groar's 1997 Megane Modding Thread

[groar]

Hi,

My first post was my SG2 fiasco : (long) Scangauge II vs. old European diesel Renault...

Because I can't use a SG2, I'm beginning to ecomod my megane. The first step is the lower grill block. By now it's the first version with cardboard and tape, so here is "the lower grill block by a dummy ".

I cut of the cardboard and covered it with tape by beginning by borders, then I taped the grill block over the lower grill.

The radiator is tall and wide, it's the black box on the second picture. The red boxes are openings to the radiator. The green box is the opening to the turbo's radiator, I don't use the turbo a lot but the dashboard doesn't have a light in case of turbo dysfunction. The blue box was already closed, but was deeeep.

I ran 60 km (37.5 M) today at 70 km/h (43.5 mph). The engine heated more than usually, but less than when I run on the highway for a long trip. If it heat then I'll cut the lower right corner.

Because I only found this color of solid tape, the grill block is very "stealth"... I just have to find the situation where it will be so

The megane has already a rather good Cx (0.32) but I wish to continue. Second step may be rear wheel skirts, but I will have to use other materials than cardboard...

Edit :

• cost = 2€ of tape and 0 of cardboard
• butt-o-meter : no difference in feeling after 120 km (75 miles)

Have fun,

Denis.

[RH77]

Great thread!

France has cars that I can only dream about and not purchase in the U.S. To mod one for even better FE is a great prospect.

Bonne chance, and keep us updated on the progress...

RH77

[groar]

Originally Posted by groar

I cut of the cardboard and covered it with tape by beginning by borders, then I taped the grill block over the lower grill.

It rained a few nights ago... The left half is always hard while the right one is soft, it drunk water It seams tape can be used to "waterproof" cardboard, but it will not be easy and what about durability ?

I'm currently building the cardboard rear wheel skirts, while I found some material to build a transparent hard grill block... Stay tuned for a next message...

Edit : added picture of the cardboard lower grill block after rain.

Have fun,

Denis.

[groar]

Today I build one cardboard rear wheel skirt, taped it onto the car and drive-tested it

From the first picture you can see the wheel is outside the car, so I glued layers to the skirt, as seen on the third picture. From the second picture you can see the door is near the wheel, so I taped the skirt "inside the door".

For the skirt to be strong, I used a piece of bamboo I taped outside the lower end of the skirt.

You can see the final work on pictures 4 and 5.

I test-drived it during 28km (18 miles) at speeds between 70 & 110 km/h (43 & 68 mph). I didn't go so fast since weeks At the middle of the trip I stopped to look at the skirt but it didn't moved At home I just added a few pieces of tape to more secure the bamboo.

My butt-o-meter told me it felt better but I'm sure my brain dictated that as I felt so proud to have made something more complicated than a bulb change

I should finish and tape the second skirt tomorrow. I Hope it will not rain this week...

I also taped some cardboard on one front wheel hubcap (no picture) but I'm not so sure that it's really useful compare to my current hubcaps. What do you think about ?

Denis.

[RH77]

Great thread...

I suggest to perform some coast-down testing in an area that has little wind and little traffic to see if your mods are helping...

Someone in the forum posted a great Instructable with a spreadsheet to perform repeatable coasting tests and analyze your mods.

Keep testing and best of luck!

RH77

[dentprone]

Cool, I like the way you blocked up the rear of the skirt to clear the tire. Looks like with that template, you can more easily build one from a weatherproof material. Can you get Coroplast easily? That should work well for your application. Looking good, keep it up.

[groar]

Originally Posted by dentprone

Cool, I like the way you blocked up the rear of the skirt to clear the tire.

Thanks

As the second piece of bamboo (used for the second skirt) wasn't as curved as the first one, I just added one layer.

Looks like with that template, you can more easily build one from a weatherproof material. Can you get Coroplast easily? That should work well for your application. Looking good, keep it up.

I searched, but it seams the only way I can have coroplast is to steal it from construction sites (it's used to protect some materials).

I found synthetic glass. For the grill block it should be OK. For the skirts it may be more difficult as it may not be flexible enough. I'm realizing that its transparency may not be a good idea...

Finished the second skirt and taped it. The first one didn't moved today during my 60 km (38 miles) daily trip nor the carboard over the hubcap. I may cover the second front hubcap tomorrow and admire my work during the rest of the way, dancing the no-rain dance
I may inflate my tires to 43 PSI (currently 34 and max sidewall at 51).

Denis.

[groar]

Originally Posted by RH77

Great thread...

Thanks

I suggest to perform some coast-down testing in an area that has little wind and little traffic to see if your mods are helping...

I found enough time during last days to mod my megane, but I may not find enough time during next weeks to do serious tests

Someone in the forum posted a great Instructable with a spreadsheet to perform repeatable coasting tests and analyze your mods.

Good pages, as the referenced iwilltry.org link. I bookmarked them and I'll try to come back later on them.

Denis.

[MetroMPG]

Subscribed to this thread.

[groar]

Lately I read a lot of EM threads and associated articles and didn't upgraded my car except the nut and the tires that are now at 3.2 bars (46.4) while rated at 3.5 bars (50.8).

I basjoosed with some tape the spaces between the roof and the front and rear windshields (1st and 2nd pictures). I bought some transparent tape for greenhouses, ie waterproof and resisting to UV and temperature changes. As said in another thread : if it doesn't help, it shouldn't hurt

It will be rainy and sunny this week so I'll see if this tape is OK or not. If it's OK I'll use it on the roof itself (3rd picture) and a few other places.

Denis.

[groar]

A few weeks ago an itinerant spectacle came in my town and their advertisements were installed everywhere in the city. As soon as the last show finished, they picked up their ads and went away.

A few weeks after I could see they forget several ads at a crossroad. I looked at them and they were made of coroplast A few days after I decided to pick them up... At first I took only 2 sheets : 160x60 cm (62x23 inches) each. Later I decided to pick them all and finally I got 10 sheets.

As they were used two by two around a post, they are rounded (see 1st picture). They have also some plastic to protect the sheet of paper on which is printed the schedule. It took me more than one hour to remove the plastics and staples one by one (around 40 by coroplast sheet...).

Finally I let it under the sun so the water from the last rain could evaporate (2nd picture).

I began to build the non-cardboard rear wheel skirts from these coroplast sheets. As the coroplast is thinner than the cardboard, I will have to rebuild a part of it as it's now too close to the wheel. Next episode for a next week-end...

Denis.

[cfg83]

groar -

Originally Posted by groar

...

I basjoosed with some tape the spaces between the roof and the front and rear windshields (1st and 2nd pictures). I bought some transparent tape for greenhouses, ie waterproof and resisting to UV and temperature changes. As said in another thread : if it doesn't help, it shouldn't hurt

...

Denis.

Oooh, I didn't know about this stuff. I usually use packaging tape. I am going to buy some.

CarloSW2

[groar]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Oooh, I didn't know about this stuff. I usually use packaging tape. I am going to buy some.

Just discovered this thread :
DIY Clear Tape and clear PVC film minor mods

As said, don't forget to also clean your hands, or you'll have tons of fingerprints all under the seethrough tape. Also do it slowly or you'll end with tons of bubbles.

Denis.

[cfg83]

groar -

I hadn't seen that thread either. This looks like a good way to make a stealthy door handle cover.

CarloSW2