Chalupa102's Corolla progress thread
 

I just installed some rear wheel skirts on my 05' Corolla. They were kind of a pain to do. It took me a few days because i was busy and worked on them when i had the opportunity. The biggest problem was having to make multiple trips to the neighbors to borrow drill bits. I do like the way they came out though. I haven't had a chance to try them out yet, but hopefully i'll see an increase in f/e.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/IMG_3801.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/IMG_3800.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/IMG_3802.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/IMG_3808.jpg

They look great! I notice also that you have a lower grill block -- did you try an upper grill block? [Edit: I found that blocking the upper grill and part of the lower grill was best.]

Not yet, but that's my next plan especially with the weather getting colder.

That really does look good.
Very futuristic.

Not sure how much airflow that you are getting at the back of the car*, but have you considered removing that spoiler ? ( which could be potentially spoiling your airflow .)

* Your back glass has a pretty steep angle, so you most likely have detached flow. Doing a tuft test would show where the separation is occurring.

A shelf spoiler could reattach the flow and give you less drag.

I'm wondering the same thing that Neil pointed out. Do you have the upper grill blocked ? Usually it is better to block the upper grill.

I LIKE your car!!!! A lot.

Chalupa102 -

Great Job! Yeah, I know what you mean by "finding time" in between everything else you are doing. I have literally worked in the parking lot before/after work on (details of) mods at one time or another.

The next time you take them off, can you post pictures of the fastening details on the car and the skirt?

CarloSW2

Thanks for all the comments guys.

I'll definitely have to try that out blocking the upper and part of the lower grill.


Yes i have. I think i may actually pull it off Tuesday after my class. The only thing i'm worried about is there being holes in the truck after the spoiler is removed.

Sure thing.

don't remove the spoiler from the trunk

find a corrolla forum and trade trunks with someone who wants your spoiler!

no holes... you might even get someone t give you twenty bucks... the STi guys trade trunks with the RS guys ALot and often trade plus cash...

looks good! (I think a black hood and trunk would make the car pop with the blacked grill. I am also envisioning a red pinstripe on the grill like the VW GTI. yes we can ECo mod and still look cool.... :thumbup: and now with the skirts you only need a pair of sexy rims.... :rolleyes: haha!) actually on second look the blacked out stockers look great already!

I second the idea on trading trunk lids. At least go to the junkyard and get a clean deck lid, then sell yours to someone else, unless you ever plan on putting the wing back on... then you can get some rubber plugs that fit in the holes left behind so you don't get contaminants/water in there.

Re trunk lid swap: good idea if want to get rid of the spoiler altogether, but if you want to make shelf extension, then those post-spoiler holes will be mighty handy.

I think it's time for a "Chalupa's Corolla mod thread".

Unfortunately i've been looking on a corolla forum for a while trying to get a spoilerless trunk with no luck. There's not too many people who do want a trunk with a spoiler. In the rare cases that someone is selling one or wants to trade, it seems like everyone jumps on it and it's gone quick.

I'm gonna take a look at some junkyards again. So far i haven't found any by me yet with wrecked '03-'08 corollas, just older ones, but maybe i'll get lucky.

Looks good.

I'd be more concerned about those window shades than the rear spoiler, though. I bet removing them would make more of an improvement than the rear skirts have.

FYI, I did A-B-A tests on rear skirts on your style of Corolla:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-camry-84.html

The difference was pretty small.

I've also done tuft testing. You can see the separation bubble on the rear glass in this thread:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...olla-2390.html

I missed the window shades -- the rear ones in particular are probably adding drag. A tuft test might tell you if the front ones are also causing turbulence.

I love vortex generators... and I think they look so cool

The only reason why i haven't yet is because i crack the windows while it's raining driving around town to keep the windows/windshield from fogging up, and they stop rain from getting in. I've definitely been thinking about pulling them off though.

Besides using the defroster, which i don't wanna do, what's the best way to prevent having the windows fog up in the rain?

Chalupa102 -

I have them for the same reasons, but only for the front windows. I also use them to "hide" my slightly open window in parking lots (for keeping the interior cooler, especially in the summer).

Once they are defogged, can you do this test? :

1 - Set the heat to full
2 - Set the dial to "defrost windows only"
3 - Let the outside air into the cabin to create an airflow

I think this should create a less-powerful less-hot but continuous warm airflow onto the front window.

Maybe I should remove mine for awhile and see if I can live without 'em. It's not like it rains much in LA.

CarloSW2

Another option is to unplug the fuse on the A/C during the winter, so you can run the defroster.

I just crack my front windows and no rain gets in, but it certainly helps the air flow.

I've always cracked the rear windows where applicable, to help draw fresh air through the vents, keeping the temp selector on high heat and the fan off. I guess if you keep the window open just so much, it creates a vacuum that draws air out of the car, so fresh air has to come in through the vents.

I'm definitely pulling at least the rears off then, if not all of them :)

Update:

I really wanna say my MPG has increased since installing the rear wheel skirts. Yesterday i got the best f/e i've ever gotten on my trip to school pulling into the lot - 48.5 MPG :D. When i first got off the pike coming to the light after the toll booths, i saw over 50, then i had some stop and go driving. I've never seen it that high before in my life :eek:. The best i've seen before the skirts was 47.5 pulling into the lot. Granted i could have had a huge tail wind yesterday, but when i got out of my car it was calm. I also got great f/e on the way back home, even in the rain.

Couldn't really tell today because it was about 15-20° colder, but still got 45.7 MPG. I did get some awesome f/e on the way home after putting on a small upper grill block in my school parking lot though before i left :thumbup:

Telltale early signs of modding addiction!

Glad you're getting good results and having fun.

As for those window shade things, someone needs to come up with a very low profile version for modders who want the functionality with less frontal area and drag.

Or a rare-earth magnet attachment system so you can take 'em off for the majority of time it's not raining.

MetroMPG -

For my car, and I suspect the majority of cars, you don't need to do this. They are designed to just "slot-in" under the moulding, no attachments required. I think they are ever-so-slightly too big, so they "wedge" themselves into place. They are super easy to remove.

I just removed my passenger side shade, so I only have one on my driver's side. That should solve all my ventilation/fogging issues.

CarloSW2

I think i might have to keep my eye out for those if i really want window visors.

I actually just modded my defroster the other day to where i can run it and the AC won't come on at all. I should be able to test it out tomorrow morning because it's supposed to be raining.

It's definitely setting in.

All i gotta say is aeromods FTW!! Yesterday i went ahead and removed my spoiler and rear window visors. On the trip to school today i got 50.1 MPG at 40° average, which is now the highest mileage i've ever seen with the car. I also had a partial upper grill-block installed because of the cold weather.

MetroMPG -

I forgot to say that I have seen super-flush vent-shades on (current generation) Honda Civics and Honda Fits. But I can't find a good picture right now.

CarloSW2

WeatherTech seems to make some that are flush, and they are friction fit, and nearly clear.

WeatherTech - WeatherTech Side Window Deflectors, Vents, Rain Guards, Wind Deflectors

NeilBlanchard -

Thanks, those are egg-zactly what I have, but I am talking about even more flush than those.

CarloSW2

One of the companies did come out with actual flush vent visors... but maybe they were discontinued, cause I can't find them now. AFAIK they were only available on a few models.

Here we go!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...sors-5154.html

Sean T. -

Those are them all right. I think on the first pic, those would be VIP Style mods for luxury sedans.

Post #5 in that thread led me here :

Vent visors, window visors, window vents, and rain guards shipped fast and free.

And to the promised land :

AVS Seamless at Svcustoms.com
http://svcustoms.com/images/AVS/avs_...rm_185x122.jpg

CarloSW2

I went with the suggestions and re-did my grill-blocking. I now have the upper grill fully blocked and the lower grill either partial or full, depending on the outside temps.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_3822.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_3823.jpg

I also removed the trunk spoiler which is still a work in progress getting the trunk perfect. I should have it all complete by this weekend.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_3828.jpg

I removed the rear window vent visors and plan to do the same to the front ones this weekend as well. Hopefully the weather will be warm because it was a huge pain pulling off the rears in 35 degree weather.

Have you thought about moving your front plate up a few inches? It might not make a difference, but having the plate hanging down means there's turbulance behind it, right?

You could just move it up a few inches so it's nice and flat against the face of the bumper.

I really like the look of your car.
The blacked out wheels, the matching trim and lights, as well as that 'factory' looking upper grill block ....it all comes together very nicely on that car.
Well done

Thanks bro :)

Filled up today. This tank had more rain, a bit more wind (especially cross winds), and a few more short trips than last. The average temps and lows for this one and last were pretty much the exact same.

The rear wheels skirts and a full upper and partial lower grill blocks, and removed trunk spoiler and window vent visors were done about 1/2 way thru this tank.

It's kinda hard to tell what the actual increase is right now, but i know this fill up is 3.7% better than last.

Put on my winter wheels today because we are about to get slammed with a big snow storm. I was able to get some pics without the skirt on.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_3830.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_3831.jpg

The beam wouldn't usually be hitting the tire, i just had the screws sitting in there to hold it up:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_3834.jpg

They look like they're going to stay there, at least!

Cool tires and if install a boat tail you might surpass the prius in MPG.

I have plans to test a fairly involved aero mod on my dad's '06 Corolla sometime this winter that might interest you: converting the sedan shape into a Kammback.

I'm only planning to go as far as a cardboard implementation. Predicting a fairly small improvement, maybe 2-4% @ 60 mph.

EDIT: unless you want to do it first! :)

I'm trying to convince my Father to let me make a fast back for Granny. (She's his now, he needed a spare vehicle, and we didn't.)

Basically, I want to bend a piece of brake line around to make the shape that follows the curve from the deck lid up to the roof line, then add pieces to create the curve that I want, then put screen over that, and stretch some clear plastic over the screen, though I suspect that just the screen would be sufficient at such a sharp angle.

This, of course, is in addition to the mods I'm already doing to his house, among other things. He'll probably say yes, but it won't be for awhile until I can get started on it.

I told him he could expect around a 10% fuel economy increase. He was all over it. He's just deciding whether he can deal with the "ugly thing" or not.

Did you tell him 10% just to get his attention? I think it might be a bit high (Granny = Grand Prix, yes?)

EDIT: of course you didn't specify at what speed that 10% would show up. :)

I would definitely be interested in seeing that. I would probably try it out depending on ur results. I let u take this one because i wouldn't know where to start. The lack of a garage and time would also be a problem for me, at least during the winter months.

I just installed my winter tires. These are what the wheels look like, but the rims of mine are painted black:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...orolla_xrs.jpg

Does anyone think i would benefit from coroplast wheel covers on them?