Full-boat-tail trailer with gap-fillers for Toyota T-100 pickup

[aerohead]

I worked over the 4th of July weekend on the project.The truck and trailer sat in the driveway under the pecan tree for the 3-days without moving.Shade-tree streamlining!
Anyway,I was able to construct cardboard,foamboard,and blue tape mock-ups for the top and drivers side gap-fillers.I also did a front wheel full skirt and diffuser widening extension to fit the width of the trailers lowest section.
By Monday I had my first actual 'look' at the rig as it will appear on the salt.
I have photos.It's too late today to compress them and post today,as Copy-Pro closes in 8-minutes.
I'll get in during the heat of the day early week.Forecast is for 100+ temps all week.I can last outside 'til about 3:30 P.M. max,then I'm pretty much used up for the day.
I will shop for used aluminum.It's awfully warm to be doing composites and will make as many components out of metal as I can.

[Erc1727]

thank god post 10 i can now pm the guy and get what i need what a stupid rule 10 posts to pm sorry everyone for my 9 random posts

[MetroMPG]

Not a stupid rule - if you saw how much crap gets posted on the forum by spammers. Far less with that rule in place. (and you could always have contacted an admin!)

[aerohead]

Al just now batched up the photos for me.I apologize for the delay ( went to Ft.Worth ).Apologize also all the shadows.The great outdoors will be my 'studio' until late September.
I tried to show images from a few different vantage points.I think you'll get the general idea of how the rig will appear with the closed gap.
Hope the air likes it!

[BamZipPow]

I've got a long ways to catch you now...

[orbywan]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Al just now batched up the photos for me.I apologize for the delay ( went to Ft.Worth ).Apologize also all the shadows.The great outdoors will be my 'studio' until late September.
I tried to show images from a few different vantage points.I think you'll get the general idea of how the rig will appear with the closed gap.
Hope the air likes it!

Nice work Phil, it's going to be smooooothhh. I know what you mean about the heat. After several hours in that you just kind of melt into the nearest chair where there is A/C. My wife says, 'Oh no, you're unconscious again'. Yep.

[MetroMPG]

1st glimpse photos look very interesting, Phil!

[aerohead]

Made it to Fulton's Metal in Denton today.I found a 4' X 12' sheet of light gauge Alcoa aluminum.She's water stained and rough,but good enough to convert into synthetic atmospheric gasoline.I hope!
Also grabbed a few steel pre-forms which will make strong hinge pivot points.They're already hole punched and angle bent.Just weld on.
I will have to create my own hinges.They've got to be like a Lancair canopy hinge.Kinda like a letter G,pivoting about the end of the inside angle,with the panel frames attached at what would be the end at upper right of G.These allow non-interference swing-out and return of a deep contoured panel from a flush position.
I looked into having them plasma cut,but a local machine shop says they can do a pretty good job with just a cutting torch.I can do the finish grinding.
I could cut 'em myself,except my bottles are empty and I've really grown fond of the wire-welder and don't want to buy oxygen and acetylene just for cutting.It's 102 F today.No torches please!
The frames for the side panels are roughed in as of this AM and I've got steel for the top panel frame.
And I think I know how I'm going to do the lower panel(s).Could be one of my famous brain traps ( Three-Stooges Engineering!).
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There is a surprising amount of washboard road,killer pot-holes,and killer expansion-joints on the interstate bridges.The vertical cantilever side panels are going to be subjected to 'jerk',which is the most intensive instantaneous acceleration that a structure can encounter and I want the ends of these panels supported with a 'living' reinforcement so they don't topple their attachment frame which cannot be triangulated for support.
I'll be going on to the the west coast from Bonneville,maybe 6,000 miles of travel. And I won't be taking my welder,if you know what I mean.

[orange4boy]

Nice work Phil. The salt won't even notice your passing.

[orbywan]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Al just now batched up the photos for me.I apologize for the delay ( went to Ft.Worth ).Apologize also all the shadows.The great outdoors will be my 'studio' until late September.
I tried to show images from a few different vantage points.I think you'll get the general idea of how the rig will appear with the closed gap.
Hope the air likes it!

I love that round opening thingy in the grille, looks like a jet air intake. What is that? I assume you have a controllable air intake there? That whole front end looks really cool. Nice job.