(Project) Boat tail-4 Door Sedan VW Mk2 (1990 Jetta GL)

[JethroBodine]

I do feel a change in my tail, but it feels lighter than before. I removed the rear window, trunk, seat, and seat support. Everything that I've added doesn't add up to what I've taken out. There is also a definite "straightness", for lack of a better way to describe it, that I can feel especially at highway speeds. I drove a stock AWD Honda CRV today and it felt( aside from feeling like a brick with a drag chute on it) kind of "loose" or "jittery"

It is kind of tough to explain, maybe 'Spotter can describe it better. He's been driving his longer that I've been driving mine.

[CigaR007]

The increased stability at highway speeds is understandable given the improved airflow at the back.

What about parking ? You take up 2 spots now ? I somehow can't imagine someone trying to parallel park it

[JethroBodine]

I do still fit in a normal parking space, though it is end to end. I haven't had to parallel park as I drive through to the open space in parking lots and plan ahead for street parking. I am looking into a rear camera for more help in tight situations. Plenty three point turns around here.

[JethroBodine]

Brief update.

Just applied resin to the tail. I wanted to seal it before any more snow came along. The foam seems to have been shrinking a bit, so I will have to redo my template overlay before I go on shaping.

[slowmover]

I've been wondering about side loads from wind. I realize you all don't get much of that up there, but sail area behind the rear axle is now quite large, so was wondering as I read along.

On the other hand, looking at a side view, I was thinking that a highly realistic flame job for the 'tail would give it that burning train in War of the Worlds look.

Good work!

[JethroBodine]

Thanks, Slowmover. Not quite the same weather here as there. I was in Kansas for a few years, and wind is definitely a big part of the weather 'round those parts. I have driven in a few squals with side wind gusts over 40mph and had no problems staying straight. On the highway, it seems to be more planted/solid in the direction of travel, even in cross winds. Small gusts(20mph or less) barely get noticed.

Friend of a friend does some realfire graphics from time to time. That's an interesting suggestion...hmmmm.

[Chris D.]

Any reason you didn't try to mock in a rear window?

Is that legal in your state? just in case..

maybe a backup camera in your future at least?

[JethroBodine]

Chris-
Winter happened, mostly. I probably will have a window at some point. Camera is in the works. As long as I have two outside mirrors, I'm OK for legality( I do State inspections at work).

Smoothing it out and getting the final shape will be the next stage, with emphasis on making a "shell" over what I will have as a final shape. The last half inch or so will probably be fiberglass mat and the internal structure will be removed/reworked into a support. I'm thinking Spring-ish, I've got some engine work ahead of that right now.

[JethroBodine]

Spring is here, for now, and drmiller100 has started The Git'rDun Challenge . As my self appointed challenge is to finish the tail, I'll be posting here a bit more often for a while.

Progress- I measured out the elevation drops on the template, and for my height vehicle, 54.5" with the 10% segments equaling 19.4", the drops are as follows;

10%= .76"
20%= 2.3"
30%= 5.37"
40%= 9.98"
50%= 16.12"
60%= 23.8"
70%= 31.48"
80%= 39.15"
90%= 46.82"
100%=54.5"

Next step is to make a cardboard template to use as a guide for the top of the tail, get some measurements and pics from above the Jetta to make the side template, and hopefully I'll be forming by the weekend.

P.S. I updated the first post to include the drop values.

[JethroBodine]

Finally got around to start on the smoothing of the tail. I only had a half gallon of resin left, so I didn't get a large area done. I did make some serious improvements to the area I did work on, and hopefully tomorrow I can get more resin. Don't know if I'm going to meet the June first deadline of the The Git'rDun Challenge but I'm going to give it the old college try. Pics later.