Flat Bonneville-type spoiler

[cfg83]

California98Civic -

What Big Dave said. It all adds up.

CarloSW2

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

0.6 MPG may not be dramatic, but ecomodding is often the quest for a long series of small victories.

I hear you. If only the mod was less conspicuous and less likely to draw negative attention from the California Highway Patrol. I am going to try one of the designs others have suggested that are shorter but use a modest angle to accomplish a similar effect. 0.60mpg is not nothing, and if I have it figured out I don't think I'll want to leave it on the table.

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

You are correct. The Sedan is 54.7 inches while the Coupe is 54.1 tall.

Thanks for the service manual download, too.

The sedan is a little longer, too, isn't it? Not that it matters for the purposes of laying it n the template...

[Pendragon]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

I hear you. If only the mod was less conspicuous and less likely to draw negative attention from the California Highway Patrol. I am going to try one of the designs others have suggested that are shorter but use a modest angle to accomplish a similar effect. 0.60mpg is not nothing, and if I have it figured out I don't think I'll want to leave it on the table.

Quite apart from that, there are more mundane considerations, such as whether it will fit in the garage or on the driveway. And then there is the matter of parking at work, the mall or wherever. And then there is the issue of durability of something that long.

I would think something rather shorter, with at least modest end plates, if for no other reason than to strengthen the appendage, would probably be useful based on the experience of the diesel Beetle.

One thing that occurred to me in looking at the rear appendages of the Lucas Oil 1999 Bonneville Civic and the Hondata Acura RSX was that it would be possible to mount the end plates to the trunk lid and use them so that the spoiler/flap/whatever could be adjusted to determine the optimal angle of attack of the spoiler.

If willing to mount the endplates to the trunk, the fabrication of the spoiler could be simplified as there would be no need to match its shape to the rather complex curves of the trunk. If done that way, the spoiler could be raised a little bit and would most likely be better positioned aerodynamically than sitting directly on the trunk lid. (Remember that some of the very small lips, such as the one on the first iteration of the Hondata CRX were the result of rules restrictions of the class in which they were attempting to establish a record. As they moved into other classes and continued modding the car, there were many more changes, both aerodynamically and mechanically. I am not sure I would cover the entire trunk lid as this one apparently does, but the mounting show in the pic is fairly practical, though not adjustable. This one is similar, though an earlier version of it had much lower end plates.

Any of them could be adapted to be easier to live with on a day-to-day basis.

I concur with the suggestion to use reflective tape.

[Edit] P.S. Here is the one I was thinking of that has the minimal end plates. I think they are less than optimal, but do provide rigidity to the "flip" spoiler.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Pendragon

it would be possible to mount the end plates to the trunk lid and use them so that the spoiler/flap/whatever could be adjusted to determine the optimal angle of attack of the spoiler.

Definitely end plates eventually. Definitely mounted in the trunk in a way at least a little like this. I would like the whole thing to lift with the trunk lid. And be reversible. I like this adjustability idea.

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Definitely end plates eventually. Definitely mounted in the trunk in a way at least a little like this. I would like the whole thing to lift with the trunk lid. And be reversible. I like this adjustability idea.

What about using one of those trunk-mounted bike racks as a platform? It would have all the attachment issues ironed out, and be easily added and removed.

[cfg83]

California98Civic -

Originally Posted by California98Civic

I hear you. If only the mod was less conspicuous and less likely to draw negative attention from the California Highway Patrol. I am going to try one of the designs others have suggested that are shorter but use a modest angle to accomplish a similar effect. 0.60mpg is not nothing, and if I have it figured out I don't think I'll want to leave it on the table.

A long flat spoiler like that is also more likely to be damaged in parking lots.

In a few states it is illegal to have anything that extends past the rear bumper, so that's my design rule. This is an example of it, where the spoiler angles up to "meet the template" while not going past the bumper :



CarloSW2

[cfg83]

California98Civic -

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Definitely end plates eventually. Definitely mounted in the trunk in a way at least a little like this. I would like the whole thing to lift with the trunk lid. And be reversible. I like this adjustability idea.

Me too.

I also just realized that if you had a hinge mechanism and it did extend past the bumper and you wanted to protect it in the parking lot, you just angle it up in a "parking position" in the parking lot. That would cancel out the fellow who walks into it.

CarloSW2

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by cfg83

California98Civic -



A long flat spoiler like that is also more likely to be damaged in parking lots.

In a few states it is illegal to have anything that extends past the rear bumper, so that's my design rule. This is an example of it, where the spoiler angles up to "meet the template" while not going past the bumper :



CarloSW2

Saleen did this with their Mustang.Lotus Esprit Turbo.Lotus Europa.Chevrolet Racing Division Corvette Team.Others.
It appears to be a useful/practical compromise

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Saleen did this with their Mustang.Lotus Esprit Turbo.Lotus Europa.Chevrolet Racing Division Corvette Team.Others.
It appears to be a useful/practical compromise

cfg83, Bill in Houston, aeromodder, and others. I'm with you. I want to make a short spoiler test. No bike rack mounts for me (too heavy and bulky). Instead, I want to use an idea I saw somewhere on this site: the spoiler could have straps that get closed into the trunk lid, holding the spoiler tightly. I could even have a strap that links-up under the lid. I'll build a prototype. Post pics. Maybe cardboard, maybe coroplast.