Aeromodding my 2003 "Classic" NHW11 Prius.

[PaleMelanesian]

Kerf cutting:

[Christ]

Pale -

Exactly! Now, imagine making those cuts by hand, to make a complex form, with a pocket knife. :P My Great Uncle was a wood worker by trade - never used power tools.

Tas -

I think that was the issue, that I was only using duct tape to hold it, then. Before Cara, I always heated plastics to form them, including coroplast, so no bracing was usually necessary. If the grille block worked out on Cara, I was just going to get another bumper cover and permanently cover the grille with fiberglass.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Christ

My Great Uncle was a wood worker by trade

What a coincidence! So is Marcus!

(I presume from the workshop photo, if not from some murky memory of it coming up in some other thread.)

[orange4boy]

PaleMelanesian,

You are such a luthier!

My father and grandfather were harpsichord makers. Their company is called Sabathil and Son. I'm the son of the son.

My work is a little more contemporary and design based.

Update: I just re-made the front air dam with some PVC product from Homer's Depot. The white colour exactly matches the Prius white and It's a lot stronger than the Coroplast. Pics soon.

I'm itching to make a pair of catamaran skirts for the Pri so stay tuned.

Also, I got a tank heater for the engine so that will go in soon!

My Great Uncle was a wood worker by trade - never used power tools.

I have heaps of respect for the old timers who did it all by hand. Most of us, myself included, don't know what a days work really used to be.

I've been incorporating old hand tools into my work. Many times it's faster to grab a hand tool to do a job than pull out the power tool plus there's less dust and noise. Love the old tools.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by orange4boy

PaleMelanesian,

You are such a luthier!

My father and grandfather were harpsichord makers. Their company is called Sabathil and Son. I'm the son of the son.

My work is a little more contemporary and design based.

Update: I just re-made the front air dam with some PVC product from Homer's Depot. The white colour exactly matches the Prius white and It's a lot stronger than the Coroplast. Pics soon.

I'm itching to make a pair of catamaran skirts for the Pri so stay tuned.

Also, I got a tank heater for the engine so that will go in soon!



I have heaps of respect for the old timers who did it all by hand. Most of us, myself included, don't know what a days work really used to be.

I've been incorporating old hand tools into my work. Many times it's faster to grab a hand tool to do a job than pull out the power tool plus there's less dust and noise. Love the old tools.

The next time I drive by it, I'll talk to the new owners and see if I can take some pictures of the exterior and the stanchion bays under one of the 4 homes that he built with hand-sawn lumber. It's a beautiful house, even for it's obvious aged appearance.

[Jethro]

All of this inspiration is really making me wish it wasn't 30 for the high this whole darned weekend. Grrr!

I think an air dam is the next mod for the HotRod.

[orange4boy]

Pics!!!

Just a temporary install for now. I have to figure out some mounting issues. The black tape is some pipe wrapping tap I picked up at the surplus section of Princess Auto. 2 inches wide and very sticky. They only had black.

I also have been using a new aeromodding find which is a white plastic that bends beautifully and holds its shape after bending. It's some kind of screen fascia from home depot. Exact match to the Prius white. It is now in use as the front airdam but I have not installed it on the side skirts yet.

Ground clearance is about 4 inches.

[orange4boy]

Fantastic image of the wheel fairings on the original 1 litre Volkswagen

The front ones curve outward sharply from the centre.

[orange4boy]

Another shot of the sharply curved front wheel fairings of the new One litre concept. They follow the curve of the air dam / bumper.



Enhance!

[Christ]

I'd rock it.