Chin spoiler and tire spats

[66sprint6]

Ive done a TON of searching and lurking around here and other sites and have read the great success stories from running front air dams and the likes. I want to mod my 93 Escort, but I want to make it so it looks like it came from the factory, so no big bumpers or anything. I would love to make a simple chin spoiler and maybe some tire spats to break the wind around the front tires, but after reading up Ive seen alot of back and forth on what would be ideal design wise and what would make things worse. Is there a solid answer as to what I should aim for, or is it pretty much up in the air? Angles, height from the ground, shape ideas to shoot for? I appreciate the wealth of knowledge on this site and hope to be able to add to it myself one day!
Matt

[TXwaterdog]

Thanks for posting the question, I'm looking forward to the responses as well.

[PaleMelanesian]

Here's an article that addresses tire spats. It's specific to that model, but should be useful as a general guide for others as well.

Autospeed Modifying Under-Car Airflow

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

Here's an article that addresses tire spats. It's specific to that model, but should be useful as a general guide for others as well.

Autospeed Modifying Under-Car Airflow

This is the article I used for modeling my tire spats. I'm happy with them. I made them our of black coroplast and attached them with black duct-tape. Before you wince (too late!) at the duct-tape and coroplast, remember that their color, small size, and placement mean nobody really ever sees the tape or the spat. Fairly stealthy. As for the chin spoiler. A cleanly cut section of black lawn edging was my choice. Whenever I show it to people they cannot guess where it came from (once someone did). Again, somewhat stealthy, though perhaps not totaly an OEM look.

[aerohead]

On low-drag cars,the wheels and tires can constitute half the drag.
You might consider going beyond spats and consider actual canoe-fairings as you see on aircraft,high-mpg concept cars,university mpg record cars,and university and corporate World Solar Challenge cars.
These devices will pay the largest dividend and are not as elusive,design-wise, on a car-to-car basis.

[66sprint6]

Ive read the Autospeed article a couple times and love the info, funny thing is I like the idea of the stock spats on the Prius LOL.

California, do you have any pics posted up with of your spoiler and spats? Ill do some searching today and see what I can find, but Ide love to see more!
Matt

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by 66sprint6

California, do you have any pics posted up with of your spoiler and spats? Ill do some searching today and see what I can find, but Ide love to see more!
Matt

Here's the chin spoiler, or front air dam. It's a link to a pic in my EM photo album. There is a side shot in the album too. I don't have a shot of the spats, since I took them off recently after one got loose. I want a better attachment strategy now that the rainy season is on me. I think duct tape will work, but I need cleaner surfaces and tighter seals when I apply it.

Here is the pic. The lower grill block has been rebuilt, so that there is just one opening, left of center, directly in front of the radiator and ducted to it. Soon I plan to fill in both upper and lower blocks, fiberglass them, and make smooth surfaces, but I need more time:


Hope that helps. I might redo it too. I want the ends to come closer to the front wheel wells. Lawn edging is pretty cheap and I have plenty extra since I had no choice but to buy more than immediately needed, so the cost will be nil.

[66sprint6]

Excellent, that does look slick!!! I couldnt find any link like you said, but do you have shots of how the spats looks with the front spoiler? I was lookin at using the garden edging, but my buddy has some really light, very durable material at his shop we could use. Its plastic layers with a this layer of aluminum sandwiched in I believe, we could cut, bend and shape it however we please. I might try his stuff but if it doesnt work, garden edging it is.
Matt

[Peter7307]

California98Civic,
Nice job on the mods.
I would easily take them as being factory if you had not pointed out the changes you had made.

Peter.

[rainagain]

Lawn edging, what a great idea!