Clear-cut instructions on how to create mods?
 

I am curious if there are any simple instructions for some of these aerodynamic and other eco-mods that don't make your vehicle look like total trash (air dam, kill switch, grille block, belly pan, front splitter, etc.) I would really appreciate it if I could find some clear-cut instructions (e.g. Step 1, diagrams, etc.) instead of having to scroll through many threads. If there aren't any, I'd appreciate it if anyone doing these mods could make such a thing or at least a video if it isn't too much of burden. I am totally new to this stuff and don't know much about mechanics as of now. I wouldn't risk doing something such as a kill switch with just a rough diagram and one thread. Thank you all in advance.

For one thing 'look[ing] like trash' is a matter of build quality. Do you attend car shows and/or show-and-shines? Most people can't discern a quality build.

Beyond that you have here people sharing what they have done to the best of their ability. Maybe you are looking for Instructables?
Have you looked at the Wiki? https://ecomodder.com/wiki/

edit: I looked at Instructables, and did a search on 'car airdam' which returned the null result. But there is section called www.instructables.com/workshop/cars/projects/ and they have ferinstance an Instructable on a smoke machine, in case you want to ro smoke trail testing.

[QUOTE=freebeard;663665]For one thing 'look[ing] like trash' is a matter of build quality. Do you attend car shows and/or show-and-shines? Most people can't discern a quality build.

Beyond that you have here people sharing what they have done to the best of their ability. Maybe you are looking for Instructables?

Yes, I am looking for instructables. By "look like trash" I mean stuff that is too extreme for your average driver (e.g. boat tails). I have read the wiki a bit. I'd appreciate instructables if it isn't too much of a burden for someone doing one of these mods to do.

I remember reading a thread on a wrx form. It talked about a lawn edging air dam. The consensus was that the $14 for 20ft plastic air dam looked as good if not better than the $250 aftermarket one being sold. The only person that said it looked like trash was the forum shrill pushing the $250 one.
Also there is no 1 size fits all. Some vehicles you can just toss a bit of lawn edging up under and you're good. Others have uneven surfaces that need structure added to bridge the gaps. Other vehicles a 4 inch bit of black lawn edging won't do anything because the vehicle is so high up off the ground.

I've known owners who'd never consider deviating from the vehicle as delivered, since the mass market manufacturer had perfectly captured their use case. There is an average driver, but half the drivers are below that. At some point you have to stop caring.

What do you think of this?

https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...WWkc=w743-h516
jacg: The daily driven back bird of Copenhagen

Yeah the only mod most people do to their vehicles is put cheaper tires or other cheaper replacement parts on them.

Not bad at all. Looks good.

Airdam and hood louvers. :thumbup:

Now, what about this?

https://ecomodder.com/forum/member-f...-post1-img.jpg

I'm going to make a series of eco-modding videos for my youtube channel. But the videos will be specific to the 2nd generation Prius. Not sure what car the OP is using.

Also, there's a guy on youtube called Julian Edgar. He has a bunch of videos talking about aerodynamic mods for reducing drag. You might want to look into that.

Julian Edgar is an excellent suggestion, despite his history here.

www.autospeed.com: DIY Tech Section/ contains many of his articles.

Doesn't look the best. However, if it weren't for my religious beliefs on trying my best to not scandalize people I probably would be willing to drive a car like that if it were safe lol.

Ah! The age-old conflict between religion and aerodynamics. :)

Boat tails are relatively safe, except you don't want to cut too close to things on the outside of a corner.

OTOH they look to me like a literal pain in the b*tt. I can't consider one for my XFi because the parking space I have is limited.

The next most effective is the boxed cavity with separation edges. No additional length. Compare an earlier Prius with the later models. They added separation edges on the rear bumper.

I won't be building a boat-tail for the Prius, for the same reason. But a drag spoiler isn't out of the question.

Did someone say Prius?

duckduckgo.com/?q=mooncraft+prius&iax=images

edit: I followed my own link and found ecomodder.com/.../3rd-gen-prius-aeromod-thread

^ That was an interesting read.

The easiest thing to do is an grill block.

Step 1. Buy black pipe insulation from Home Depot or another building supply store
Step 2. Cut the insulation to the width of your grill
Step 3. Slide the open end of the pipe insulation over the horizontal slates in your grill
Step 4. Secure the pipe insulation to the grill with zip ties.

Step by step with pictures:
https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php...lation.160835/

Alternate: Use duct tape instead of insulation - Choose any color duct tape you want.
Step 1: Clean your grill
Step 2: Cut small pieces of duct tape long enough to bridge the vertical gap between two or more openings in your grill.
Step 3: Stick these vertical pieces of tape to the grill with good overlap to make them stick
Step 4: Run a long piece of duct tape left to right to connect all the small pieces.

Yeah Julian used to post here and left due to aeroheads relentless obsolete, outdated nonsense.
I was in the military for way too long so I am immune to relentless obsolete nonsensical stuff.

LOL :D

could have not used the trailer brake lights

The bestest taillight is a 1959 Cadillac lens in a 1956 Corvette housing. I can't find a pic, so here's the 1962 Mercury Monterey. It's close, but needs a windsplit.

http://www.stationwagonfinder.com/wp...7/11/merc3.jpg
http://www.stationwagonfinder.com/20...cury-monterey/

Here it is frenched:
http://www.secondchancegarage.com/ar...hcars/fig7.jpg
Photographing Classic Cars

clear-cut
 

1) You could select one specific type of vehicle for us to think about ( coupe, sedan, fastback, pickup, SUV, CUV, Van )
2) Powertrain type ( ICE, Hybrid, PHEV, BEV ).
3) And how you'd be operating it ( City only, mixed, mostly highway, how fast?).
4) How much of a mpg improvement you'd be targeting.