pample's mpg is getting even better! yippee

Fitted some aero belly pans underneath between the two jacking points on each side, just before a weekend away, trip out was 123 miles into a very strong headwind on Friday to the wickham festival, and managed 28.8mpg, return trip today with a light tailwind was 106 miles .......................................................................32.3mpg!. Who says you cant get good milage from a fully loaded 2ltr bay. 8)

 

length of corroplast cut to shape



fixed to underside via ally strips, and self tappers



finnitto, and quite solid too . Now I know it works, when autum comes, I'll unscrew them, clean the underside, and coat with used engine oil, then cover back up again.

 

really? i'm not sure i could drill my chassis, i have no pans at all under there i really wouldn't have thought much drag was made from under the van... you live and learn,

 

Any extra noise from the sheets vibrating, or maybe less?

 

Back in the 80's I had a 1600TP and the previous had done much the same but with painted plywood. We did about 20,000 miles in that van and it rarely did less than 30mpg - never went above 55 and I have always been fairly "feather footed" in my buses.

I have to admit though I'm with Ric at the moment my 79 US Import is rust free and I'm not keen on drilling holes in the chassis. Having read yostumpy's thread however if I can work out a way of doing it without drilling and self tappers I may have a go!
Cheers
B

 

stick them on

 

Mate, I'd be surprised if those aero pans had anything to do with the improved mpg. I think it'd probably be more of a case of you driving more economically or getting your sums wrong

 

There are other factors here - in the 80's you probably ran leaded fuel - with higher octane and less friction - so we have a set of variables there.

Ground effects are significant - as is the extra weight and effects on cooling.

I'd like to see more info, am intrigued.

 

Oh he is talking about taking it out of gear at every opportunity again. False readings then I'm afraid as your not actually driving it most of the time, just coasting.

 

To travel 32 miles on a gallon of petrol rather than 22 miles, IMHO is far better, 10 miles is a L O N G walk. Any way there are FEW real opourtunities to coast, but just take advantage of those that come available. So they just add to the 'betterment' really. You dont really believe that I coasted 10 miles with every gallon , gosh.

 

I don't doubt your findings I'm just saying that your average readings will be high if your using the freewheel method.

 

I am intrigued by that, but this time last year I filled the tank at EMA, drove straight to the A42/M42/M5 did a steady 55mph to Taunton.
Came off & refilled immediately & got 33mpg without ground effect or hypermiling/freewheeling.

I'm off again in a couple of weeks so I might have a look at fitting belly pans.

The drilling of the chassis disturbs me greatly though.

What material did you use/what is corropist?