Easy Aero Fix? (Modding a pickup?)

[aerohead]

Many good comments,suggestions.Since I'm late to the party I apologize,however had a few things to toss into the pot.The pickup allows many avenues,and as Smoky and others have mentioned,the Kammback isn't necessarily the only way to go.A topper,level with the roofline of the cab will offer savings.A tonneau will help.A half-tonneau oddly enough,will offer greater savings than a full tonneau.A cab-extender (sail panel extender) which converges on the sides at about 7-degrees,and falls in a curve down from the top at about a 12-degree angle,and is 18-inches,to,24-inches in length will show up at the pump.The cab extender and half-tonneau together,will give results close to that of the aero-shell,with greater utility,however perhaps less security and weather protection.Rich Taylor,GMC Truck Division Guru,says grille-block,partial bellypan,and tonneau is good.The 194-mph GMC Sonoma used the Moon wheel covers,California styling package,stretched the cab,lowered the truck,and did the patented GM half-tonneau for its land speed record (read higher mpg) at Bonneville.The Sonoma achieved Cd 0.31 ( about that of the day's Corvette).Whatever you do,make it robust enough that it doesn't blow off the truck,endangering other motorists.Naughahyde stretched over a skeleton of electrical metal tubing,with tack-strips screwed to the tubing,provided a simple,lightweight,and durable cover for one of my neighbors for years on his Chevy C-10.Fields wide open!

[Chris D.]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Many good comments,suggestions.Since I'm late to the party I apologize,however had a few things to toss into the pot.The pickup allows many avenues,and as Smoky and others have mentioned,the Kammback isn't necessarily the only way to go.A topper,level with the roofline of the cab will offer savings.A tonneau will help.A half-tonneau oddly enough,will offer greater savings than a full tonneau.A cab-extender (sail panel extender) which converges on the sides at about 7-degrees,and falls in a curve down from the top at about a 12-degree angle,and is 18-inches,to,24-inches in length will show up at the pump.The cab extender and half-tonneau together,will give results close to that of the aero-shell,with greater utility,however perhaps less security and weather protection.Rich Taylor,GMC Truck Division Guru,says grille-block,partial bellypan,and tonneau is good.The 194-mph GMC Sonoma used the Moon wheel covers,California styling package,stretched the cab,lowered the truck,and did the patented GM half-tonneau for its land speed record (read higher mpg) at Bonneville.The Sonoma achieved Cd 0.31 ( about that of the day's Corvette).Whatever you do,make it robust enough that it doesn't blow off the truck,endangering other motorists.Naughahyde stretched over a skeleton of electrical metal tubing,with tack-strips screwed to the tubing,provided a simple,lightweight,and durable cover for one of my neighbors for years on his Chevy C-10.Fields wide open!

I'd like to see this bonneville style half tonneau..

also, on the sail panel extended, if I'm reading it right, Carroll Shelby did somethins "like" that to the Shelby Dakota..

pictured below

[zjrog]

Those little Dodge Rampage trucks were so cool. I'd take one now if I could find one.

Since the discussion of trucks/SUVs being used appropriately, well, my Jeep does get used...




But I'm usually too busy driving than taking pics... And I'm waiting for it to get warm enough, so I can take the doors off on the weekends. Hey, real Jeeps don't have doors...

[Achtung]

Originally Posted by Chris D.

I just read about some stuff on the internet in reguards to fiberglass and went for it, hit or miss its a win win learning situation.

try chopping that canopy up in a fastback style setup.
Bondo has started something thats quite good..

aero shells for trucks..
the stuff with the Tundra and F150 are his, the rest is just sorta thrown in there..
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...ma/AeroTopper/

True that. Even if it turns out bad, the next attempt would surely look better. You've got the idea of making a tonneau stuck in my head. The only thing is, getting two jobs for the summer would certainly help pay for school next year without going into debt. I wouldn't get this done with two jobs. Hmm... debt-free, or tonneau? that is the question. How many man-hours did you put into that?

Yea, Bondo sure does have something goin on there. That fast-back look is pretty cool For me to try to mod the actual canopy I got, well that would be a long stretch... two reasons. One, with my lack of experience, I'd rather experiment with other projects before I attacked something that is perfectly fine (don't fix what ain't broke!), so that would be years away. Two, if I eventually get around to making a tonneau, it would be nice to have a canopy to put back on the truck if I needed to move alot of stuff that needs to be protected.

That "ute" you had, I like that... nice rims too. They should sell those in north america. They would probably have a rough start, but they'd eventually catch on, I think. What made you go for the tacoma?

[Chris D.]

I have no idea how many hours I have into it, maybe 10?
Its pretty much an off and on when I feel like it..

as for my ute, thats a Dodge..
they only made em for 3 years, its basically a Dodge Charger/Omni with a truck bed..

I modded the piss out of it and it was pretty unreliable..

I used to compete in AutoX with it..



I'm not a fan of cookie cutter "everyone has em" vehicles..

I modified some willwood brakes ment for a SRT4 Neon to fit,
heres a picture before the bias valve video capture pic, poor quality.


had a slight altercation with a bad drive in a porsche 944 on the buttonwillow road course..


rattle can FTW!!!!!!


heres what it looks like when you beat a fully street prepped out infinity G35 coupe by 4 seconds

He called my POS a pos in the pit areas and didnt realize I was in it
soooooooooooo

[YOUTUBE]

[Achtung]

I never realized dodge made a ute! I've heard of the rampage before, but I always just assumed it was some kind of predecessor to the dakota. Never realised it was a car-based truck. I should research these things... kudos on beating the G35. I like the 2nd last pic... looks real nice.

Now if you were driving a DeLorean around, that would be nuts...

[Chris D.]

yup, shes all Dodge..

based on the 2 door coupe Charger Omni..
This one below is a Shelby GLHS modified Charger #0058 of 1,000 made
(not the Chrysler with the Shelby package)

[DifferentPointofView]

But I'm usually too busy driving than taking pics...

I hear ya, ChrisD, I'll get you some pics next time I go Jeepin'. Problem is I gotta get in and out of most of the places I go quickly or else I'll get chased by hicks with shotguns. I go on property that isn't mine " I do have 2 pics of me sitting next to a flooded road I went through when it was just mud and not flooded. It's usually just me, so it's hard to take pics and drive at the same time.

[kevlar]

Originally Posted by Chris D.

yup, shes all Dodge..

based on the 2 door coupe Charger Omni..
This one below is a Shelby GLHS modified Charger #0058 of 1,000 made
(not the Chrysler with the Shelby package)

Ah yes... G.oes L.ike H.ell! those were some of the baddest in their day.
Is your truck turboed?
BTW heres my project in progress, keeping in modding trucks thread

[Chris D.]

The truck was almost turbo'd..

I got into a car accident and I physically couldn't work on it myself and I sure didn't want to pay anyone for something I could do myself and know its done right..

So I sold it as a rolling Chassis and cut my losses clean..

Looks like your way ahead of me with your Yota..
Have you started a post with info on your buildup?

I'm diggin the skirts and aero shell for sure!

Check out www.customtacos.com
Its for Toyota Tacoma owners and any other mini truck made by Toyota..
22RE FTW!!!!