Hi Guys

[Diesel_Dave]

I looked up the EPA rating for an '84 diesel rabbit (which I assume is pretty similar to the '81). It's rating is 35 city, 43 highway (38 mpg combined), so I'd say you're doing pretty well.

[JethroBodine]

Looking good, Man. Belly pan is HUGE on these cars. Just the front half will help a lot. Full pan is even better.

Also, you might want to look into getting the first generation Honda Insight tires when you need new ones. They are Bridgestone RE92 165/65R14. They are VERY low rolling resistance. I noticed a very large difference when I switched to them.

[81rabbitdiesel]

Thanks Euro, Dave and Jethro.

I have been doing physical theraphy and going to doctors appointments all month still have 5 more before the end of the month. its a pain but im starting to get some results health wise.

I was going to use the galvenized sheet metal off the calv feeder to do a full belly pan but the metal is fairly thick and im not sure if its weight gain would out weigh the mpg gain i would recieve.

Right now i just cant afford the sheets of coraplast to do it light weight. I think the sheet metal off the calve feeder to do the full belly pan might weigh 30 to 40 lbs. But it would need Zero reinforcement so that might be a plus.

So far the only mods i have done are remove the back seat and bent the right side mirror in for less aero drag and added a Fuel Kill Switch that i use all the time now.

I filled up today and broke 60 mpgs. 375.2 miles and 6.12 gallons of diesel for 61.3 mpg!

One thing i did better this tank is using the fuel cut off switch and coasting. If a car got behind me while coasting i would see it as soon as it was in the rearview mirror. If i wasnt close to the bottom or end of my coast i would just turn on the hazard lights and they would just drive around me : )

The car being a 1981 I figure them seeing it going slow with hazards on would be believable : ) This tank i never got over 50 mph and at the probably 50 miles at most were on the highway. the rest was all back roads so most of the time i was between 45 and 20.

Let me know what you think about using the heavy guage sheet metal for the full belly pan. if it would still be to my advange i might have to do it. I am still thinking about grill blocks..I love this car, how it drives and handles and looks. but that big open grill sure catches a BUNCH of air and i know that is huring my coasting lengths.

Thanks in advance.
Don

[Diesel_Dave]

Congrats on the 60+ mpgs!

My guess is the belly pan would be worth the extra 30-40 lbs. Curb weight of that car is probably over 2,000 lbs so 30 lbs is only a 1.5% increase in weight. Or thinking of it another way, diesel fuel weighs ~7 lbs/gal so 5 gallons of diesel fuel adds another 35 lbs.

Another thing to consider is that you could make one now out of the sheet metal and then later use the sheet metal as a template for the final coroplast one. You might also want to leave portions of the sheet metal one in place for reinforcement. Plus, if you're like me, everything always goes more smooth the second time around. Consider the sheet metal pan a trial run.

[81rabbitdiesel]

Thanks Dave.

I see your point its really not that much weight. I have a friend that has a cutting torch and he is going to come over and help me get all the sheet metal off. Its all Bolted on to the cast iron frame and all the nuts and Bolts are rusted. I think if i use this i will just do it once. at least the metal underbelly should last as long as the car.

I may have under guessed the weight of the sheet metal its pretty thick but i think the Aero i get from this will more than make up for the weight, especialy at speeds or 40 mphs and above.

I notice on coast downs the car really slows down fast to about 30 mpgs the it sees the wind doesnt slow it down to 20 nearly as fast. I still havent done a grill block and need to do that as well. I wanted to make sure i was getting all the results i could with just my driving first.

Thanks Don