04 Vibe aero thread

[Weather Spotter]

I like the photo shoot

I think the pizza pans and grill blocks add to the look of the car.

Now you just need a boat tail

[KITT222]

They really do make the car look good, especially the wheels. That 'photo shoot' was two quick shots with my phone (As they always are) at Dunn Bros while my dad got a coffee. The rear may be low since we just picked up some water softener salt.

My boat tail might take a while. One perk without it is I can park properly. Maybe it could fold up in some way. But that's for the future. I still have a lowering kit, belly pan, kammback, wheel skirts, and other things before I advance to boat tail level.

Oh, and I'm not liking that little mirror on the inside, so I'll have my eyes open for shorty side mirrors, and ideas for cowling them.

[Weather Spotter]

The inside mirror takes some getting use to. It is a trade off, 1.6 MPG for me won out.

[KITT222]

Well, one of the wheel covers went after I drove over a manhole cover going downhill. I tried looking for it to no avail, so I guess I'll have to grab another. In the meantime, that foam board one from my experiment will take it's place.

If you need to know I am averaging about 28 MPG. Not great, but good considering it's winter, and I drive a lot around town, and sometimes I can be a mildly fast driver. On the road at 55 MPH, the instant MPG reading varies from 32 to 48 MPG.

[Weather Spotter]

That is a wide MPG spread. Work on your foot pressure and you can keep it over 40 MPG most of the time

[KITT222]

That is what I usually do. 32 is my low, and it usually doesn't rest there for long.

Well, I've lost (REALLY lost) my other wheel cover, this time the one vertical from the other. I just cut the other two right off. Not worth it. A better way will be coming, even if it comes in the form of more holes and tighter zip ties (unlikely considering what just happened).

[KITT222]

Quick update: I've made one spring-loaded air deflector using a CD case and a pen spring. I'd use two pen springs, but I've lost my hot glue sticks. I'll tape it to the car tonight, and see how it does in the snow. No meaning for aero improvement, but just a proof-of-concept.

[Weather Spotter]

Pics to?

[KITT222]

All for you!




The part where the CD would go, which is resting on my netbook (which is resting on my laptop... I bet my laptop feels betrayed!) was the side taped to the car.

You will notice a second spring. I pushed the glue through with a pen, but the second one fell off before I taped it to my car, so it went with only one spring.

And how did it work, you ask? As a proof of concept, it worked 100% as planned. I placed a large chunk of brown ice/slush in front of it, and rolled forward, so the chunk hit the CD case, the CD case was pushed back by it, and once it was clear, it jumped right back into place. Now onto a REAL one, and forward onto 'permanent' ones! I'll get a video later on.

[Weather Spotter]

Looks cool

Keep up the good work.

Worry, at speed any impact will crack the cd case. You may want to use a not so breakable material for the next model.