Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG
Phil: every time I settle in to work on the project I think of the goats and your aeroshell. No goats around here that I know of!
Things are moving along. I got the skim coat of body filler on (entire 1 lb can's worth - there's a lot of surface area), and started the sanding process. I think it's going to turn out nicely. Will post some pics tomorrow.
While working, I've been imagining different methods for making a detachable boat-tail...
A lightweight skeleton with fabric skin seems like a good option. Rigid detachable panels would be more complex - harder to make.
|
My neighbor Bob made a boat tail for his Vanagon with 1/2-inch (13mm) electrical metal tubing (EMT) and doped,dacron cloth.The tubing was bent to match the outline of the VW's tail,and define the shape of the cone,then mig-welded to create the superstructure.Bob attached wooden tack-strips to the tubing with screws.His wife tailored and sewed a Dacron envelope using the skeleton for the form.After the envelope was attached at the tack strips,Bob doped the whole thing like you'd do an old tail-dragger airplane.The boat tail was attached to a Thule bicycle carrier,which itself was secured to the rear hatch without any penetrations.The whole thing didn't weigh 7-kg.His was open at the back.He drove from Sanger out to Seattle,Washington and back a couple times and he swore it was good for 4-mpg.Not the prettiest thing,as Bob was only concerned with mpg,but everyone knows how beautiful a cloth airplane can be,so appearance doesn't have to be an issue.Many options,many ways to go.