"The little black truck"...

[Backtobasics]

Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages....

A change in career has brought me back to ecomodder. I have a longer drive that is going to prohibit the use of my "tri-color" truck, 1997 Dodge Ram. She has been great, reliable, and with the SGII, I get between 17-18 on my daily, mostly highway commute. However, I think I can do better.

I recently bought a 1987 Dodge D50 (Mitsubishi Mighty Max) Standard Cab, 6 foot bed, 2.6 with automatic overdrive transmission. I would have preferred a manual, but the overall condition of the little Dodge was too good to pass up. The auto has it's benefits: At the end of the day, get in and put it in D will be nice. The wife can hop in and drive it (she is manual competent, but the big truck seat is physically too big and she cannot drive comfortable). This allows me to use the van to transport kids as needed.

As purchased, it needs a battery and carburetor attention. It has a near complete full tune up from previous owner. From my research the OEM carb doesn't rebuild well, and there is miles of vacuum lines going everywhere. The hot ticket seems to be a Weber DGEV (I think) swap. I have a complete setup coming from Ebay. With purchase price + carb + battery, my total investment will be right at a grand. I pressure washed engine tonight, so pictures of starting point, plus carb stuff will come tomorrow.

Job is in a major truck accessory chain. After she proves roadworthy, next steps will be a 2.5 front and 3" lowering, custom flush tonneau cover, electric fan, and pacesetter header with full custom exhaust. Thinking I might spring for a Borla muffler this go around. I add some gauges (vacuum, and trans temp). I will see about the underside once I get it running under its own power, as a black cloroplast belly pan would blend well into this black truck.

[mcrews]

welcome back!

[Backtobasics]

As purchased.

[Backtobasics]

I don't have a baseline MPG yet, as the filler neck leaks. Once replaced, and I can get a full tank of fuel in her, I will get baseline and start fuel log.

[Backtobasics]

So far:
New starter, battery cables (extra ground to motor), fuel pump, carburetor, battery, front shocks, tires, sway bar end links, and valve cover gasket.
She starts on command, first turn of the key. Humorously, and seriously, I have already dropped a lot of weight, cleaning the crap out from behind the seat, blasting the bed, and several hours pressuring washing underhood and the front suspension. She groaned like an old screen door, but I finally blasted her with 3 cans of degreaser, and several hours with the pressure washer.
I see some slop on water pump pulley, so it may be getting a new water pump sooner then later. If so I will probably do the electric fan while I am in there, for my convenience.
May skip the header for now, stock manifold doesn't look terrible. Going to talk to the exhaust guy up the road, looking for 2.25 or 2.5 from Y back, ditch the converter, through a Borla. Truck is a smoker at startup (valve stem seals and guides?) so putting a new converter in there so it can get oil contaminated seems a waste. Might put the 60-100 bucks somewhere else.

[freebeard]

...custom flush tonneau cover...

If by custom you mean 'made it myself' you could start at or above the bottom of the backlight, go straight back and then curve the last 1/3 down to the tailgate.

...or go to a full aerocap. And that outside rear-view mirror looks huge.

[Backtobasics]

Yeah, side view mirror is way too big. Going to do something smaller for sure.

Tonneau will probably be a flat, bed height. I like the visiblity of the little truck. I might be a bit of a traitor, but appearance counts for me too.

[freebeard]

No problem. That's actually why I left the aerocap as an afterthought.

It looks like if you draw a line from the rear view mirror, you could go straight back from the bottom of the window until you follow the line down; that would give you what's called wake filling.

Maybe someone else has the relevant chart, but it turns out the most aerodynamic is a half tonneau (the back half) with a partition in the bed. Sort of box in the back half (lockable storage?) and leave the front half open. The air spills over the back of the roof and pushes on the back of the cab.

[Backtobasics]

Originally Posted by freebeard

No problem. That's actually why I left the aerocap as an afterthought.

It looks like if you draw a line from the rear view mirror, you could go straight back from the bottom of the window until you follow the line down; that would give you what's called wake filling.

Maybe someone else has the relevant chart, but it turns out the most aerodynamic is a half tonneau (the back half) with a partition in the bed. Sort of box in the back half (lockable storage?) and leave the front half open. The air spills over the back of the roof and pushes on the back of the cab.

Could you elaborate more? Perhaps a link to an image? I am struggling to follow. My thoughts were a flush with bed rails fab metal unit. Nothing too fancy, simple 1.25 square tubing with steel outer, painted, or bedliner material, with hinge at front.

[Backtobasics]

Alright, it has begun.

I had not filled it up on my earlier drivings, as the filler neck leaked. I fixed it last night, so it got it's first full fillup today. I have already put 50 miles on it so far.

I don't expect it to be wonderful MPG right now for a couple reasons:

• The carb is on, but has not been adjusted yet. I need a bigger return spring.
• The water pump appears to have some slop, I have new one, need to put it on.
• I have not covered the bed yet
• truck is stock height
• brakes were dragging very badly this morning. (freed themselves, but obviously I need to look at brakes.

As much as I would fix everything at once, I am doing it in steps for a few reasons:

1. cost
2. time
3. show progress
4. illustrate the need to address basic mechanical maintenace

Brakes don't normally stick, but she sat for several weeks, so it might be part of it. I see a lot of ecomodding ideas, aero, etc, but not as much in discussion about the basic mechanical and "tune up" areas. I see a lot of older cars being modded here, but seldom does mechanical maintenance come up in discussions?