Customer Reviews

Cousin Eddy motorhome & towing truck performance

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The world is divided between those who passionately long for exhaust headers on their vehicle, and those who do not. Rod Lindberg never lost his "lust for a set of headers," and those in the half of the world with similar feelings will enjoy and will profit from reading his Cousin Eddy: Motorhome and Towing Truck Performance. It describes how to install high-performance parts on a motorhome -- you know, supercharger, Crane cam, large sway bars -- the usual.

The book has the three essential characteristics of a timeless niche classic.: (1) loads of accurate relevant information, (2) lots of accurate irrelevant information, and (3) humor.

In the introduction to the book, the author recounts a conversation with his son in which he explains that he will travel to all parts of the country in his "big- assed motorhome." The book tells little about his travel. There is a comment about the speed limit in Arizona: "A line of telephone poles must take on the appearance of a picket fence before proper motoring velocity is achieved." However, the majority of the book is about modifications to the, ah, motorhome.

The first four chapters give advice about buying a motorhome, and they describe typical interior comforts, frames and stock engines. The real start of Cousin Eddy is Chapter 5 which introduces superchargers and how to install one on a motorhome engine. Roots superchargers which build significant boosts at low RPMs were deemed most appropriate for the purpose at hand -- rather than the high-speed centrifugal superchargers. The supercharger on Cousin Eddy produced terrific results: it improved the zero-to-sixty acceleration by more than twelve seconds, and it allowed the motorhome to just roll away from an astonished Camaro driver.

Chapters on ram air intake, computer chips, ignition, headers and exhaust, and auxiliary transmissions provide additional information about increasing horsepower and getting it to the ground. The reader is forced to wait until Chapter 11 for full statements of Newton's three laws of motion: "Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a straight line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it . . . . " and so on. Even more interesting is the discussion of the dichromate coating and zinc plating on sway bars.

The book concludes with chapters about engine and transmission cooling, oiling, brakes, additional horsepower, diagnostics, and several kinds of good advice. Cousin Eddy: Motorhome and Towing Truck Performance might best be described as "good advice." It is very entertaining good advice.

In the introduction, the author mentions that he recently needed an hour to find his car in an airport parking lot. "Things do get misplaced," he admitted. The name in the title, "Cousin Eddy," is not explained in the book -- the explanation is probably misplaced in another of the author's books.

I loved this book. After taking some of Lindberg's tips, my motorhome went 7.2 mpg to 11.9 mpg. That doesn't sound like a lot, but it is saving me a ton of money this summer. Hope he writes another!

The book takes you through the author's project to upgrade his brand-new RV. He goes the expensive route, starting with special order equipment, then adding a super charger, replacing the exhaust system, getting a custom engine control chip made, and doing dyno testing at many stages of the project. It's well documented and clearly written.

Unless you're going to drive many miles each year, the full treatment probably won't be worth it. (By my estimate, the modifications will cost perhaps $10,000 to $15,000.) However, the back of the book deals with reality for the rest of us and he makes suggestions for less amtitious projects. I will follow many of his safety and easy-to-do suggestions, but won't go "all the way".

I would recommend this for anyone contemplating changes to his/her RV to increase performance of economy. Read it from cover-to-cover so you know what's possible and what each modification will do, then decide what's right for your rig and situation.

KPFK radio in Los Angeles praised "Cousin Eddy" as "unusually interesting, of good quality, well done, has good illustrations, and gives good advice" on its "The Car Show/LA" program Saturday, July 17, 1999. I listen to the show every week, and couldn't agree more!

A must for the serious motor home maniac, the author takes one on a journey through the ins and outs of making your home the fastest on the highway. Beyond the excellent mechanical scope, "Cousin Eddy" makes any gearhead laugh out loud.

after reading this book based on motorhomes I feel that I have acquired a well rounded knowledge and respect for the common motorhome. This book should be classified as the Lucasian of motorhome infomation guides. Good Show I must say!!!

I read the book cover to cover and learned just how the engine works and how it can be imporved for little money. An absolute bible!

Pretty well written with realistic info. about what can be done. Many will not apply all of the contents but there is great food for thought inside. You will likley get new ideas after reading this book. Five star rated if you like or even want to tinker with your rig.

Packed fill of juicy vignettes about life, love, destiny and RV's, this is more than just a motorhome maintenance manual - It is literature.