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Old 05-28-2010, 02:16 PM   #10 (permalink)
RobertSmalls
Left Lane Ecodriver
 
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Posts: 2,257

Prius C - '12 Toyota Prius C
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Funny View Post
Robert, is there any way to fix that hood? Jeez man, that gap on the passenger side light looks like a gaping hole to me...
Yeah, it's pretty bad aero. That's an old picture, with the fiberglass parts in gray primer.

Before I drove to Indiana, a buddy and I took a whack at it with a 2x4 and a rubber mallet, but it still needs more. I'd also like to move the driver's side headlight forward a half inch before I make major adjustments to the rest of it.

One big mistake I made: I didn't notice the "design language" of the bumper before I started sanding the upper grille block. Honda has the headlights set a few inches back from the bumper, and the grille block should have started back there. That's why mine ended up with a discontinuity to the left and right of the upper grille.

Fiberglass is a great material. It's lightweight, fairly easy to work with, weatherproof, and paintable. If you can get it smooth, and avoid any lumps or ridges where the fiberglass ends, you can make it look like it was meant to be there.

The cheaper / more common polyester resin eats styrofoam. I chose epoxy resin from USComposites.com.
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