Not to beat a dead horse (power related)

[blueroo]

When I got to the Fairlane Nats in York this past Friday, it became painfully obvious that my 29 cubic foot trunk isn't big enough as the wires for my 3rd brake light had been pulled out from all the stuff. And York is only about an hour from where I live. Next year the Nats are in Dearborn and I should have the efi swap taken care of which means my battery moves to the trunk. Once that battery is back there I won't have enough room.

So my solution is to rent a u-haul trailer or something. The problem with that is although I wouldn't have any problems on the flats I'd have problems in the hills and mountains. Western PA is practically only hills and mountains. As much as I love my car and the fact that it's a six, in its current form it doesn't have the power to pull itself, 3 people, and a u-haul trailer through the mountains while maintaining anything close to highway speed.

Which brings me to the power issue. In order to pull the trailer I'm probably going to need to squeeze out every possible ounce of power from not just the engine but the entire car. My thinking is the tempo efi combined with using e85 will help somewhat, but not entirely.

I'm also planning on installing an electric fan so I can ditch the crank driven unit to free up a little power. Further I'm highly considering switching to full synthetics for the T5 and rear axle, and, if I can find this bloody oil leak, fully synthetic for the engine as well.

Mainly to improve handling but it should cut down on drag is lowering the front of the car roughly an inch so the car can sit level without the air shocks (yes I know, the trailer will probably add more drag than the slightly lower stance will remove but at least it wouldn't be a total loss and I will have to retain the air shocks to sit level with the trailer)

I need some suggestions on what else I can do with the car to get the additional power. Anyone?

 

[addo]

You are going to have to reconcile with the fact of not being able to keep up a similar speed to unladen with one passenger.

Is it not possible to pack more effectively, or carry less stuff?

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

what kind of stuff are you moving?

I bought a used thule roof rack off ebay for like $60. has steel load bars and is rated for 300#. hauled a bunch of steel on it (tubing) 200 miles from school to home. it sits on the rain gutters. also had a hunk of plywood I could clamp down on it (some u-bolts) if I had something I needed to keep off the roof (IE like camping gear and such)

if you do get a trailer UHual has some smaller trunk sized aero units that should fit the bill and not make a difference like a large enclosed trailer would.

if doing a trailer I would assume you are doing a reciever hitch......what about one of those little luggage racks that slides in those (great for coolers and gas cans)

 

[Patrick66]

if doing a trailer I would assume you are doing a reciever hitch......what about one of those little luggage racks that slides in those (great for coolers and gas cans)

i was going to suggest that, we have one that we use on the back of our suburban for coolers and whatever wont fit in the back on long trips. it won't weigh as much as a trailer.

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

btw you could always add a turbo

how about a aussie 250 xflow?

 

[69Falcon]

If you're looking for a small trailer, check out the ones that people tow behind motorcycles; they're probably designed to be lighter and more aerodynamic.

As for E85, you'll only see more power if you optimize your motor for it, particularly by raising the compression ratio or using boost. Are you planning on using the MegaSquirt add on for E85? I think it is a GM sensor that you use to tell the 'puter how much gas vs. EtOH is in the fuel.

 

[grocery getter]

As for E85, you'll only see more power if you optimize your motor for it, particularly by raising the compression ratio or using boost. Are you planning on using the MegaSquirt add on for E85? I think it is a GM sensor that you use to tell the 'puter how much gas vs. EtOH is in the fuel.

what he said on the E85

what tempo efi , four cyl. ?

 

[MustangSix]

http://www.mrsharkey.com/pusher.pdf

Build one of these and strap a car carrier to it.

 

[shmoozo]

If you're looking for a small trailer, check out the ones that people tow behind motorcycles; they're probably designed to be lighter and more aerodynamic.

That or one of these cool looking trailers:

Several companies make these kinds of trailers which are generally called "Mullins trailers" after the company that popularized them back in the 1930s.

Here are some links to places that sell various versions of these kinds of things:

Complete Mullins Trailer Packages (scroll down to bottom of page)

1936 Mullins Trailer From Outlaw Performance

Hot Rod Superstore: Mullins trailers

Champion Luggage Trailers

 

[69.5Mav]

You could also get what is know as a Tear Drop Trailer. It's very small but shaped like a tear drop and long enough for two people to lie down in. It was popular in the fourties. Google tear drop trailers for a ton of liks some with instructions on how to make your own.

http://www.teardrops.net/
http://www.pddoc.com/camp/tear_drop.htm
http://www.golittleguy.com/cms/
http://www.tomswenson.com/teardrop/index.shtml

The advantage here is that after you unload your gear you have a place to sleep.

 

[page62]

Why buy when you can rent? U-Haul now has a "sport" trailer that would work nicely for you...