I've been trying to work out in my head how to do a rear undertray for the xB, which would, in gross ouline, translate to the xA (being that they are substantially the same car).
I propose having a small section that 'floats' with the rear axle. At normal ride height, it would be approximately flush with a big section under the body, and the giant cavity between the axle and bumper. All of these sections would overlap like shingles on a roof- it wouldn't be perfectly smooth across the length of the car, but it would be a good compromise. If the car got put up on a lift, it wouldn't get damaged by the suspension sagging, for example. The floating section would be attached close to the
Does this make sense? I realize that it sounds kind of convoluted.
A front section, and center section would be pretty simple, really. I have a fiberglass body kit that has a substantial lip around it's perimeter (except on the rear bumper, oddly) that would make for excellent attachment points, assuming I can concoct a fastening scheme that wouldn't be a complete PITA to remove for service.
Now that I think of it, this general design would translate to pretty much every car with a torsion-beam rear end.
Here's a shaded picture. The red part would be the big part of the pain under the bulk of the body. The green part represents what the floating section I propose would cover. Behind that would be a smallish rear section that I did not shade.
Now, I have to go get my car off of the ramp.