Hypothetical test vehicle.
 

Try not to laugh too hard, ok?

This all started because a friend whose 17 year old son inherited a gas-guzzling Jeep Wrangler which was at best on its last legs, had become a huge drain on his mother's finances and worst of all a drain on the time of yours truly just helping to keep it on the road. How in the hell are you gonna make driving a Geo Metro seem cool to a 17 year old?

So I was thinking maybe if we found a good-running, basically sound 3-popper and made a truck out of it. Nice wheels, paint, etc. Ain't gonna happen. But...

I was looking at the Australian market Suzuki Mighty Boy. I know, it's cute, but sorta useless. Also found a couple of MK2-MK3 homebuilt pickups and a few photochops of MK4's along the way.

Which got me thinking. What if you built the equivalent of a Mighty Boy out of a MK3 or MK4 to use as a basis for aero mods and experiments, maybe even as a hypermiler??

It would still be useable as a commuter/grocery getter and you could change the rear body perpetually and easily. You could even build little cardboard and duct tape "camper shells" for it at will, just to see the results of changes in the roofline. Once finalized these could be easily duplicate in fiberglass for those who lack metal skills.

Properly done it would be a fair amount lighter than a standard hatch. Hell you could even chop the top without being a geometry major. Or at least a lot less of one.

The driveline from my current car will is destined for a new home in my Triumph Spifire soon so I think I'll build a truck from its body.

Anyone care to speculate on he drag/mileage penalty on the thing as a truck?

Years ago summer came with my normal boredom and what to do next. Had bought a new saws all. Ride at the time was a Chevy Sprint that inherited a turbo motor drivetrain. With that said off came the back behind the doors. Wife and family thought I'd gone mad, but it was fun. Built a rear window with a vinyl covered deck. Also installed a sunroof. Now this was not a hyper miler, but still in the 40's. Don't remember that there was any type of fuel drop.

Ended up selling it to a young guy that really seemed to like it.

I think this could be a good idea to interest your young friend. My love of small cars came from my first car a Corvair. I've always prefered small cars, because of that first car.

I learned to drive in my father's Corvair Greenbrier van. When my uncle shipped off to Viet Nam he bought a Corvair in San Diego, then drove it 100 miles to visit his girlfriend one last time, then handed me the keys.

The car had thrown a rod and the previous owner had simply shoved the rod and piston up into the cylinder and kept driving it. My old man parked a toolbox and a Chilton's manual next to the car and said "have at it."

He answered questions but never lifted a finger to help me, a fact for which I will always be grateful. He left me to rely on my own logic and ingenuity and that car taught me a lot.

My next 6 cars were Corvairs. I then graduated to Little British Cars, into which I stuffed Big American Motors. I built an Austin Healy with a smallblock, a Hillman with a big block, etc. Nowadays I'll just be dazzled to put a 1.0 into my old Triumph Spitfire. Full circle.

Anyway, I guess I'll go over to the Swift forum and solicit pics of Geocaminos, El Metros, er sumpin.

I knew there was a reason I saved this picture... :D

https://www.gassavers.org/attachment....1&d=1184901560

Trust me, if this was MY kid he'd be riding the Shoeleather Express. But his ma needs him to help out with some of the transportation needs of the family.

In my day we had to walk 15 feet just to change the channel.

In the snow.

Uphill both ways.

Barefoot.

Carrying our siblings on our backs.


Those were the days.

I don't understand why this 17 year olds vehicle would have any affect at all on his mother, it's his vehicle, if it's causing his mother to be charged extra for anything, he should pay that, just like if he was to barrow her vehicle, then he should fill it up with gas befor returning it, it's just part of haveing a drivers license, and he should learn that, if he doesn't like that then he should get used to running erends on a bicycle.

Note to self: Leave out superfluous info.



Anyway, I'm gonna build this truck as a means of studying aero.Just thought the concept might be of value to some other geek.

Carry on.