Designing/building front wheel skirts v.1.0 (Geo Metro)

[thefirebuilds]

Originally Posted by FunkSkunk

Where do you guys find good sources of large pieces of cardboard?? I'm tired of piecing together templates!!

we just discussed this for like a page.

pier1. kohls, pick and save, sams, walmart, etc

any companies that get crap on a pallette, or furniture, waste HUGE amounts of packing materials by throwing it out back. Most will be thrilled to get rid of some of it.

Paper is a valuable item to recyclers however, some may be making money selling it back to them so ASK before you TAKE so you dont wind up in the clink.

[thefirebuilds]

In my apartment complex there are dumpsters just for cardboard, and then one just for plastic waste recycling. We take from there fairly often, especially if someone is moving in or getting a new couch or something, there will be great stuff available.

I ask on a post it note system at work and people give me peanuts and cardboard constantly. Since I ship auto parts im always trying to get free packing materials to help my buddy the Earth and my other buddy my wallet.

[MetroMPG]

So, two layers of glass (one more to go for a bit more strength), rough trimmed to the final shape and two screws into the frame.

Yes. I'm. Slow.

Even with just two layers, it holds its shape quite nicely, but I'm thinking about integrity at higher speeds. Don't want it fluttering.





Aesthetically, something is bugging me (I can hear the laughter from non-EM members reading this thread who don't care about aero... ): The shape of the front skirt doesn't match the rear.

Ultimately I plan to re-shape the front bumper, which will let me extend it further out to shield the front tire, so I'll be able to trim the skirt to follow the existing wheel arch curve.

At the rear, what I was thinking is that I'd make a "faired" part to attach to the quarter panel, replacing the aft end of the skirt with a fixed piece, so ultimately I'd have something like this:

[Tango Charlie]

That

looks

SWEET!

I wouldn't cut them. It would just create more work/time/effort for ya. Get some black paint on them and you just might change your mind.

[FunkSkunk]

I agree with Tango, sometimes when your working on something there comes a point when you have to stop and let it be. As an artist I've over thought many works and ended up ruining pieces that if I had stopped just a bit earlier I could have had a very nice piece. Instead I've got too many works that have those, "Well, I should have stopped before..." stories attached to them.

Paint that bad boy up and call it done!! What's the MPG increase so far? Oh, and you know you want to do a boat tail next!! Come on you're our fearless leader, show us how to get some serious gains! lol

[MetroMPG]

Oh, don't worry. No plans to alter the basic design at this point. It would be something I'd come back to in the future when I redesign the front bumper. Waaaay off in the future.

No MPG gains quantified yet. I'm (foolishly?) forging ahead on this based solely on the tuft testing and things I've read. I haven't even driven the Flea since I did the tuft testing a couple of weeks ago.

Boat tail is coming, but not before we take a break for ... winter! Fiberglass & bondo don't cure well in winter. Fingers don't work well either.

[Peakster]

Your aeromods are amazing Metro MPG! All you'll need is a crafty boattail and voila! Instant Jetson's car

[MetroMPG]

Oh, I think Phil, basjoos, Andrew & others have already shown us how it's done. I'm just following in their footsteps.

Following.. very... slowly.

[orange4boy]

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Although I wasn't in charge of that particular project.

Nice, solid work but where are the pictures of it in action, opening for the sharp turns? I'm dying out here!

Looks fantacular!

Added: Tip for curing paint and resin in the cold. Radiant heaters work very well for this. The air can be cold but the IR radiation instantly heats up whatever it's pointed at.

[Cd]

Well done !

Can you please post a picture with the wheels turned all the way ?

I curious to see how you solve the rubbing problem.