AirFlow BulletTruck Project (aerodynamic, modified Class 8 transport doubles MPG)

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by HydroJim

sheperd777- That's how I feel. I'm only 16, but besides playing professional baseball, my life's dream would be to open up a manufacturing plant that makes affordable efficient cars. Unfortunately, I don't have millions of dollars sitting around to do that so I have to hope for an investor. It would be really cool if you could get these into production. Not only is there a direct affect of saving gas, but this could completely change the economy by dropping the price of anything that is shipped. Plus, it would help the environment too

Keep up the good work

Hi HydroJim -

At 16, you have your whole life in front of you.

Try to find a way to make those dreams come true for your generation.

At 16, I was devising ways of making carburetors turning on and off in spurts to save fuel. Honest.

And when I was 16, gas was like 30 cents a gallon!

[skyking]

Originally Posted by Shepherd777

Sorry we missed you skyking. We were in East Seattle at the TA for a ruben sandwich, and we had to boogie out of town. I didn't even have time to meet my local sponsor in Seattle.

bummer, better luck next time. When you made this post, I was backing a 16' sailboat on a trailer into the back of a 40' race car trailer, to go to Montana
I had picked it up for a friend at the local auction, and stored it for him.

[sheepdog 44]

Originally Posted by Shepherd777

I have a 49 page business plan written, if anyone here has several million dollars they would like to invest.

Get some patents and intelectual property if you can and go on the "Shark Tank." Garuanteed if you don't get a deal, you'll have a bunch of investors knocking on your door.

[Xist]

Shepherd777, are you familiar with Aerovolution?

aerovolution ...solutions for the long haul

They say their inflatable boattail improved mileage by 3.5%.

I had seen your profile picture and wanted to learn more. I am glad that I found this thread. Your work is amazing!

I just read yesterday about Walmart trying to increase mileage from 6.5-13MPG, so I am impressed that you beat all of the kings' horses and all of the kings' men.

I can only imagine how much time and money all of this would have required, although having sponsors must have helped. According to AAA, the national average for diesel is $3.671, so at 55MPH and 14MPG, you recover $14.42 every hour that you are on the road, and I can only imagine that you spend many hours on the road.

People have mentioned the hub meters. How did you take care of that? Did you install a window in your side skirts?

I cannot wait to tell my sister that your semi gets the same mileage as her SUV!

I really hope that you are able to commercialize this!

[stillsearching]

Not to threadjack but what things would one change if they were trying to apply it to a more snub nosed vehicle, like a flatnose schoolbus, motorhome, older cabover semi or similar? Would they potentially be even better off or be at a disadvantage to the longer nose version here?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by stillsearching

Not to threadjack but what things would one change if they were trying to apply it to a more snub nosed vehicle, like a flatnose schoolbus, motorhome, older cabover semi or similar?

If you look at the template, it's pretty blunt at the front as well.

Shepherd777s truck looks very pointed in his avatar, almost like an eagle's beak when seen from that angle, but it's quite blunt when seen from aside as on page 4 :

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...t-20704-4.html

On page 5 you can guestimate the plan shape, which is also fairly blunt.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...t-20704-5.html

And that's OK for the speeds rigs travel at ...
So a blunt nose could be added to a bus with a minimal increase in length - say around 3 feet.
It doesn't have to be perfect either - any rounding is better than none.

Actually, some European bus designs have bulging noses.
Old busses usually had a rounded nose.

[DieselCAR]

Shepherd777,
So... glad to see someone is really going all out to modify a big rig. Have wondered for many years why no one has really gone after this.
I believe we saw you headed north on Interstate 81 in Virginia on either Aug. 2nd or 3rd.

Definitely got my attention!
Keep up the great work.
It has the incredible potential to have a positive impact on truckers and consumers
if others will follow your lead.
Thanks for taking the lead!!!

[dremd]

Umm, I'm going with epic.
Subscribed.

[ausias]

I hope your truck will appear first when we search aerodynamic truck at google because yours it's a good looking one.
https://www.google.es/search?q=aerodynamic+trucks&hl=es&client=firefox-a&hs=FDl&rls=org.mozilla:cafficial&prmd=imvns&tb m=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=IeRHUIr0JdKY1AXio 4DAAQ&ved=0CCMQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=970

[stillsearching]

I have to wonder how much more mileage would be possible with more radical modifications... Like looking like the VW 1 Litre type mods.

My understanding is that air drag is 50-65% of the load of a typical semi at highway speeds. Mathematically that would tell me that your truck has 0 drag since its twice the mileage. >_>