Photos: Ecomodders make fuel good to the last drop

Ecomodder member Brett Herndon has crafted an aerodynamic pickup truck cap that he says would increase fuel efficiency and save a driver as much as $455 in gas annually. He hopes to work with a manufacturer to produce and market them.

"With pickup trucks, the big, open bed is a big no-no," Herndon said. "If you can cover it even with a bedcover, you're going to improve fuel efficiency," he said.

The truck bed cap, like the one shown on his 2006 Ford F-150, is made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. It can convert into a camper shell for sleeping. Herndon, of Little Rock, Ark., has worked as an automotive clay model sculptor since 1985. His next big project is helping Peterbilt create aerodynamic big rigs.

Another Ecomodder member with experience working with composite materials signed up on Tuesday, saying he hopes to build aerodynamic parts that people could pop onto their Toyota Priuses. Such components might include, for instance, heel skirts, smooth wheel covers, air dams, and boattails.