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Old 10-24-2011, 10:30 PM   #67 (permalink)
JethroBodine
MPG Militia HMV-25E80+A
 
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Vermont, USA
Posts: 823

FrankenJetta D - '90 Volkswagen Jetta GL
Boat tails and more mods
Diesel
TEAM VW AUDI Group
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Neil- I'm so new at this, my minimum is EPA. Last winter I drove a Jeep Cherokee, that I was happy to get 19mpg.

Rear wheel fairings- My hope with these was to get the air flowing smoothly from the kilts to the impending tail.



I cleaned everything off the rear panel and scuffed the surface for adhesion.



I then taped from the wheel kilt to the rear of the car, figuring that would be the start of the tail, using the sticky side out by overlapping the ends( leaving the sticky side in is baaaad).



Then I filled behind the tape with gap sealing foam from Home Depot.

After allowing the foam to cure, I removed the tape and started shaping by cutting parts off with a sharp knife( I keep all my knives very sharp). If you have access, an air saw with a hacksaw blade in it is AWESOME!



Sand, smooth over with lightweight body filler( bondo), sand again.




Paint whatever color makes you happy.

There are a couple things I should mention. Use aluminum or other metal directly behind the wheels on bottom. I live on dirt roads, and the aluminum side of mine is standing up better than the foam side. The foam may expand after covered on a really hot day as it could still have a pocket of uncured foam. I layered one of my sides too thick and when I cut into one such pocket while shaping, it started oozing out like a snake coming out of a hole in a tree. I do like this method as it is light, the foam sticks to anything, and it is easily sanded or added to.
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Boat tail project
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