Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
Jim,
Thanks for the new pictures! That is the best boattail I've seen, and it goes with the best belly pan I've ever seen (if only in pictures). Question: do the people who see your car "get it"?
Is the inside of your boattail able to be used for storage? I like your solution for opening the stock hatch, by the way -- can you take a couple of pictures of the latch panel and then hatch open?
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Thanks Neil, it's a labor of love for me, and I like working with foam/fiberglass. Really appreciate your kind comments!
And take a look below for some pictures of the hatch...
Here is a closeup with the hatch closed.
And a closeup of a side view.
Here is a view with the hatch open.
A view of the latching mechanism.
Both hatches open.
View with the large hatch open as well, and a view of the mounting system.
And a view into the "trunk", which as of now I have not used for storage. I did have an auditor at work who was "thrilled" with the extra storage space that the tail offered, in fact he though that was reason it was added to the car. Storage!. Ha!
You asked if people "get it". I have had only three people ask serious questions about the car during the last three years now, so I'm not sure how to answer your question.
I did run into the local high school "tech teacher" last fall, and he requested I drive the car over for the students to get a first hand view. The meeting went well, and the students mostly seemed genuinely interested in a high mileage vehicle.
Their high mileage entry got only about 150 mpg since they had the mentality of "keeping the powerful engine running at all times" approach. The team got a eye opener when other teams got 400 and 500 mpg out of similar sized cars due to P&G techniques and smaller engines. The teacher alluded to the fact it was hard to break the kids of the "big engine on" approach.
Most of my drive is on old country roads where I creep along. Most people who come up behind me pass almost immediately, which is great with me.
When the tail first went on the car, I used to have large pickups follow me for several miles before passing, but lately everyone passes almost immediately.
My neighborhood has more full size pickups now that I have the tail on than before it, so I'm not sure what is going on, but it seems that there are more pickups on other surrounding subdivisions as well, when I go out for a bicycle ride with my wife, so maybe it's just the Jones's keeping up with other Jones's. Don't know for sure, but it does seem that way to me.
I did run into another Insight owner MNDriver up at the Stevens Point WI Energy Expo back in June of this year, and it was fun to talk with other high mileage enthusiasts.
Jim.