Stainless Kammback for Previa.

[Christ]

In for pics... I love the way this thing looks.

[SVOboy]

Can't believe I've missed out on reading this thread for so long! Keep up the good work!

[orange4boy]

I have been doing brake drag reduction work and pre winter stuff while the weather is still good.

I discovered the rear drums on the Previa drag all the time due to the automatic brake adjusters which are actuated by the e-brake. DISABLED!
I can adjust by hand, thanks. Next week I'll do the seals on the front right caliper and lube both L+R sliders with moly.

This has made a big difference in my coast down. Hard to test aero mods if your brakes are sticking!

While I was down there I found a rust spot crawling up from the wheel well corner. I cleaned out all the gunk from behind the plastic wheel well panels then sanded out the rust and did a spot paint repair on the corner. I then undercoated the places they missed at the dealership. All day affair.

I still have to finish the lower part of the kamm but now I'm already thinking about the folding boattail addition to the kammback.

Help me, I'm drowning in projects!!!!

[Christ]

One thing at a time... when you finish one thing, start something else. Once that's finished, make sure the two "mesh well"... then move on to the third. When that's finished, make sure the three that you've finished "mesh well" and move on to the 4th.

If you do little bits of everything, you'll never finish anything. Ask me how I know.

[pgfpro]

Very nice craftsmanship!!!!!!!!!

[orange4boy]

One thing at a time... when you finish one thing, start something else. Once that's finished, make sure the two "mesh well"... then move on to the third. When that's finished, make sure the three that you've finished "mesh well" and move on to the 4th.

If you do little bits of everything, you'll never finish anything. Ask me how I know.

That's good advise, which I should know, now if only I could follow it. At least I'm doing the repair work before the Kamm. That's a big success for me.

The white strip lights are Ikea cabinet lights which happen to be 12V. Don't know how they will take the weather but they look cool. I have to do some better wire hanging than just tie straps. All in good time.

[Deezler]

Originally Posted by orange4boy

The white strip lights are Ikea cabinet lights which happen to be 12V. Don't know how they will take the weather but they look cool.

Just remove them now! Do you even half expect them to last in rain, at speed? Most Ikea products only barely last even when used as intended. Then you end up throwing plastic sh*t made in China into your local landfill.....

The kamm looks amazing though, nice work.

[orange4boy]

Update:

Kamm is working very well at turning heads. Helping with mileage too but that is subjective because I have not been able to do tests. Terminal velocity on my coastdown was noticeably higher with the coroplast addition. High speed glide seems much better.

I wish I could quantify the change more scientifically but I never have the time for testing and I don't live near a flat stretch of road.

My improved overall mileage and some numbers do point to an improvement:

I did get a record highway run of 36 mpg, previous record: 33.3 All other recent runs have been higher as well.
Vacuum gauge shows 17inches at 80kph used to show 16.5

Since my overall mileage has been trending up, I will say that it works and I'm keeping it on but would like to rework it and finish the bottom sides. That will have to wait till spring.

V2 will be even better. More stainless, more lexan, less drag.

In the meantime, check out my Prius rescue thread, link below: Transaxle guts and takedown gore to ensue shortly...

[AlaricD]

Considering aerodynamics, orange4boy, have you noticed if you get better mileage at high altitudes? I took my Previa to the top of Pikes Peak earlier this year, and noticed the whole time I was in Colorado my fuel mileage was much better than in Oklahoma (here in Stillwater we're at about 984 feet). I'll get 18-20mpg in Oklahoma, my best tank in Colorado was about 26mpg. No mods of any kind.


I would guess you're around 10-100 feet above sea level most of the time, but perhaps if you to Mt. Rainier or something once in a while you might see higher fuel economy, although your aero mods may have much less of an effect than they do at sea level (maybe they'll not even 'pay' for their own weight).

[thatguitarguy]

I live at 10,200 ft altitude in Leadville, CO. I do know that an ICE produces less power the higher you go. I believe that I get good gas mileage, partly related to the altitude, but I rarely travel below 5280 ft, so I have little to compare to in my own vehicles.

My theory/guess is that for one thing you have considerably less air resistance up here, so that accounts for some. Another guess is that because there is less air, there will be lower readings in whatever sensors you have in your induction, that the ECU will call for less fuel to compensate.

So you have an already detuned engine, an ECU calling for a lean burn, and less air to push out of the way as you move forward.

Like I say, It's just a guess, but it sounds good to me.