The Prius Experiment

[Blacktree]

I was able to paint the mirror bases today. I waited until the paint was dry to the touch, and attached the sport bike mirrors. They already look much better than the other ones. Here are a couple photos.





They're not perfect, but should look fine from 5 feet away. And that's good enough. It just needs to be presentable. This isn't a show car.

I'm tempted to install them right now, but the paint needs to cure some more. Right now it's at the point where it can be handled, but you have to be careful. So I'm going to let it dry overnight.

[Xist]

I wish that the channels that I follow put this much effort into aeromods!

Did I share a new British channel where they did some kind of a fuel economy contest?

One guy had something like a boat tail, but it looked like he intentionally made it ugly.

Someone taped his seams because why listen to someone who worked at an air tunnel?

He had a grill block and wheel covers, but his car started overheating, so he removed the grill block and wheel covers.

Why did he remove the latter?!

[Blacktree]

Originally Posted by Xist

One guy had something like a boat tail, but it looked like he intentionally made it ugly.

That's funny. I guess that's what people expect? But my goal is to make the ecomods look like they could be factory options.

[Blacktree]

Here's a photo of the stock mirror next to the sport bike one. The size difference is noticeable.



But you're probably here to see photos of the new mirrors installed. And I don't blame you. So here we go!





That said, the sport bike mirrors angle upward more than I anticipated. They're still not as bad as the other ones. But I might try swapping sides, to make them lay flat.

The sport bike mirrors also have yellow LED lights in them. I'm assuming they're meant to be used as turn signals. I haven't hooked up the wiring yet, but might do that in the future.

I might also try color matching the mirror housings to the body, like the stock ones. But that's one of those "when I get around to it" things. I'm calling the side mirrors done for now.

I think next, I'll address the upper grille, or the wheel covers. Haven't decided yet. They both need replacing, just a matter of which to do first.

[Blacktree]

Hey guys, the video is up! I'm calling it "motorcycle mirrors 2.0"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJi9kw4XBbA

Also, I think I may have gotten the mirrors upside-down. They're not marked left or right, and I'm not very motorcycle savvy. So it's just a guess. If anybody knows for sure, I'm listening.

[Blacktree]

I decided to swap the mirrors side-to-side, just to see what they look like. I think this is how they're supposed to be installed. But IMO they resemble dog ears.



The "angle of the dangle" is built into the mirror base. So I think I'll rotate the mirror bases 180 degrees, to angle the mirrors back up.

Edit to add: I probably should explain there's a swivel joint in the mirror base, so you can pivot the mirrors up & down. But that should also allow me to rotate the base 180 degrees.

BTW, yeah I installed fog lights. But they're not wired up yet. I'll do that when the front bumper is off, for "grille block 2.0"

[freebeard]

I've been thinking about a 'grille obstruct'. Chrome bullets where you have your fog lights. I haven't found the parts yet.

A callback to the 1956 Cadillac's dagmars.

I prefer the new angle. So long as you have a sightline to the right-side mirror.

[Blacktree]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I prefer the new angle. So long as you have a sightline to the right-side mirror.

Just barely. I think the bottom ~1/8" of the mirror is obstructed. For a taller person (I'm only 5'7"), that shouldn't be an issue.

[Xist]

I need to sit on a cushion for extended drives, but modifying the mirrors so they sit higher seems like a better solution.

[freebeard]

Best sightlines are from peep mirrors.