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Old 10-05-2008, 12:08 PM   #5 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,515

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 52.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,062
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Bicycle Bob:

I'm planning to hinge mine at the top, as you suggest and as basjoos did on his Civic: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea....html#post2112

Though once I start construction, I'll probably wish I'd followed the "rubber membrane" method Newton used on his Mira: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...kirts-398.html

I also like your idea of servos for hinge control (hadn't thought that there might be feedback if there were a direct link to the steering bits).

But I'm going to keep it simple and go with a low friction plastic stuck on the back side of the skirt which the tires will contact when they are steered. basjoos went with low profile metal rollers.

---

For chuckles, some pics of the camera rig, or more technically, "web cam on a metal stick, secured with duct tape, a nylon strap, rope and a bungee":



The boom is an extruded aluminum U-shaped member (the track from a large vertical blind), secured to a roof rack. Between the "skirt off" and "skirt on" video sessions, I added the rope that goes from near the end of the boom to the bottom of the passenger door, tensioned with a bungee cord to the rear of the car. That put some pre-tension on the boom and reduced the camera bounce/wiggle compared to the runs without it.





It stuck out about 4 feet from the side of the car.

I was careful not to overtake cyclists or drive close to sidewalks or utility poles!
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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