Another Metro goes aero

[robertwb70]

I must be like you then because I like it the way it is, fiberglass is such a PITA to work with. I even thought about leaving it all bare metal looking for even more of a "race car" feel but in the interest of less people asking silly questions I've decided to paint it so it blends in more.

If I was going to make a fiberglass cover I'd have to do the whole thing, factory part included and at that point I would want to change even more stuff to make it better. A guy has got to draw a line somewhere, it is just a Metro after all.

[Christ]

LOL. I understand.

I personally love a clean line of connective rivets, especially when they're left metal tone after the rest of the part has been painted, and just clear coat put over them.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by robertwb70

Added some updates- Front tire deflectors, rear appearance panels and the upper part of rear fender skirts.

MadisonMPG- I drive mostly on rural roads to and from school and you can tell it doesn't like to go over about 60 MPH. I don't have a tach but I did the math and the RPMs are ridiculous at anything over 60 anyway so I just try to avoid the interstate; I do that regardless of the vehicle I'm driving so it's not a big deal for me.

aerohead- That thought did cross my mind but I can always get a better rear fascia from the salvage yard if it turns out to be an issue (this one is pretty rough so I think I did it a favor). The airdam on the front will probably make it a non-issue either way since there will be so much less air under there to begin with.

lost mpg with my CRX because of lifted valance is the reason I make the issue.

[robertwb70]

Thanks aerohead I'll keep that in mind I'm going to run it like it is for a while and later I'll probably swap a 92-94 style fascia on since I like that style better and it appears to be more aero too.

Spent most of the day today working on a bead/ flange roller/ shear tool from harbor freight trying to make it work right. Tomorrow I am going to weld some reinforcements on it and then I'll be ready to finish the fender skirts.

[wagonman76]

Looks good, should help FE too!

[robertwb70]

I've posted a couple of pics of an interesting method (to me) to figure out how to cut the sheet metal I'm adding to my car to match up with the complex curves with the minimum hassle.
I'm still working on the rear fender skirts and it's been slow going mostly due to me trying to get a little over ambitious with the design. School starts back Monday so I'm going to simplify some of the design to hopefully get it done before next week.

Also, and it might be my imagination, but it seems I have to brake longer/ harder to get the car to stop now, can't wait to see what the MPGs look like now.

[MetroMPG]

Nice to see another aeromodded Metro coming along!

Do the new deflectors ahead of the front tires actually stick out farther than the tire edge? I ask because I saw you wrote:

I made some extensions. This increases the frontal area slightly

If the tire sidewall is just visible looking straight on, that likely would have been fine, and wouldn't have increased A at all. The airflow coming off the bumper likely isn't flowing straight aft, so completely hiding the tires behind the plastic (or metal) isn't strictly required. (It's the same reason cars with front tire "spats" don't line them up with the edge of the sidewall.)

[robertwb70]

I don't think I was looking at it from the right perspective when I made them. I see what you're saying since the air has some momentum coming off the front of the car, makes me think maybe Suzuki did it right to start with?

Well modifications are always susceptible to further modification. Sooner or later I will have to remove the front treatments and when I do I'll scoot those in about an inch, trim 2 inches off the height of the air-dam and lower the front 1 inch, but for now I'm going top leave it and see what it does.

[robertwb70]

Got the rear wheel skirts mostly finished today and posted some pictures, they still need a few adjustments but you can see what I have now.

[Christ]

Instead of putting tire spats in the rear, why not make some side skirts and use the part that you've got there for a support/mounting location?

That will also allow you another area that you can add to your rear wheel covers, however many inches lower than it is now.

Just a thought.