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Old 10-27-2010, 06:36 PM   #36 (permalink)
skyl4rk
Coasting Down the Peak
 
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: M I C H I G A N
Posts: 514

Toyauto Pickup - '94 Toyota Pickup 2WD
90 day: 36.32 mpg (US)

Versa Base - '09 Versa Sedan 1.6 Base
Team Nissan
90 day: 41.69 mpg (US)
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It is based on observations from the tail I made. I got about 25% improvement in FE over the EPA rating numbers even with a tail on a sedan, you may have better aero with the tail on the hatchback. It is somewhat hard to tell what was the tail and what was driving technique but I think 25% is accurate for the tail only. I could probably do an additional 20 to 30% over EPA by doing EOC and slow driving.

Foam and fiberglass will make a nice looking part but the time to build will be very high. I have worked in the boatbuilding industry and build boats as a hobby. The only time I would build with foam and glass is to make a plug for a mold. In order to get a good finish and lightweight fiberglass part, it is best to lay up fiberglass in a mold, vacuum bag it and pull the part out.

I generally prefer to use chine construction with plywood in stitch and glue construction method for boats. It is faster and easier to get to a finished hull. But that does not give you the nice curves as you can get in foam/fiberglass.

I am still up in the air about whether to use plywood or coroplast for my next tail. coroplast is really an amazing material for the weight and cost, I probably should stick with coroplast.

The program Hull Designer can be used to get cut out grids for panels from a 3D design that you lay out. Then attach the panels at their edges and the 3D design appears.

Carlson Design Plotter/Cutters

This software could be used to make a tail with multiple panels that is more rounded than the somewhat ugly four sided tail that I built.
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