MetroMPG's Honda Insight boat tail extension (cardboard) tuft video; ABA test +9.7%

[NeilBlanchard]

I'd paint it with waterproof glue first, and then paint it with a spray can of paint. Put some red reflector tape on the back and sides so other drivers can see it.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

I'd paint it with waterproof glue first, and then paint it with a spray can of paint. Put some red reflector tape on the back and sides so other drivers can see it.

I'll second that. The reflector tape is an important safety feature. And it's also made of weatherproof plastic

[freebeard]

Xist -- I thought about editorializing but just put the list up as found. They're listed, from 'Nothing' on, according to service life.

Concrete makes more sense for a house—or a canoe. Copal varnish is actually pretty rare. It's made out of amber or something. They must have had some to try; it only gave six month service life. I think 'resin-base paint' is like spray-on truckbed liner. It's described as flexible.

So my conclusion is that instead of messing with fiberglass, just spray out the inside with boiled linseed oil, and the outside with truck bed liner.

Maybe it will be time to bump the Military Theme thread.

[malibuguy]

that looks awesome.

make a mold then redo it in carbon fiber & sell 'em

[botsapper]

You have fine-tuned templates for a coroplast/plasticore tail.

[MetroMPG]

Botsapper - yup, the same thought occurred to me. If this works decently well, it could be disassembled & recreated multiple times over in more durable coro.

But on the topic of producing multiple copies ...

Even considering only the cost of a bit of 1x1 wood, a bunch of screws, cardboard, tape & glue, this thing would have a very looooong payback period. In my original post, I wasn't joking about saving those extra millilitres of fuel. That's what you get when you improve a 95 mpg vehicle by ~5 or 10%. (Not that saving money has anything to do with the project.)

Got some more cardboard - back to work on covering the top this evening.

[MetroMPG]

And for further deflection... THIS GUY is a true cardboard artist:



(Yes, life sized.)



See more: Chris Gilmour

[ECOHondaOdyssey]

Great job!

[Cobb]

+1 in coating it in fiber glass and selling copies online.

[MetroMPG]

Still need to cover the bottom.

Then it's tuft testing time!