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Old 07-05-2012, 08:17 AM   #1 (permalink)
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Inflatable kammback

Has anyone tried making an Inflatable kammback? You could make it out of Clear vinyl so you could see behind you and if you backed into anything it would be a soft bumper. If you had to parallel park, just let the air out so you would fit in the space. SC

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Old 07-05-2012, 08:40 AM   #2 (permalink)
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Clear vinyl would easily tear - or could easily be teared (as in vandalized)

A see-through structure is less easily seen by others as well.
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Old 07-05-2012, 08:47 AM   #3 (permalink)
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nice idea , for other areas of the car i was thinking about using styrofoam and cover and paint it , has the added benefit of being great for crash impacts, pretty much every car now has styrofoam in the bumpers somnewhere ,plus light cheap and easy to shape,
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Old 07-05-2012, 08:56 AM   #4 (permalink)
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I'm trying to think of something cheap already made to stick on the back of this Volvo station wagon. I see these cheap inflatable pool floats that I can bend 90 degrees and tape to the back tailgate, Like this symbol |>. SC
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Old 07-05-2012, 09:05 AM   #5 (permalink)
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here is a mock up using the latest Cad software.sc
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Old 07-05-2012, 09:46 AM   #6 (permalink)
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Oh, the return of the ever elusive inflatable boat tail! So many seekers, so few finders...

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Old 07-05-2012, 10:12 AM   #7 (permalink)
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Aw.. I thought I was on to something....Sigh...SC. I still will try it
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Old 07-05-2012, 05:35 PM   #8 (permalink)
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I think the issue becomes one of pattern making and durability. It probably wouldn't be all that difficult to enlist a Chinese factory to be able to produce it. The problem becomes that you would have to mass market it. To make the first one would cost $10,000 or more, but each one after that would be $15. Then you get into each model of car requiring a custom shape, so you'd be chasing your tail trying to market to all the different models so it would be an enormous initial investment.

It's what keeps me from trying. And I don't think they make "Do It Yourself" Inflatables. I was watching a TV show about a company that makes those inflatable dinosaurs & such and it was a Very involved process to engineer those....and all they do is wave in the wind at passing cars, with a blower keeping air pumped in continuously. And they are very expensive. So engineering something to sit on the back of a car over 4 to 5 years through night and day and up to 120MPH air speeds (70 into a 50 MPH gust, not too uncommon) and not deflate very often would require a fairly serious amount of quality in materials and design.

I'm not saying you can't do it, it would just require 10 to 20 times the amount of time, effort, and money that it would eventually end up saving you. The cost benefit analysis just eats your lunch right in front of you.
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Old 07-05-2012, 05:47 PM   #9 (permalink)
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It would have to have many inner pockets like an air mattress to make it really durable and hold it's shape. Better that all the inner pockets inflate and deflate individually. Would be easy to make, but why not just have a permanent Kamm back? Unless you want an inflatable boat tail. But then that's not a very good idea for a car. For a Tractor trailer yes.
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Old 07-05-2012, 10:04 PM   #10 (permalink)
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I thought about those dog houses shaped like an igloo attached to the back might help air flow. This pic has a canvas dog house that looks like it might work.

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