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Old 11-13-2009, 06:53 PM   #57 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 62.14 mpg (US)
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This week I unbent the aluminum bows I picked up.

Set up a stool on the driveway, got out the duct tape and taped one of the tubes between the stool and the car, extending the existing angle of the Kammback (~15 degrees). Spent a long time staring at things.

Fired up Photoshop. Drew some lines.



Then I chose 130 cm / 52 inches as the length of the boat tail (roughly to the vertical green line. Two reasons: partly for aesthetic proportions because it's close to length of the car's existing "sections" (hood / door / rear), and 2) partly because the longest aluminum tubes will fit crosswise in the back of the car.

I think I'm going to aim for a 6 degree bottom angle, approximately what's shown there (don't do the photoshop measurement to check my work on this image - it's 5 degrees there.)

Bicycle Bob advocates for no more than a 4 degree angle. Unfortunately, that will leave the end of the tail a bit lower than I'd like for departing slope angles from the back tire.

I've since made a cardboard "transom", and four struts. Mounted on the car.

Plan is to make an aluminum + cardboard skinned prototype tail based on these angles and tuft test it.

Should have a couple of photos of construction this weekend.
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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