Make your Defrost/Heat & A/C work less?

You "could" remove:
1.) Ceiling felt & such
2.) Rear headrests
3.) OH S*** handles in the front
4.) Spare tire winch system (If you have room to keep your spare locked up in your bed, or maybe just plan to take advantage of Roadside assistance...)
5.) Those little rubber things in the console
6.) Carpet & floormats, maybe replace with Bedliner or rubber spray. If not all carpet then why not under the rear seats?
7.) Tire valve caps
8.) The Manual (keep it in the shop or something)
9.) Half of your windshield wiper fluid

 

lol, also, run as low as possible in oil, and never carry more than half a tank of gas

 

Well, if this link works, you can check out what Gary Donovan did to shed weight on a Reliant. Scroll down about half way. Maybe take a hole saw to the Dakota! What is it? Every 100LBS = about 10 horse?

http://www.thedodgegarage.com/the_reliant_2000.html

 

for every 100 lbs you knock a tenth on your 1/4 mile time or something like that.

 

It's our desire for an increasingly plush ride that has resulted in heavier vehicles. While engines have become more efficient, bodies have become heavier. The extra sensors, sound deadening, speakers, power everything, and the resulting wiring associated, etc, has made cars today considerably heavier than their 1950's equivalents. I read an article in a magazine once, and wish I could find it again, that compared vehicle weights from the 50's lead sleds to today's SUV's. For example, according to the article, the old Volkswagen Beetles were considerably lighter than today's models; the same with the 1969 Mustang compared to the new models. 50's cars with the big fins and grilles often just looked heavier.

Rip the interior out of the Dakota like Donovan did with the Reliant (in my previous post's link) and I'm sure the MPG will increase substantially. The wife and maybe kids may have some comments on long rides though. I have to admit, I drove a 1981 Monte Carlo for a while with most of the interior out of it. The constant rattling and extra road noise while driving did start getting on my nerves after a while.

 

Well... just an update for those of you interested....

Currently designing the exhaust i'll be using. Looking not only for mpg's, but also camper pulling power. All mendrel bent stuff. I have a bunch of extra piping in 2 1/2" in the garage that I think i'll be trying to use. Also, going to look around for a good straight through muffler. Hopefully something doesn't sound aweful.

Also, instead of using my old mustang electric fan, I think i'm going to be buying a nice one from summit. The amperage rating is enough difference to see my alternator not grenade from the old fan, and the new fan will be a nicer piece to install anyways, i'm sure. I already have a fuse block installed next to the battery so adding on a fan should be a cinch.

I have put on a small chin spoiler, which i've been meaning to take pictures on, and I will probably just throw it in this thread as well. It's not really elaborate... well, you'll see.

Also, have all full synthetic oils everywhere in the truck now!

Hopefully I don't have to keep bringing things to the job. I had to bring a mixer, some 8' plank, and a few block to the job yesterday... I'm sure that doesn't help mileage!

Blu3

 

I'd be curious to know what the results of the exhaust would be in terms of mileage. I'd also be curious to know if anyone else who has installed a CAI and/or free flowing exhaust has noticed any significant increases; or have those increases been cancelled out by the more "spirited" driving after installing the goodies!

 

My mpg has been canceled out by more "spirited" driving.

 

Me too, the sweet sound of magnaflowwwwww.

 

ditto what the last two said^^