Accord Newbie; 27.8 to 36.2 mods

[slugbeast]

what are the skirts made of/where did you get them and how did you attach them?

[McDesign]

Hey - I'm glad you asked that question - they were fun!

The strips were just cut (with a utility knife) from a wider length of fabric-reinforced neoprene conveyer belting that I mail-ordered from McMaster-Carr ~$100 delivered, IIRC.

Attached with self-tapping, black coated, stainless-steel screws into the plastic valences or sheetmetal - piece of cake, and seem durable.

<edit> - the flap in the front is to slide my jack under!

Forrest

[slugbeast]

That sounds really straight forward, I might do that to one of my cars some time... thanks!

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Other variables change as the months go by, though: your tires' RR is decreasing as they age & wear; ambient temperature affects MPG a lot as the seasons change (A/C use? Warm-up times increase as summer temps recede; numerous other impacts on RR & aero drag); fuel formulations changes around this time of year to the slightly less energy dense "winter gas"; etc.

Time passing is problematic for evaluating small modifications!

But it should be a nice surprise come warm temps

We are happy to have you. As often as people join because their 2010 hybrid SUV is getting 12 mpg and they don't know how to change it without changing driving style, or car- it is extremely pleasant to have someone join like this!

Impressive start, your mods look well done. I am surprised you do not have a grill block yet. We just took my wifes off, because of appearance, so we will see her mileage without until she makes her own.

I just finished my own upper and lowers.

[McDesign]

Thanks - I'm going to read up on the grill block this weekend.

Forrest

[JRMichler]

Originally Posted by McDesign

The strips were just cut (with a utility knife) from a wider length of fabric-reinforced neoprene conveyer belting that I mail-ordered from McMaster-Carr ~$100 delivered, IIRC.

Which conveyor belt did you get? And is it the right stiffness for the job, or do you wish you had gotten different / thicker / thinner belt?

[McDesign]

I'd say it's perfect - doesn't flap, and I can wad it up on a curb and it's fine.


McMaster-Carr
Part # 90930A245 - Wide Washer Head Phillips Sheet Metal Screw, Black Weather-Resistant Coated Steel, #10 Size, 3/4" L, packs of 50; $5.76 per pack

Part # 6000K16 - Heavy Duty Black SBR Rubber Conveyor Belting, 2 Ply, .27" Thick, 150 lb PIW Max Tension, 24" W - $15.91 per foot

I also got this to make a diffuser duct; haven't yet - maybe a grill block?
Part # 84775K762 - Lightweight Rigid PVC Foam Sheet, .394" Thick, 24" X 36", Black - $52.87 each

Forrest

[slurp812]

I had a 1994 Accord EX 4cly . Calculated ~25mpg average summer time. Without ANY mods. I simply chganged my driving habits based on info on here, and I could always get over 35mpg in the summer time. I had a few tanks ~38 mpg range, and was getting like ~575 per tank. One time I got 600 but was driving on fumes...

[YeahPete]

Love the moon discs!
Love the skirts!
Love the mirror delete!

Everything looks so clean. How did you do that nice mirror plate and it looks so flush as well.

[McDesign]

Hey, thanks!

I wish I'd taken pictures during the mirror delete experiment. Basically, I unbolted the whole factory mirror assembly from inside the car and gutted it. Afterwards, I band-sawed and disc-sanded the emerging "stalk" off of the flat triangular panel that mounts in front of the window. I was left with a cross-section of metal core and plastic outer shell.

Once I had it flat-ish (actually a gentle convexity), I simply changed to Bondo and a file and did final filling and shaping and smoothing. Primer and wet-sand, and I rolled-on the SW enamel like the wheel discs.

Then, since the backside was still all stock Honda, I simply bolted it back into place and snapped on the interior cover.

In retrospect, I probably should have wrapped one thin layer of fine-weave fiberglas cloth over the triangle to consolidate the parts before the bodywork. If it gets a good impact now, I'm afraid I may get hairline cracks where the disparate parts abut.

Forrest