Aerodynamic Belly Pan on Toyota Echo

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Yes, I just tucked the leading edge of the Coroplast into the back of the axle 'V', and then taped it to the under side of the axle beam with Gorilla tape. It probably does move a bit, but it stayed put for the latter part of the summer and the fall with no problems.

Your solution is certainly more professional looking!

The front end mods, and the smooth wheel covers have been the best improvements, among the things I have tried on the xA, anyway.

[whokilledthejams]

Looking good!

I'm curious as to what the leading edge of your rear-pan looks like-- that's the part I can't figure out in brainstorming a similar arrangement for my xB (which is basically on a stretched Echo platform).

As an aside, I also like the 2x6/cinder block ramps -- my regular storebought ramps only barely work on the rear of my slightly lowered xB, and I can only use one at a time in the front (changing the oil gets interesting).

[jime57]

Neil and I did ours a bit differently. On mine you will have noticed that I had a front support just behind the rear beam axel/torsion bar. I adjusted the height of that support so that the leading edge of the pan was about 1/2 inch behind the axel and at a height about the middle of the rear open face of the axel. I reasoned that that would give me good aerodynamics and would keep the wind out of the pan. I think Neil's arrangement might be a bit slicker aerodynamically, but I was concerned with attaching the pan to a movable support. Apparently Neil's approach works fine.

The cinder block ramps worked just fine, with a light car. Make sure you set them up so that the holes are vertical. They are much stronger that way. Solid blocks would be even stronger, if they were available. You will notice that driving onto the blocks, up the ramps, is a bit of a delicate operation, since there is no chock at the top. Do it very slowly and carefully. Allign the ramps carefully before you start. Note that it isn't a recommended use of cinder blocks by many ;-)

[vtec-e]

Thats risky as hell going up on concrete blocks! They are liable to randomly bursting under pressure. You should get some steel ramps with chocks built in the top. I'd hate to see anything bad happen a fellow ecomodder!

ollie

ps; the belly pan is excellent by the way. Nice sheet metal work around the exhaust!

[alohaspirit]

any update on this?

[johnnymac]

Do you have a link or know of a link to show info about echo fender skirts, and flat wheel covers. Any help is appreciated. My Echo wheelcovers look like they dont handg on tight, and I am thinking about full disk wheel covers. Will they fit over my tire valve stems?

Thanks

[moonmonkey]

do a search for echo rea rwheel skirts. on this forum

[jime57]

Originally Posted by johnnymac

Do you have a link or know of a link to show info about echo fender skirts, and flat wheel covers. Any help is appreciated. My Echo wheelcovers look like they dont handg on tight, and I am thinking about full disk wheel covers. Will they fit over my tire valve stems?

Thanks

As moonmonkey says, a search will probably turn up something.

I made Echo skirts of coroplast, and just used small screws to screw them to to the plastic tire surround piece. About 6-8 screws will do the trick. Be sure to put a cheap screwdrive into your glove box for emergencies. If I had to do it again, I think I'd use something other than coroplast. It takes a lot of careful back-triming to make them lie flat.

To size/fit the skirts, first make a thin cardboard template to get the size and shape correct. You want an overlap of the plastic surround of about 1/2 inches. That will allow the skirt edge to lie in the small recess right at the edge of the surround. Then you can make the size/shape of the final skirt using the template. I don't think I posted pictures of the skirts, but may have.

You can make cheap wheel covers using pizza pans from Wal-Mart. I just pop rivited the pans to the center area of the stock plastic covers using 6 rivets in a circle. Carefully mark and drill 1/2 holes for the valve stems and buy the little 1 inch valve stem extensions to poke the stem through the hole.

No longer have the Echo, so can't post any pictures. Good luck

[alohaspirit]

Originally Posted by jimepting

As moonmonkey says, a search will probably turn up something.

I made Echo skirts of coroplast, and just used small screws to screw them to to the plastic tire surround piece. About 6-8 screws will do the trick. Be sure to put a cheap screwdrive into your glove box for emergencies. If I had to do it again, I think I'd use something other than coroplast. It takes a lot of careful back-triming to make them lie flat.

To size/fit the skirts, first make a thin cardboard template to get the size and shape correct. You want an overlap of the plastic surround of about 1/2 inches. That will allow the skirt edge to lie in the small recess right at the edge of the surround. Then you can make the size/shape of the final skirt using the template. I don't think I posted pictures of the skirts, but may have.

You can make cheap wheel covers using pizza pans from Wal-Mart. I just pop rivited the pans to the center area of the stock plastic covers using 6 rivets in a circle. Carefully mark and drill 1/2 holes for the valve stems and buy the little 1 inch valve stem extensions to poke the stem through the hole.

No longer have the Echo, so can't post any pictures. Good luck

man, i wish you had pics of both the skirts and the covers!

[apryor]

Thanks for the ideas about the framework. I'm planning on putting a smooth tray under my XBox and you've given me some good ideas.