Full boat tail on a Matrix

[Weather Spotter]

Well I have been in the leak fixing business the last week or so. I have been fixing leaky pipes at work and when I leave I have to clean up a puddle in the car We have had some heavy rain and I have gotten a great chance to see where the leaks are coming from. To my surprise it is not at the car to tail joint but from the tail to top window.

The first thing I did was to re caulk the window down, when I changed out the screws for security ones it broke the seal. This fixed about half of the issue. But I still had water coming in from the tail to window top joint. I replaced the foam seal I used (I grabbed the wrong one originally, it was open cell) and that might have fixed it. Just to be safe I put a piece of plastic 4 or 6 mill over the joint and caulked it. Now it can flex but should keep the rain from getting to the joint in the first place.

I also got the top, passenger side, back and all but a 4" strip of the drivers side primed! Now it looks close to the car color (silver car and gray tail). This paint job is covering over my 45 + MPG writing on the side so I expect the looks on the highway to be more puzzled for a few days. I have 3" letters to put on once I finish painting the tail.

More warm weather for this week so I might get some paint on!

I might also go get some picts to post up too!

[Weather Spotter]

Ok here are some picts. Before I took these I hit up some spots with more fiberglass resin so they are the wet looking spots.



Tail to window leak zone after repair:








Here is where the leak was coming in at:

[MetroMPG]

Bummer about busting that rear window! But glad you got it sorted out.

[Weather Spotter]

Well I took another long trip to SC, this time with the tail on Last time I went the speed limit. this time I went slow and ecomodded my way there and back. First trip was 39 MPG this trip ~47.9 MPG.

The tail sure got some odd looks and lots of questions. Only a few people gave me disapproving looks or gestures. Most people were giving me a thumbs up

Nothing fell off so that is good.

Tomorrow I should pick up the paint for it so it might get another step along in the project soon.

[Tango Charlie]

47.9! That's awesome! What was your average speed?

[Weather Spotter]

60 mph. Down hills I hit the speed limit plies some . I love 5+ mile straight EOC.

[JasonG]

Sorry we couldn't meet on your trip. I was down with a baaaaaad stomach virus.

Nice results on the tail.

[Weather Spotter]

I hope you are better.

My first trip average speed was 70 mph.

[Weather Spotter]

Well I hate head winds but a tail wind is nice

A leak update. I do not have any leaks at the windows!

I do have a spot on the top where water pools and I see a few spots where water can get in. It has been leaking a fair amount there so I need to get the fiberglass resin out again

I think I might just pour a bunch on the spot where the water puddles so it fixes the leak and keeps the puddle from forming.

[roadwarrior_xrs]

Love the updates, and glad the assembly survived the trip to SC. I'd like to hear more about your encounters with other drivers and their reactions. Did you have any trouble from law enforcement? Is your tail 100% street legal? Any unexpected surprises with the tail? How exactly do you fit in a standard parking spot?

I found this link recently about coasting in neutral:
popularmechanics.com/cars/alternative-fuel/news/coasting-in-neutral-fuel-economy
It basically says that the engine doesn't use ANY fuel while coasting, confirmed with measurements of the fuel injectors. This seems to contradict a lot of what I read on this site regarding EOC. Thoughts?