Dream Prius (aerodynamic mod exercise for 2nd gen.)

[bestmapman]

Here is what I want my Prius to end up looking like.



The list of mods are:
1) Wiper delete
2) Rear wheel skirts
3) Front wheel skirts
4) Boattail
5) Side mirror delete
6) Front boattial

The question I have for all of you. How to accomplish each one of these mods.

[SVOboy]

Man, that image looks pretty sweet. 1, 2, and 5 should be very easy. 3, 4, and 6 depending on how fancy you want it to look when done,

Break out the welder!

[trebuchet03]

Do you want access to your hatch?

The question I have for all of you. How to accomplish each one of these mods.

My response:
How nice do you want it to look? It's totally doable (with high quality as your image) if you're willing to put some bucks down for composites and such....

[bestmapman]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

Do you want access to your hatch?



My response:
How nice do you want it to look? It's totally doable (with high quality as your image) if you're willing to put some bucks down for composites and such....

I'd like to do a pretty high quality job. I have worked with fiberglass some int he past and done some bondoing. Where I need to most help is in the frame and the structure.

It's been a long time since I did any glass or bondo work so I may need to get up to speed there also.

[SVOboy]

I think you'd be best set just taking the back end of the car off and doing some work a la coyote x to completely integrate the new bit into the frame as best possible and doing a basjoos style hatch,

[bestmapman]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

I think you'd be best set just taking the back end of the car off and doing some work a la coyote x to completely integrate the new bit into the frame as best possible and doing a basjoos style hatch,

On the hatch, I thought about extending the window by cutting off the bottom of the hatch window at the bottom and welding on another window from another hatch. This would extend the window and the hatch and keep all the same hardware and latches.

Welding I will need to get done somewhere. I don't have any experience there.

[trebuchet03]

^^ Done right - you won't need any frame... The glass can be your frame Then, the only thing you'd have to worry about is how to attach

Here's some tutorials I put together for building an HPV fairing:

large Scale Mold Making
Large Scale Tool Making
Large Scale Part Making

This thing is probably around the same size as what your boat tail would be.... We spent about $2300 for tooling and supplies to make that. We used glass that wouldn't shard when broken (a concern for us - not so much for you) which was pretty expensive compared to the alternatives. The most expensive bit - $500 to $600 of blue foam!!!

But, in theory - you can test out the fairing using the blue foam mold before setting anything in glass

[bestmapman]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

^^ Done right - you won't need any frame... The glass can be your frame Then, the only thing you'd have to worry about is how to attach

Here's some tutorials I put together for building an HPV fairing:

large Scale Mold Making
Large Scale Tool Making
Large Scale Part Making

This thing is probably around the same size as what your boat tail would be.... We spent about $2300 for tooling and supplies to make that. We used glass that wouldn't shard when broken (a concern for us - not so much for you) which was pretty expensive compared to the alternatives. The most expensive bit - $500 to $600 of blue foam!!!

But, in theory - you can test out the fairing using the blue foam mold before setting anything in glass

Nice links. I'll look at them in depth tonight.

[basjoos]

Wow, nice project. It'll be interesting to see what kind of mileage improvement (especially at highway speeds) you can get out of a Prius with its Cd in the mid 0.10's.

I'm curious why you would want to delete the wipers when it would be fairly easy to make a windshield/deflector (as a rearward extension of the hood) that would keep the airflow from impacting the wipers, with the only drag penalty being the 1" high slot where the wiper would emerge from under the shield when being used. It would be interesting to see how they are handling the wiper on the Aptera, which also has a shielded wiper emerging from the base of the glass windshield.

Also are you considering installing a complete underpan, the partial underpan that comes on the stock Prius leaves a lot to be desired, aerodynamically speaking.

[bestmapman]

Originally Posted by basjoos

Wow, nice project. It'll be interesting to see what kind of mileage improvement (especially at highway speeds) you can get out of a Prius with its Cd in the mid 0.10's.

I'm curious why you would want to delete the wipers when it would be fairly easy to make a windshield/deflector (as a rearward extension of the hood) that would keep the airflow from impacting the wipers, with the only drag penalty being the 1" high slot where the wiper would emerge from under the shield when being used. It would be interesting to see how they are handling the wiper on the Aptera, which also has a shielded wiper emerging from the base of the glass windshield.

Also are you considering installing a complete underpan, the partial underpan that comes on the stock Prius leaves a lot to be desired, aerodynamically speaking.

Thanks for the comments. Your probably right on the wiper shroud. The wipers on the Prius just stick right up in the windstream. I thought it would be easier to get rid of them and put them back on when needed with a quick attach fitting. Rear wiper is gone already.

I hadn't considered the upderpan so I am adding this also to my list.

If you ever get up in Kentucky, I would be real interested in seeing your mods up close.

the first thing I did was add aerohubcaps and rear wiper delete.

The next thing that I am going to do is the rear wheel skirts.