999, with a 7200 lb. GVWR and a towing capacity of 8500 lbs. The Cadillac J55 front/rear suspension and brakes (which are now in this wagon) also have a GVWR of 7200 lbs--because they're essentially the same components as the 6-lug 2500 series trucks, except for 5 lug wheels.

On top of that, this wagon also has a heavier duty transmission and heavier duty tires than both the 6-lug 2500 series trucks and the J55 Cadillac. So...I've been quite satisfied with what it can do.

I seriously considered changing it to 8-lug front rotors, rear axle shafts, and wheels, but ultimately decided that it wasn't worth it. 8-lug wheels are only necessary with significant payload, but aren't really needed for heavy towing. GM has rated 5-lug rear wheels for at least 4,000 lbs. GAWR. The rear axle on this car sees about 2300 lbs. empty. That means I could have 1000 lbs. of tongue weight (10,000 lb. trailer) AND 700 lbs. of passengers and cargo over the rear axle before reaching that limit. Or, I could have 1,700 lbs. of payload over the rear axle...but I'm not sure why (or how) I would ever carry that much weight inside the car. If it were a pickup with a bed, though, the situation would be a bit different.

Let's also remember that the rear axle itself has a 6,000 lb. GAWR, and the tires have a combined 5,358 lb. GAWR. So the five lug wheels are by far the weakest link in the chain...but they're not that weak to begin with, and again, only really affect payload, not towing.

Originally Posted by Tahoe_Hybrid

how did you make that spoiler ? the rear end is a bit turbulent on mine.... it creates an unwanted circle of air, from the underbody ( it fights the air from the top of the suv) i don't see this happening on any other suv noticeable when the ground is wet and the splatter from the ground gets on the glass.. i guess this is in fact an aero drag of some kind...

I made the frame of the Kammback out of thin strips of aluminum, and it's screwed/bolted to the rear glass hinges at the top and to the window strut mounts at the bottom. The top and sides of the Kammback are coroplast, attached to the aluminum frame with screws. The gap between the top of the Kammback and the roof of the car is smoothed/sealed over with a piece of Eternabond tape (that flexes with the hinges when the glass is open). The sides of the Kammback attach to the car with rare-earth magnets--again, which detach when the glass is opened, and automatically re-attach themselves when the glass is closed. It took me a few tries to settle on this design, but it's durable, works great, and was fairly cheap/easy to construct.

-Funkhoss

[Tahoe_Hybrid]

Originally Posted by funkhoss

Point taken. However...

GM made a 6-lug 2500 series truck from 1988 to 1999, with a 7200 lb. GVWR and a towing capacity of 8500 lbs. The Cadillac J55 front/rear suspension and brakes (which are now in this wagon) also have a GVWR of 7200 lbs--because they're essentially the same components as the 6-lug 2500 series trucks, except for 5 lug wheels.

On top of that, this wagon also has a heavier duty transmission and heavier duty tires than both the 6-lug 2500 series trucks and the J55 Cadillac. So...I've been quite satisfied with what it can do.

I seriously considered changing it to 8-lug front rotors, rear axle shafts, and wheels, but ultimately decided that it wasn't worth it. 8-lug wheels are only necessary with significant payload, but aren't really needed for heavy towing. GM has rated 5-lug rear wheels for at least 4,000 lbs. GAWR. The rear axle on this car sees about 2300 lbs. empty. That means I could have 1000 lbs. of tongue weight (10,000 lb. trailer) AND 700 lbs. of passengers and cargo over the rear axle before reaching that limit. Or, I could have 1,700 lbs. of payload over the rear axle...but I'm not sure why (or how) I would ever carry that much weight inside the car. If it were a pickup with a bed, though, the situation would be a bit different.

Let's also remember that the rear axle itself has a 6,000 lb. GAWR, and the tires have a combined 5,358 lb. GAWR. So the five lug wheels are by far the weakest link in the chain...but they're not that weak to begin with, and again, only really affect payload, not towing.



I made the frame of the Kammback out of thin strips of aluminum, and it's screwed/bolted to the rear glass hinges at the top and to the window strut mounts at the bottom. The top and sides of the Kammback are coroplast, attached to the aluminum frame with screws. The gap between the top of the Kammback and the roof of the car is smoothed/sealed over with a piece of Eternabond tape (that flexes with the hinges when the glass is open). The sides of the Kammback attach to the car with rare-earth magnets--again, which detach when the glass is opened, and automatically re-attach themselves when the glass is closed. It took me a few tries to settle on this design, but it's durable, works great, and was fairly cheap/easy to construct.

-Funkhoss

My glass is fixed it's hard to work with as the current spoiler has the 3rd brake light integrated into it but I don't want someone who rear ends me claim they could not "see it".. lotta shady people out there.. One tried to crash into on purpose today they made a left turn and STOPPED in the middle of the street in front of me.... the passenger was not even wearing her seat belt she would have been killed or ejected for sure .. mind you i'm going 20mph it would have been a DIRECT t-bone hit , gotta watch out for those people in the older cars those are the ones they use for staged accidents..

[vacationtime247]

Know I'm late to the game on this thread and just skimmed through it. Awesome Build! Got a '92 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon in on trade but the windows were busted out. Windshield, headlights, engine and body were ok, just the glass. So, I cut the roof off and made a full time convertible out of it and painted it flat black. It was the coolest hooptie to ride around in one summer. Also had a 1990 Caprice Wagon with the 305 /700R4. Was going to put in a 6.2 Diesel from an 83 pick up down in there to increase the MPG. The stock mounts made the engine stand up to tall so the frame mounts needed lowered, drilled out for the holes or welded in. Never completed it, move to California before finishing it. A friend used it to derby one year in.

[Xist]

Convertible indicates that it could be easily converted back.

[turbothrush]

funkhoss
Wow! I haven't been on the fourm much anymore and today i see this. To me this is the coolest project on Ecomodder. Thank you for the thread sir.

[freebeard]

Convertible indicates that it could be easily converted back.

Lift-off plywood 'woody' cap?

[101Volts]

Funkhoss, here's an idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkPFZWd8wj4

This isn't a cheap modification but according to what I read, it should: increase engine power by 20% (provided you're using 50% methanol and 50% water,) keep the engine cleaner (due to steam cleaning the pistons,) and give some MPG benefit. I have no experience with this modification, I don't know from experience if it works.

I'm not sure how long a methanol/water pump will last even if it's a high quality one. I also don't know how much of a benefit this would give VS. initial and running costs.

These Water & Methanol Kits can be ordered both for Gasoline and Diesel engines. Here's a post from CleanMPG.com where someone had one installed for 250k miles on a Diesel:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/community/in...threads/44630/

Finally, please don't mistake this Water & Methanol Mod for a Hydrogen Injection Mod.

[freebeard]

Steam power! There was discussion some of the subforums a while back. Maybe DIY? IIRC the question I had was about the corrosive effect on the exhaust system. They rot out from the inside from the water in combustion byproducts, allegedly.

[Tahoe_Hybrid]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Steam power! There was discussion some of the subforums a while back. Maybe DIY? IIRC the question I had was about the corrosive effect on the exhaust system. They rot out from the inside from the water in combustion byproducts, allegedly.

as along as it's catalytic converter safe who cares

rot? muffler replacements are rare now days have you seen any shop just do mufflers only anymore?


you should be worried about blowing the transmission though you will need a heavy duty transmission

[freebeard]

You're right. The first example that came to mind, Goofys Muffler Customs has rebranded as Goofy's Mufflers Brakes and More.

I'm trying to make the leap from the 1970s to the 2020s. I may never own a car with a catalytic converter. All Beetle transaxles require is heavy-duty side plates for 4X the power, then maybe the gear keys. Don't know much about Chevys.