Project: Geo Metro boat tail prototype - 15% MPG improvement @ 90 kph / 56 mph

[Nerys]

well man now we are talking a whole different kind of snow. I have done a lot of snow driving when we used to actually get some snow around here. I miss it a lot.

also most of my cars have cavernouse enough wheels wells that this would never be an issue enclosed or not. I could see it maybe being a problem on the metro. I wonder of a teflon coating on the inside of the wheel well would be enough to prevent the ice from building up in the first place. another idea is heaters under the wells but that raises safety concerns unless you used a hot water circulation system but then your now talking ultra complex.

Interesting issue. There are an assortment of cars that come with skirts stock. I wonder how they deal with the problem or if most have large enough wells not to be a problem.

[basjoos]

I've had no problems with snow packing in the wheel wells when driving on snowy roads in the NC mountains. The front wells are kept warm by air exhausted from the radiator.

[MetroMPG]

For what it's worth, I've had the rear skirts on for 2 Ontario (more snowy) and 1 Nova Scotia (less snowy) winters without any problems. Haven't had to remove them to clear ice.

Obviously the Ontario snow doesn't compare to what guitarguy sees in Colorado.

Also, I don't drive a lot.

[thatguitarguy]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Obviously the Ontario snow doesn't compare to what guitarguy sees in Colorado.

Thanks. In my perspicacious and verbose way, that's about all I was trying to say.

[pstrbrc]

Actually, just butting in here 'cause I found a couple of copper colored coins in my pocket and wanted to throw them out,
Spent most of my life in the kind of winters theguitarguy pictured earlier, and have to admit that I've had the same concerns. But then I read you canucks and nor'easters saying it's no problem. So I think.
That's never good for the digestion.
But...
rear wheel skirts might be OK on a front wheel drive. Now that I reflect, all of my serious "wheel well packed with slush-turned-to-ice so tightly the wheel is frozen solid" experience has been on the front wheels of a front wheel drive car. Huh. So, maybe, even in the worst wet-snow-turned-to-slush-then refreezing-into-a-gianormous-block scenario wouldn't be a problem on a fwd with rear wheel skirts. Not that I wouldn't advise removing a front air dam before driving in the snow!
And remembering how many times I've gotten "highcentered" on snow that you could drive on until you stopped, which was when you sank through the bottom three inches of "slushpack", I'm not sure a bellypan would survive a typical Colorado winter. Removing skirts and airdam is one thing, but to have to do it to a bellypan? AAARRRGGGHHH!

[BamZipPow]

Have you checked out the ironwork on the tornado intercept vehicles? The Dominator...

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by thatguitarguy

This doesn't sound right to me. The reason they have 10 ton front loaders moving snow around here is that it doesn't just gently move to the side. And every vehicle I've ever driven in the snow (many) has collected packed ice and snow inside the wheel wells. This much enclosure around a wheel could be a disaster. This configuration looks to me to be a dry weather set up.

It's a challenge to find low budget aerodynamic solutions. It's a real challenge to find a usable balance between a Bonneville test vehicle and a daily commuter.

I've been able to muddle through Salt Lake and over the mountains,Vail Pass,etc.,into Colorado and then south and over Raton Pass with all sorts of aero appendages in significant snows.
I was "clenched" a lot of those miles,but it worked out okay.
If I were designing for 4-seasons I might consider exotic Rube Goldbergesque technology for the wheel areas but sofar,low tech has doe pretty well.

[Frank Lee]

I've had skirts on through winter and no freeze up. Well, actually it was the car that had the skirts.

And I've had cars with no skirts totally get the wheelwells packed with frozen slush to where the car would barely be able to steer until I got out, laid on the ground, and kicked the ice out. I'm very glad there were no skirts in the way for that condition.

I guess I'd say run the skirts but they should be easy to take off if needed. Or if you are in an area that sees those ice-up conditions more than rarely, run without the skirts for those few months.

[Cd]

If the mods become a problem, just take 'em off when you think you might get snow.

Now about that boat tail.....( hint )

[MetroMPG]

A-B-A testing done. Went well - really good testing conditions (little wind).

Not telling yet. Got stuff to do tonight & tomorrow.

But I added a poll to this thread if anyone wants to guess.