V-dub.
 

My VW is already missing a runningboard. should I take the other off, or find a replacement?

What i'm really asking is, should I use runningboards or not?

Do you have trouble getting into the car, :p?

In the case of aerodynamics I believe they are useless, ditch the other and save the weight. The curve of the fender hides them from any air stream and if you plan on lowering the bug, even more useless.

So say hello to the weight savings ... I know the original boards are heavy ...

Oh btw, lucky you for having the smoothest bellypan out of the gate already. I would simply consider closing the gap between the spare tire well and your floor pans, basically shielding the suspension. Also get under it and check to see if you have the tins that protect the exhaust, not only will that help steer airflow but serves a very use ful purpose in keeping the engine both hot and cold depending on the season.

Keep us posted .. GL ...

The whole point is to get better MPG and lighten the car. I don't care how ugly it is, as long as there's an improvement. I do agree with you though, Baja bugs look much better.

What he's saying is that the weight is so negligible as to not matter, you likely won't gain any perceivable mpg if you take them off completely.

And having taken some of them off recently, I have to say they way practically nothing for their size.

I have another question.
What device could I use to collect my data? I'm still new and I'm on a SUPER-LIMITED budget. Any suggestions?

Which data?

MPG mainly. I thought that since my car was so old, there wasn't much I could do to calculate it.

Yeah, that's the real trick, I think there are some guys over in the instrumentation forum that have been trying to put together some kind of mpg gauge for cars without computer systems.