Brainstorming for a custom Fuel efficient DD

[gotblazers]

So i've had an idea brewing in my head for a little over a year now as i watch fuel prices rise. If you were going to build a vehicle on a budget of lets say 10,000 for everything how would you do it? The primary goal is reliability,comfort and a minimum average of 30MPG.

Would it be diesel or gas?

Would you make it a 4wd or 2wd?

What tranny would you use?

Would you use an existing vehicle or start from scratch?

What else would you do to make it suit your needs?

 

[bp71k5]

It's a pretty easy question. Just look at your blazer and do everything the exact opposite.

Small tires, a tiny engine, and small wind footprint. Kinda like my 15 year old Honda that gets 37 mpg and only cost $2000.



-Brian

 

[shady]

Just buy an old rabbit. go any where and 50mpg

 

[pmpski_1]

Agree with both of these ideas. I don't know what kind of honda Brian is talking about, but I was going to suggest an 88-91 CRX HF. Stock, 5 speed. Although I do prefer having the backseat of the Rabbit.

 

[max 02]

Tdi jetta.. ask Colby

 

[gotblazers]

For brainstorming sakes, How would you do it in a 1940's international pick up.

 

[79rustyk10]

For brainstorming sakes, How would you do it in a 1940's international pick up.

4BT, 4L80E would be a good start, keep it 2wd and lower to the ground (as in not lifted with D60, 14BFF and 38"+ TSL's)

I however, would never believe 30MPG with it though. No way in hell for it to be cost effective over buying a car, especially when you figure in doing a camaro/nova subframe to have a safe, fairly modern front suspension, a rear axle that isnt 70 years old, and every other little peice of the soon to be giant snowball.

 

[dremu]

THIS IS CK5 and i will be damned if i dont overcomplicate something just for my love of old trucks .

Lets think epic mpgs and 40's International pick up and then find a way to merge them together.

Epic MPG will come from...

o Small & skinny tires

o Low vehicle weight

o Aerodynamic body shape

o Light, low-resistance drivetrain

Of which, hmm, let's see ... exactly ... NONE can be had with an old truck

Which is why I grimace on the fifth of every month when my credit union deducts my car payment from my account ... but the other 29 days of the month, I smile at 30MPG out of my brand-new Nissan.

My '74's, I love 'em ... but realistically, they will never have the fuel economy of a newer, smaller car.

-- A

 

[gotblazers]

Any thoughts on using a 2.2l Isuzu turbo diesel with a 5 speed stick? Maybe use an old Rabbits motor/tranny or mercedes? Thinkin out loud here. Feel free to spill your thoughts all over. This is just a theoretical thread for now.

 

[blazinzuk]

Suzuki Swift GT, wanna surprise people get one of these. Easy to make it more comfortable. Since no one makes many parts ( you still should be able to get a header for them though) you have to make them yourself which should save you money.

When I was in college I worked on one with a good friend, he (oh yes he dynoed it) had it up to 120 hp at the wheels and got 45 mpg on the highway. His next step was a turbo, he didn't have the money to dyno it after that but his mileage didn't go down either. It was an amazing little car way fun to drive cause everything just felt faster. It was a pretty quick car in its own right, a guesstimated 150 hp and 1700 lbs= fun

In all seriousness a VW turbo diesel of any kind will do well. The old Isuzu diesels you speak of did well too but man they make my 6.2 look like a top fuel motor

If your gonna spend 10k and you want alot of mileage 30 is a pretty weak number IMHO I would be shooting for 40-50

BTW on the highway I get 28-30 mpg in my supercharged grand prix

 

[4X4HIGH]

You're either bored or think you're rich, which is it?

 

[gotblazers]

You're either bored or think you're rich, which is it?

Well i need a daily driver dont i . I doubt the dodge will go more than another 3 years without a rebuild on the motor. Truth is i got a major boner for internationals after seeing a 1960s Crewcab near my moms house. I was going to make an offer on it but it got moved somewhere before i could get enough money together.

1940's IMO have a style unlike any other era of trucks. Also, To think about what America was like when that thing left the showroom floor just excites the hell out of me. My new house is perfectly set up to part out vehicles too so i can get sweet deals i couldnt before due to lack of room.

Last truck i got a boner for was a Suburban and well... Once the Truck boner is up theres only one way to bring it down . Lets just hope i buy the right truck the FIRST time this time. That 84 was an expensive mistake.

 

[DR]

10k would put you in a tdi jetta that's around 4 or 5 years old. If you get a standard you could be pushing around 50 MPG. Mine is an 06 auto and gets 37 in city driving on its worst days. On the highway its always over 40 no matter how hard you drive it. And its fairly loaded. Sun roof, heated leathr, CD changer etc. In my opinion you can't beat it.

 

[gotblazers]

10k would put you in a tdi jetta that's around 4 or 5 years old. If you get a standard you could be pushing around 50 MPG. Mine is an 06 auto and gets 37 in city driving on its worst days. On the highway its always over 40 no matter how hard you drive it. And its fairly loaded. Sun roof, heated leathr, CD changer etc. In my opinion you can't beat it.

I dont have 10k sitting around for the record . Im just saying by the time i finished this whole project over the course of 1-3 years i wouldnt mind having that much into it since that is about what a high mpg newer car cost as you pointed out. Im going to search long and hard for the best possible deals just like i always have to make my hard earned money go as far as possible like i have on everything i have bought.

 

[blazinzuk]

To do something truly custom like a 40s style truck to use as a daily driver you will be well over 10k.

Thats a full on project not daily driver type of thing.

Start with something kind of cool and newer, if you buy it as an already daily driver then even if you don't have cash in the future well you can still drive it, instead of having a 4bt laying around in a 40s style truck laying around, with several other parts laying around.

You did ask for daily driver status correct?

 

[gotblazers]

To do something truly custom like a 40s style truck to use as a daily driver you will be well over 10k.

Thats a full on project not daily driver type of thing.

Start with something kind of cool and newer, if you buy it as an already daily driver then even if you don't have cash in the future well you can still drive it, instead of having a 4bt laying around in a 40s style truck laying around, with several other parts laying around.

You did ask for daily driver status correct?

Where do you think the money is going to get sucked up? I figure i can steal most of what i need from trucks im parting out anyways for my various other projects.

 

[blazinzuk]

Where do you think the money is going to get sucked up? I figure i can steal most of what i need from trucks im parting out anyways for my various other projects.

Been there done that, several times, projects cost money, nuts, bolts, electrical connectors, wire loom, hose clamps, hoses, replacing worn out bushings, sandpaper, wire wheels grinding wheels, cutoff wheels, new metal, paint primer seam sealer windows weatherstripping u bolts rebuild this rebuild that seats carpet gauges, this trick part, that trick part.

Projects snowball

its really an endless list. Starting from scratch projects can be done cheap but you are talking daily driver, not daily will it start status.

Number one DD priority is, has to run every day with very little to no fuss.

Of course I daily drove a 87 Samurai with 9" of lift locked front and rear with 5.43s and a 4:1 t case and 33" tires for like 6 years, then my daily driver was a blazer on 38s now my dailer driver is a Jimmy on 35s

 

[gotblazers]

Been there done that, several times, projects cost money, nuts, bolts, electrical connectors, wire loom, hose clamps, hoses, replacing worn out bushings, sandpaper, wire wheels grinding wheels, cutoff wheels, new metal, paint primer seam sealer windows weatherstripping u bolts rebuild this rebuild that seats carpet gauges, this trick part, that trick part.

Projects snowball

its really an endless list. Starting from scratch projects can be done cheap but you are talking daily driver, not daily will it start status.

Number one DD priority is, has to run every day with very little to no fuss.

Of course I daily drove a 87 Samurai with 9" of lift locked front and rear with 5.43s and a 4:1 t case and 33" tires for like 6 years, then my daily driver was a blazer on 38s now my dailer driver is a Jimmy on 35s

Agreed, But as said i got a boner for a 1940s international sooo... . Way i see it, I got as much money as i ever need with enough patience. Just keep working and scrounging the pennys and it adds up. Compulsively searching for deals daily for months at a time doesnt hurt either .

Its turned into one ton axles with disc brakes,orbital valve,40'' IROKS on TR Aluminum Bead lock rims along with a tow rig and trailer and straps for the trailer and as of tomorrow a brand new welder and thats all in just 6 months of working 25-35 hours a week at 9.50 an hour.

This party is just getting started

 

[shady]

find a wrecked RWD 90's diesel mercedes. use the motor tranny and neccisary components. decent enough power for what you want, overdrive tranny, efficient, and will fit under the hood. get a custom driveshaft made to mate it to the rear end. keep it lowered and like stated skinny "ish" tires. It'd be a bad azz ride.

 

[gotblazers]

om617 is looking like a potential over a 4bt.

EDIT: looks like we were on the same page

find a wrecked RWD 90's diesel mercedes. use the motor tranny and neccisary components. decent enough power for what you want, overdrive tranny, efficient, and will fit under the hood. get a custom driveshaft made to mate it to the rear end. keep it lowered and like stated skinny "ish" tires. It'd be a bad azz ride.

Why do you say 90s diesel mercedes? Anything special about that era?