Black & Green modding thread (1998 Civic DX Coupe base)

[pletby]

Any updates on your wheel skirts California98Civic? I'm about to enter the CAD phase for my own wheel skirts. I'd like to fashion mine in the same manner you have, and I'm wondering about any design hurdles you've...hurdled.

I've just picked up the coroplast and have some aluminum strapping ready to go!

[California98Civic]

Small update on my too slow work on these mods:

I adapted my DIY copper clips from the last version of my wheel skirts. Here they are with new screws in them after taping the copper. The idea is that the hoot part will be pulled into the frame by the screw, and the skirt itself will be flush against the outside of the body, making a kind of clamp for the skirts.


Here is the temporary skirt, cardboard, for testing the shape and fit final will be in plastic sheet probably). I changed the leading edge from the first cardboard version for simplicity's sake. The trailing edge was changed too, size reduced. But the trailing end still needs further modification, I think, because it is hard to make it flush with the rear bumper cover, and I am trying to avoid drilling holes I might regret.


The black tape was just to mark where the clips would go on the wheel well.

[California98Civic]

Created a fourth bolt-point mount for rear section of the wheel well so the skirt can lay flatter against the rear bumper cover. Also further trimmed the trailing edge of the cardboard template. The idea is to create corners that roughly mimic the design pattern of the car. I think it looks better. No new hardware purchases needed.

[California98Civic]

WHEEL SKIRTS: I got enough done to be able to mount one of the two wheel skirts I started months ago. This is also some smooth, thin, strong, and shinny black industrial type plastic (comes in a roll).









WAI UPGRADE: I used this info from "some other dave" as guide to update my WAI. The previous one was 3" left-over dryer hose. According to some_other_dave that would make the air slow and rough, not good for WAI. Also the hose retained no heat. This ABS plastic tubing is deliberately smaller than 98 DX spec air tube. Faster air, smoother flow, and ABS plastic gathers and retains engine heat The tube is more than 2' long overall.


If you look closely, you can see "ecomodder.com" under a layer of black paint on the WAI tube.

CONSOLE IMPROVEMENT: it's minor and does nothing for FE, obviously, but I painted the borders around the inject kill switch and the USB port the same deep forest green I have been using on various details on the car. Extending a green "theme" that has gradually developed.

[iveyjh]

Nice looking skirts.

[OG VX]

Great update! Skirts look awesome. Love the stealth ecomodder detail on the wai tube.

A link to that plastic please good sir!!!!

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by OG VX

A link to that plastic please good sir!!!!

Thanks... way back in post 146 on this thread, I linked to this purchase: Colored Plastic Rolls, 25 Ft. - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop

That's what I bought.

It's a little premature to tell, but I got a 40 degree F reading over the ambient air temp on my intake today once everything was thoroughly warm. I think that is 10 or 12 degrees higher than the old WAI. A little encouraging.

[OG VX]

Nice, thanks. I remember donkey Crx linking that product as well. I mentioned my idea to him to use it to make all of my replica donkey-Crx rear end aero, and he thought it would need metal-strapping reinforcement. He used straight sheet metal for all his peices. Do you think I could use that plastic sheeting alone to replicate his aero, or will metal backing be needed? Building his rear wheel skirts and kammback, and rear under-diffuser. Thanks!

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by OG VX

Nice, thanks. I remember donkey Crx linking that product as well. I mentioned my idea to him to use it to make all of my replica donkey-Crx rear end aero, and he thought it would need metal-strapping reinforcement. He used straight sheet metal for all his peices. Do you think I could use that plastic sheeting alone to replicate his aero, or will metal backing be needed? Building his rear wheel skirts and kammback, and rear under-diffuser. Thanks!

It is firm, but not rigid. It bends, but will roughly hold a shape you put it in. I will be watching to see what happens in heat, because I did not install any framework on the skirts (save space between skirt and wheel)! I am also using this stuff on parts of the incomplete undertray. But that has framework.

BTW, I got a 45-50 degrees F rise over ambient temps on my IAT today. This new WAI is definitely much better. The old one would have given me something in the 80s F this morning, maybe high 79s on such a misty morning. This one was up at 100F!

[pletby]

Wheel skirts and WAI look sweet. Good work!