Joining the Dark Side (aeromodding, results, second round of tests coming)

[niky]

Unfortunately, it's not my car.

The Aero-Vios Experiment (Part 1): How to build an organic bodykit | TopGear.com.ph

Pretty pleased with how it turned out, though. Results coming up in a week or so, but pretty much what you'd expect them to be.

Best of all, I only spent around $10 to do everything.

----

Update, Part II up.

The Aero-Vios Experiment (Part 2): Did our hard work pay off? | TopGear.com.ph







So, results... 5.3% difference. But the testing was very sketchy... admittedly, so we'll be trying to do another run. Hopefully with enough budget for wheel covers and an airdam.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by niky

That is duct tape?!

I am not \thanking you because I hope that you got paid!

[niky]

Armak. Surprisingly good. Was thinking of getting 3M multi-colored duct tape (they had yellow! and blue!) at a two-for-one discount, but the stock looked old and wrinkly.

Quite pleased with the grille cover. Looked like a Lead Zeppelin. May do that again with another car if the magazine asks me to. I would do an entire car just for the hell of it. Wonderful fun. The tape stays on, even in one hundred degree heat or in the rain. And if you ever want to remove it, a little gasoline will clean up any residue.

Paid? For web-work, we only get paid enough to cover lunch. Might get reimbursed for the tape. Even if not, still worth it!

[MetroMPG]

Fun.

Not something we would EVER see from Top Gear U.K. (At least in a form that wasn't completely mocking the idea.)

So your suite of mods were: grille block, rear wheel skirts?

I disagree that the factory wheels already look "reasonably aerodynamic".



Looking forward to the results.

Oh, and have fun defending the partial grille block to the uninitiated! (IE. YOU'RE GONNA MELT UR ENGINE!!)

[Xist]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I disagree that the factory wheels already look "reasonably aerodynamic".

I agree, although aluminum wheels seem more challenging to make more aerodynamic.

I do like that method of designing the wheel skirt.

Oh, and have fun defending the partial grille block to the uninitiated! (IE. YOU'RE GONNA MELT UR ENGINE!!)

I disagree. I am quite certain they would not have known how to contract "you are."

[MetroMPG]

Good catch. Yes, should have read "UR GONNA MELT UR ENGINE".

[TheManVan]

Guys its "Ur gonna melt ur 'motor'"
I hate it when people say that!

[niky]

I almost blew the welds on the intake manifold. Yo.

(I know of a guy who blew up an intake manifold. Little bits of plastic everywhere in the engine bay. Stray shot of nitrous...)

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I disagree that the factory wheels already look "reasonably aerodynamic".

The car has a 0.286 cd. I think the new, flatter wheels help contribute to that. The new Honda City (sedan version of the Fit) also has flat wheels... only these are flat with cutaways, as on the Civic hybrid.

But... yeah... flat covers would help, still... gotta leave some on the plate for a follow-up, if there will be one. I hope they approve a third installment. I really want to see if I can hit 30 km/l at a steady 80 km/h. In that one, I'd definitely do the skirts and the wheel covers. I'm wondering, in fact, if I can find a discarded piece of lexan to make a kammback with.

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Oh, and have fun defending the partial grille block to the uninitiated! (IE. YOU'RE GONNA MELT UR ENGINE!!)

Funny thing... the tollgate queue in the second part of the series was long enough that the idle started fluctuating from heat soak. Then again, the previous model was already notorious for being sensitive to heat soak. I heat soaked a stock automatic Vios on the highway once simply by getting stuck in fifteen minutes of traffic. Took a while for the transmission to cool down!

I would have gotten out to strip my relief panel open for that segment, but it would have invalidated the results. Forty degrees C in traffic is hot!

Thinking about it, I should have just left the AC on. Because with the extra fan cooling, I never had any problems in city traffic. Weird, huh? I guess the extra bump in idle speed with the compressor on also helps keep the water pump turning faster. I was going to bring one of those laser thermometers, but I forgot. Maybe next time.

-

Also: Hell... it's Top Gear... it has to be fun. But it can be fun and informative at the same time.

[niky]

Update, Part II up.

The Aero-Vios Experiment (Part 2): Did our hard work pay off? | TopGear.com.ph







So, results... 5.3% difference. But the testing was very sketchy... admittedly, so we'll be trying to do another run. Hopefully with enough budget for wheel covers and an airdam.

Still... cost calculations, ROI in less than 7,500 miles. (excluding uh... wear and tear...)

[MetroMPG]

I don't speak Filipino, but I think I know what this comment was about in part one:

nawalan ng ventilation...baka mag overheat yan