How to AeroMod "Paddle" Mirrors

[wyatt]

Originally I wanted to delete my side view mirrors on my Suzuki Swift (1.3L Geo Metro), but found that I use them constantly. So I set out to make them more aerodynamic. It may not show up on my MPGuino (we shall see), but not having two "Paddles" hanging off the side of my car should at the very least help! Here's what I have done so far.

I started by making a cardboard template on my car. I just pieced together pieces of cardboard until I got the gereral shape I was going for.


I broke it down and used it to make a new, better template that was on a single piece of cardboard.


Then I did made a bunch of marks on it of where to add and take away... Basically I left a lot of extra everywhere, and cut away where needed when it was on the car. I also added a "tab" on the front that would wrap around the front of the door to keep it from getting pulled away from the door and becoming a parachute, one that might do a "permanent mirror delete".

Once I had the shape just like I wanted it, I got a picture and then "waterproffed" it... I wrapped a white garbage bag around it, smoothed it out the best I could, taped the outside edge a bit, sucked the extra air out of it, and tucked the excess up into the nose area.

I put it on the car, and should be giving it a test run this afternoon. but basically, I was able to take mirrors that looked like this:



and make them look more like this:



I think if it works well, this would be a prime candidate for making a heavy duty plastic or even a fiberglass aero-shell. If I make it out of fiberglass, I should be able to get a very smooth shape, and get a nice start on a boat-tail effect afterward.
So far, I only have this on the drivers side, but it should be exactly the same (just reversed) for the passengers. If I hadn't done so many alterations after cutting it out, I would have a blue print... but not so much. If I wind up taking it apart, I will try to make a "template" for people to use. Until then, this tutorial will have to do.

[DoctorP82]

How is the noise coming off of them? That would be a good indication of improvement.

[Sean T.]

I don't think the garbage bag is a good idea. It will flap and create drag.

Maybe if you just spray the cardboard with clearcoat? I did that to my mirror delete panels and they held up for a pretty long time until I was ready to make coroplast ones.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

I would just tape over the whole thing?

Or, do you paln on make it out of Coroplast, after you see that it works?

[wyatt]

Well, you guys called that one... the plastic bag makes a quite a bit of noise, but even with that, I am guessing the overall effect is positive. The reason I went with the bag was two fold, water-proofing AND it was white like my car. I hope to find a place where I can get some coroplast to try it out of that, or some other heavy duty plastic... or maybe just try my hand at some fiberglass or something of the like.

[hypermiler01]

Take them off and get a wink mirror.

[cfg83]

wyatt -

Originally Posted by wyatt

Well, you guys called that one... the plastic bag makes a quite a bit of noise, but even with that, I am guessing the overall effect is positive. The reason I went with the bag was two fold, water-proofing AND it was white like my car. I hope to find a place where I can get some coroplast to try it out of that, or some other heavy duty plastic... or maybe just try my hand at some fiberglass or something of the like.

I can understand your reasoning. You are in "proof of concept" mode until you find the coroplast.

I like the shape. Reminds me of a kind of mini-wing.

CarloSW2

[lunarhighway]

remind me of the vectra b


0.28Cd so it's not a bad design although i don't think is pure aero either.

[gascort]

Design looks good; a good compromise for not having to delete the side mirrors.
Depending on the plastic trash bag you use, it might not be waterproof... my high school chem teacher used that as a demo - some plastics have holes big enough for water to seep through!

[diesel_john]

On some cars when driving in a light rain without the wipers, the drops actually flow across the windshield and off its side, pass the mirror. A tuft test on the stock setup might reveal the wind direction across the mirror. I am guessing it won't be straight back.