Vw pickup MAX mpg build! - Page 5 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Sneakybassturd69 · 06-09-2015, 12:57 AM

Yea I was having similar thoughts on the exhaust I was even thinking the dual exhaust headers from a gti/scro, right now I have every thing taken off needed to pull the motor but the exhaust disconnected I need to make the tool to remove that clamp. The trans I am thinking replacing the seals and I might as well rebuild the final drive and I think I will put in one of those better gear ratios for fifth. Right now I am trying to figure out the best way to do the ac delete, I was thinking mk1 non ac bracket, mk2 non ac alternator with a offset pulley to get it inline with the belt. I am looking for a aluminum radiator too.

Sneakybassturd69 · 06-09-2015, 01:09 AM

I am going to make a full belly pan so I think I will be fine without ss, so you think the 2 in is better then the others?

cowmeat · 06-09-2015, 06:19 AM

Quote:

I live in southern Illinois and I am pretty strategic on the roads I pic

What part of southern Illinois are you in? I went to SIU in Carbondale, and lived in Marion for a while, and up by Rend lake before we moved south. I know what you mean about picking routes up there. While some areas are basically flat, there are some really hilly places that don't help the hypermiler's cause!

Sven7 · 06-09-2015, 12:43 PM

If you're really going for "MAX" mpg and the truck is not worth restoring, you might see if getting some skinny, high offset wheels and skinny tires will bring them inside the bodywork far enough that you could chop off the wheel arches to have a nice, smooth body side. This would make it really easy to mount a wheel skirt. I believe early Mk1's had 4.5" wide wheels with something like 45mm offset. Poke around on your local VW forum or VWVortex to see if you can score some. Mounting aero discs on them wouldn't be a huge issue. Or just get teardrops, as they're about the most aerodynamic wheel you can buy for a Mk1, and would probably be a solid choice despite being about 19lbs a piece.

Sneakybassturd69 · 06-09-2015, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowmeat

What part of southern Illinois are you in? I went to SIU in Carbondale, and lived in Marion for a while, and up by Rend lake before we moved south. I know what you mean about picking routes up there. While some areas are basically flat, there are some really hilly places that don't help the hypermiler's cause!

I live about 5 minutes from rend lake, 30 mins from Carbondale and I worked on outboards in Marion for a min that was the worst job ever

Sneakybassturd69 · 06-09-2015, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven7

If you're really going for "MAX" mpg and the truck is not worth restoring, you might see if getting some skinny, high offset wheels and skinny tires will bring them inside the bodywork far enough that you could chop off the wheel arches to have a nice, smooth body side. This would make it really easy to mount a wheel skirt. I believe early Mk1's had 4.5" wide wheels with something like 45mm offset. Poke around on your local VW forum or VWVortex to see if you can score some. Mounting aero discs on them wouldn't be a huge issue. Or just get teardrops, as they're about the most aerodynamic wheel you can buy for a Mk1, and would probably be a solid choice despite being about 19lbs a piece.

I think I will do that for the back tries to make the body look a lot better but I have not made up my mind on the front yet, I am thinking about making a fiber glass hood and fenders

samwichse · 06-09-2015, 01:55 PM

Your 175/70R13s (should be what's on there) are almost identical in diameter to the infamous 165/65/R14 Potenza RE92.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....t&autoModClar=

Swapping to those would make about 10x the difference all the bearing changes you could manage combined. The stock size should weigh about 17 lbs, the Potenzas weigh around 13, but your larger wheel diameter will offset this somewhat.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...e92-19126.html

And I'll second the turbo addition... probably good for something like +10% on a diesel. Why throw all that free energy out the exhaust.

Everything else seems like it's already been said... the belly pan (yes!) and kammback cover for the bed will help a chunk. I love those rabbit diesels, but they have the aerodynamics of a brick. I'm actually surprised it's as low as quoted earlier in the thread, I would have guessed north of 0.5.

Sam

Sven7 · 06-09-2015, 02:08 PM

Yeah, get some 14" steelies from a Mk3, and get someone to weld the centers in differently for a little higher offset. Then you can run the LRR tires AND do easy skirts! The wheel guy will look at you funny, but it'd be a decent way to get the best of both worlds (at a cost).

You're going to have issues doing a really effective and compact custom hood/front end because of the core support, but you could always add to the front end, I guess.

You'll also want to do an air dam like this, but please don't kill an early Westy (79/80) front end for any of this!!

You might also make use of this visualization I made for my own truck. Pay attention to the blunt nose and boat tail in the lower images. Stick to the aero template!

Edit for Aerohead's T-100...

The raised hood helps reduce pressure on the windshield- something you should think about for your Rabbit. I guess this would be a good place for a custom hood, (EDIT- inconclusive) although you'd probably be better off just going for a full one-piece clamshell front end if you're going to be modifying the front end shape to the degree you seem to desire.

Also look at purpose built cars like the Honda Insight, GM EV1 and Toyota Prius. These will have the kind of shapes you'll need.

freebeard · 06-09-2015, 03:15 PM

Quote:

The raised hood helps reduce pressure on the windshield- something you should think about for your Rabbit.

aerohead said 'not so'. OTOH that aerocap is spot on.

And I like the two-tone paint/mural on that Rabbit on The Salt.

Sven7 · 06-09-2015, 04:16 PM

Oh, really? I wasn't aware it didn't work out for him.

IMO the mural should have been a rabbit.

It also should be asked- why the Rabbit Pickup? There are tons of other efficient starting points that would arguably be easier to modify, and less historically significant (I mean, Caddies are real collector cars now).

Honda CRX HF, Civic VX, CX & HX, Insight, Geo Metro XFi, Toyota Prius and any number of small, manual shift economy cars like a Toyota Tercel or Saturn SC.