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1st Gen Ram Tech'93 & older Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve 1993 Rams and older. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.
1985 Dodge D350 - Caltrans utility body vehicle converted to Burningman art and sound system car. Sound system runs from 4x5.2kWh Tesla Model S battery modules charged via 22kW worth of solar panels running through a 6kW continuous (18kW for 300ms) low frequency 48Vdc to 240Vac split phase inverter. 11kW RMS total system amplifier power (obviously not played at 0dB output )
Mi/Gal has been closely monitored for the following annual trip (plus various appearances throughout the San Francisco Bay Area):
Richmond, California to Blackrock Desert, Nevada (Burningman) and back
First year after Sniper install by previous mechanic without any changes by me: 4.25mi/gal, ~10lb/hr idle consumption
Last year after about 6hrs of bench tweaking, and ~5hrs of road-tweaking: 6.48mi/gal (!), ~6lb/hr idle consumption
Airpusher with "Liberty" 2025 Airpusher "NO DANCING" on USA Today landing page 2023
Last edited by fiveangle; Jul 7, 2025 at 09:21 AM.
She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid.
The only alignment shop in Northern California that can accommodate us. Vehicle weighs 11650lbs in road trim (no sound system, no inverter/batteries), toolbox full of spares: pwr strng, fuel, and water pumps; alt; all hoses, gasket kit, u-joints, mstr cyl. Body is flat white rattle can primer (continuous touched up) and covered with over 3000 submersible WS2812 individuals addressable RGB LEDs that get covered with 3-dozen photography diffusion umbrellas once at event. …barely accommodates us. Rear tire pressures are dropped to dangerously *just* off the bead to get <1/2” clearance at tightest spot. When we determined that Costco Gas derates their canopy heights by 12” (our vehicle is 13’8” static) Prepping for California brake and light inspection, Rancho external reservoir shocks, fr infra-coil dampers Black Rock desert is Ph 8.0 and all that petrified fish poop eats Fluid Film for breakfast. Vinegar power wash helps. 4-row radcore and still can’t go over 58mph in The Sierras w/o heading toward heat soak because this “displacement hull” may as well be a parachute. Holly Sniper EFI w/Hyperspark for eng mgmt. 95A mopar shell custom built to 150A, dual rad and tranny cooler fans draw 50A at full sing. 1200W 12V to 48V DC-DC battery charger.
Really would like to put 2-3x stiffer anti roll bars on it, but they don’t exist.
Not what I was expecting! That thing looks scary to drive let alone at 58mph. I think making a trailer for the "boat" and removing it for transport would make more sense. .
Not what I was expecting! That thing looks scary to drive let alone at 58mph. I think making a trailer for the "boat" and removing it for transport would make more sense. .
Not possible. "Boat" section is integral all the way to the frame since there is no structural way to be able to support it full of 30+ people otherwise. 2x 4' hard outrigger supports at the front of the frame are deployed when we stop to stabilize the static passenger loading.
Regardless, I have considered modifying the frontal section of the "hull" to be removable or able to be folded-in in order to see if moving from full air-displacement to "whisk" style air pass-thru may improve highway drag, but so many ideas, so little time.
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Not what I was expecting! That thing looks scary to drive let alone at 58mph. I think making a trailer for the "boat" and removing it for transport would make more sense. .
