One. Step. Further.

[millenniumtree]

Last year, I bought an '86 Toyota pickup for another project that may or may not ever materialize... http://images.google.com/images?q=locost
Then, after reading this site and others, I was rather inspired by Phil Knox's '94 Toyota Pickup.


So, I've come up with my own design, to be created with laminated wood beams bolted onto the truck, and a canvas sheet, plastic or aluminum slung between the curved beams

Here are two designs, one noticably more aggressive than the other.

I have no qualms about sawing the rear end off this truck. It's made of rust anyway (but the engine is in great shape).



Thoughts, comments?

[lunarhighway]

personally i think the first is better than the second, the angle of the rear is quite important, i believe up to 11° the air will stay attached but beyond that it will start to separate... wich is why certain cars with a low Cd such as the prius or the audi a2 have a pretty high rear, to not exeed this angle... the longer the car the lower you can have the rear. from the look of if the top drawing has a better angle that the lower one.

if you are going to cut into the body, try sloping in the side behind the wheels. the top profile is just as important as the side profile.

but don't take my word for it, as ther's people with more knowledge on the subject here

[Bror Jace]

That looks really good, MilleniumTree. Are you going to put a hatch so you can still use the bed? Because if you aren't going to get any benefit of a bed, why have a truck?

I suppose you already have the truck ... so why not?

I think rear visibility is going to be the hardest to do well.

I like the white truck above it ... but why didn't they take the rear wheel skirts down any further to meet the bottom of the bodywork?

[millenniumtree]

Wow. I feel like I've just stepped into the mind of a mid-80s Japanese engineer.

This is a re-design with exactly 11 degrees.


This is on the long-bed pickup. I'm sure the short-bed would be a little different.

[millenniumtree]

Originally Posted by Bror Jace

Are you going to put a hatch so you can still use the bed?

Yeah, I would probably put a hatch in. I really only intend to use the truck as 1) a tow vehicle for our boat, and 2) an experimental/project vehicle. I may or may not make it electric some day, and may or may not pull the engine out of it to use in a lightweight sportscar.

My daily driver is an '89 civic hatchback.

Originally Posted by Bror Jace

I think rear visibility is going to be the hardest to do well.

If using canvas, I would attach a sheet of clear plastic (whatever they use for the rear window on jeeps), or if something else is used for the bodywork (aluminum or plastic), I'd use a clear hard plastic like plexiglass for the window.

I agree that the wheel skirts should go to the floor, but they'd have to come up again when the snow falls.

By the way, the truck cost me $300.

[ebacherville]

the rear angle looks too steep in both the pictures.. raise the back up a few inches off the bed and i think you got it.... you can also cheet and add a horizontal lip spoiler to extend out the length a bit longer ..

[ebacherville]

also curve it a bit as you can get the air to follow a curve a bit .. look at a prius for inspiration.. and also make the center higher than the ends near the corner of the bed.. makes a curve to help air not get turbulent if it falls off the bed cover ..