I made some aero mirrors

[3dplane]

Hey guys! Just got done installing my new fancy pants aero mirrors.
Made out of a piece of 2" styrofoam insulation. Shaping the foam took 5 minutes but the rest of the paint prep took forever and it still looks like crap (the paint job).

The foam blank was covered with Bondo which eats holes in the styrofoam on the first coat. So after sanding that I needed to apply more Bondo at least two more times and still broke through it to the foam at places but I got sick of sanding so the paint job ( color and clear) is only ok from about 20 feet away.

Also I had to dig deep into the foam at the mirror cavity to get it adjusted properly. I'll report back how much use it is in actual traffic.

BTW this is a 94 Mazda Protege not whatever my MPG signature says.

Barna

[kach22i]

Sure beats the heck out of no mirrors.

The quality looks pretty good in the photos.

You will have to let us know how well they work in traffic.

[redyaris]

...veeery innteresting...

[Sven7]

Looks good to me. Would it have been easier to use some kind of water putty meant for wood, as long as you seal it properly?

[WD40]

They look awesome .. I had a similar plan using spray foam.
But yours look removable, so that makes yours more desirable.

[3dplane]

@Sven7: I don't know if putty would withstand the chemicals in the automotive paint. I knew Bondo did so I figured if I cover the whole suface of the foam with it then it should work. I just did not count on the Bondo eating the styrofoam ( a little)and then for second coat of Bondo I should've applied a really thick coat so only one time sanding to the final shape instead of keep going back to fix patches and then the surface is different textures if I put a little more or less hardener in the mix so the paint looks spotty etc.

@WD40: Thanks! I think I tried spray foam before on a different project and mine never cured to a sandable state so I'm not going to try that again soon.

Yes I could put the originals back on in about 2 minutes thanks to manual mirrors.(no wires going down the door panel) Pop a cover and 3 phillips screws hold it.

I actually weighed them. The finished mirror (1) weighed 2.0 ounces and the original is 2Lb 5 ounces.Big difference. Although I can't remember if I had the mirror glass in it when I weighed it. (add a few more grams if I didn't)
Barna

[Rokeby]

Very cool...

And apparently in compliance with the Florida regs where apparently only a
single mirror is required:

The 2011 Florida Statutes

Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL

316.294 Mirrors.—Every vehicle, operated singly or when towing any other
vehicle, shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the driver
a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the
motor vehicle. A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction,
punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
History.—s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 76-31; s. 207, ch. 99-248.
Note.—Former s. 316.273.
Florida

(Most states require rear view and driver's side mirrors)

So why have side mirrors at all?

They are safer than having nothing, required or not?

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by Rokeby

Very cool...

And apparently in compliance with the Florida regs where apparently only a
single mirror is required:

The 2011 Florida Statutes

Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL

316.294 Mirrors.—Every vehicle, operated singly or when towing any other
vehicle, shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the driver
a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the
motor vehicle. A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction,
punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
History.—s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 76-31; s. 207, ch. 99-248.
Note.—Former s. 316.273.
Florida

(Most states require rear view and driver's side mirrors)

So why have side mirrors at all?

They are safer than having nothing, required or not?

Minnesota (my home state) is like this too. I didn't even bother with exterior mirrors. As I've shown here, a wide angle mirror stuck onto the rearview is more than adequate- with a wider field of view than stock.

Mirror Delete Blind Spot Solution

It's more of a personal choice. Going mirrorless takes a bit of getting used to and may make some people uncomfortable.

[California98Civic]

Nice look. But I would have to worry about the police out here pulling me over again. I get tired of police attention.

[NachtRitter]

Probably one of the best solutions for side mirrors that I've seen ... thank you for posting your solution! Would love to see some construction pics if you have them.