Quote:
Originally Posted by Vman455
Yup--I've had fun autocrossing the car. Now I work weekends, though, and since its primary function is as a commuter I've decided to take it in a different (and more economical) direction.
I've been reading all the boattail threads I can find on here, and the idea is really growing on me (especially with those potential Cd values Aerohead posted!). I'm thinking of a 36"-38" extension past the rear bumper (~60% of template), moving the license plate and stock taillight housings to the end of the taper, and building the tail out of foam blocks and fiberglass (using 3-wheeler's method). I have to be able to see out the rear to have a legal mirror situation, so I'm thinking of using a piece of Lexan doubling as a hatch for trunk access, and removing the trunklid since it would be superfluous. This would also allow me to use the trunk edges as mounting points, in addition to a support on the bumper and perhaps in the taillight holes. |
At the 'angles' associated with the 'Template' your LEXAN might produce refraction and internal reflections significant enough to obliterate the rear view.
If you have any clear plastic laying around you might prop it against the back of the car at the anticipated angle and look through the rearview to check your rearward vision.
Should it be a problem,you can always do a small,vertical, 'step' backlight which is inset into the rear slope.It doesn't have to be very large and the recessed area around it will simply capture a vortex of which the outer flow will just skip over.Many supercars and competition race cars have used this when running proper K-Form rooflines.