T-100 Bonneville/Battle Mountain-trip results

[aerohead]

Got home day before yesterday, after 4,181-mile trip out to USFRA' World of Speed at Bonneville Salt Flats,International Human Powered Vehicle Assoc.' Human -powered speed trials at Battle Mountain,Nevada,then on west to Carson City,Nevada for family visit with brother.
The T-100 had its new nose,new drivers-side hood blister fairing,front wheel arch trailing-edge radii and rocker-panel fairings."poco-loco",the boat hull aeroshell finally had the driver-side cab fairing along with new passenger-side window,and new rear windscreen.
The bellypan was missing 2-sections( forward and central) as well as the entire diffuser section.
The boat-tail was not used for this trip.
I was already 6-days late leaving and would have missed all events had I attempted any additional work on the truck.
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I broke the trip up into 3-segments,running at 3-different maximum velocities to help construct a 'spectrum' of performance.
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The first 2,378 miles were driven at a max velocity of 75-MPH.The worst tank was 28.139 mpg between Battle Mountain and Elko,Nevada.
The best tank was 31.367 mpg between Albuquerque,New Mexico and Lakeside Point,Utah.
Ave. for 2378 miles was 29.671 mpg.
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The second round was run at a maximum 65-MPH.The worst tank was 33.019 mpg,the best was 36.036 mpg with an average for 1,142-miles of 33.826 mpg.
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The last,and only a single tank was run at a maximum 60-MPH,from Dona Ana,New Mexico to the Gilkison residence just beyond Radium Springs,then back,and over San Augustine Pass,across White Sands,up to Cloudcroft,down across the Caprock,then descending into Denton,Texas; 661-miles at 33.187 mpg.
MPG reflects 36-complete stops along the 661 miles due to stop signs,traffic lights and road construction.
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Overall trip average for 4,181 miles was 31.242 mpg.
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Worst tank range ( to fuel starvation ) was 675-miles.
Best tank range was 864-miles.
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SIDE NOTE:
I went through tech inspection at Bonneville and have been given tentative approval to run the T-100 next year at the USFRA World of Speed event.
Also,I have been given conditional approval to run with the trailer as long as I do not exceed 130-MPH.I will post additional info about that at the 'Full-Boat-tail Trailer with Gap-Fillers for T-100' thread.
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I forgot to bring my camera with me,so it will be next Saturday before I can post images.Sorry!,my brain is kinda zorched from all the travel.Good to be home!

[Patrick]

Sounds like an awesome trip! Can't wait for pics.

[Cd]

Phil, I have forgotten the answer that you gave me last time that I asked you if you ever planned to run at the Texas Mile.
If you remember, the Texas Mile is a top speed track that is only two hundred or so miles from where you live. ( near Houston )
Cars have gone well beyond 200 mph there.

And the best part is that there is no salt to rust out your car like at Bonneville.

[KamperBob]

Thanks for the report, Phil. I love the range you get from a truck tank at car mileage.

Cheers
KB

[Big Dave]

Outstanding mileage for a gas engine pickup. Is that truck a stick or an automatic?

[Otto]

Phil, having done various types of body work for your aero mods, what are the easiest and best materials? Styrofoam and epoxy? Polyurethane foam and polyurethane resin? Fiberglass?

What materials do the best job for ease of fabrication and cost savings?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Cd

Phil, I have forgotten the answer that you gave me last time that I asked you if you ever planned to run at the Texas Mile.
If you remember, the Texas Mile is a top speed track that is only two hundred or so miles from where you live. ( near Houston )
Cars have gone well beyond 200 mph there.

And the best part is that there is no salt to rust out your car like at Bonneville.

The truck is so low powered that it will need all the run-up it can get.The USFRA runs a 1-mile short-course for the 130-MPH Club,but in 1990,they let me run the CRX the 6-miles on the long course before shutdown.It really makes a difference!
I'm hoping that they will make a consideration with the truck.Won't know 'til I'm there.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Outstanding mileage for a gas engine pickup. Is that truck a stick or an automatic?

Dave,it's a 5-speed manual overdrive,and boy could I use a Gear Vendors overdrive unit behind it.The H-rated tires have a shorter sidewall and impact the gearing such that I will have to over-rev the engine,something I'm not real comfortable about.A new timing chain and all new valve springs have been recommended.
Mickey Thompson has a site supposed to be good for the best deals on GOODYEAR Eagle racing tires.They may have a 'taller' tire.
I may have to look into these.About $400.00 a pop. Ouch!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Otto

Phil, having done various types of body work for your aero mods, what are the easiest and best materials? Styrofoam and epoxy? Polyurethane foam and polyurethane resin? Fiberglass?

What materials do the best job for ease of fabrication and cost savings?

If I had my druthers I'd get into an English Wheel/shrinker/planisher and the two good grades of annealed aluminum and learn TIG welding.
I don't have the facility for it,so I've defaulted to polyester resin ( cheap ) over polyisocyanurate foam,glue-blocked open-cell Styro Foam,cardboad,etc..

[Cd]

Originally Posted by aerohead

The truck is so low powered that it will need all the run-up it can get.The USFRA runs a 1-mile short-course for the 130-MPH Club,but in 1990,they let me run the CRX the 6-miles on the long course before shutdown.It really makes a difference!
I'm hoping that they will make a consideration with the truck.Won't know 'til I'm there.

It sure would save a ton of fuel not having to drive all that way though.
Can't you just estimate the top speed using the figures gained at the one mile mark ?