5th generation civic hatchback - improving aerodynamics

[AndrewJ]

Yeah, there's a nice 5" rounded shoulder on each side. The tricky part will be trying to keep that nice orderly transition in the plastic version. Plastic can get to be a chore if you don't heat it just right. Too much heat and it gets too floppy, gets weird curves/bends in it. Too little and it won't hold the curve.

[diesel_john]

the first version did not help, but the second version diid. don't know why because i didn't tuft test with yarn.

[bennelson]

Diesel_John,

Do you have any numbers on fuel efficiency gain from your Kammback?

Would be interesting to know the MPG gain experience people have had using them on different vehicles.

[AndrewJ]

So, got the real ABS version of the Kammback got its-self installed today.







The only tough part was finding out how to mount the lower edges. I ended up making some tabs out of extra ABS, and mounting them in the same place that the gas-struts are mounted.




And before taking it for a test-drive I noticed the middle bit was a little floppy, so a spare piece of aluminum took care of that.




And the view out of the back.

[MetroMPG]

Impressive!

Aesthetically it works, too - not that it matters. But it's a nice bonus. I like the look of the profile shot.

How flush does it sit along the top & sides? I'm not sure if I'm seeing a gap, or just the edge of the hatchback's window gasket in the profile pic.

Way to go, Andrew.

[AndrewJ]

yeah, there's a bit of a gap on the lower reaches, but I'll be working on that in the next few days. Just need to get the heat gun on it for a little while.

[SVOboy]

Very nice!

[TomO]

looks great! I'm inspired to do that to my VX now that I've seen what a Kammback will look like.

And for the gap near the bottom....wouldn't clear packaging tape take care of that for at least a temporary fix?

[AndrewJ]

Diesel_John, you have exactly the diffuser/wheel boattail things that I've been envisioning for my car!!




Integrate those bad boys with a full boattail like basjoos's and you've got yourself one heckuva small trailing wake.

[NoCO2]

Almost makes me want to go find a civic hatch again and buy it...I need to convince my dad that it's a good idea first though...I really wish he would just let me pay for something I want to drive since I'm the one paying for the gas that goes in it.

That kammback look great on that though, as do all the other mods. TBH I think that it looks nicer like that then it did stock!