Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Aerodynamics
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 10-03-2011, 11:07 PM   #1 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
blownb310's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 476

Saab EV - '19 Chevy Bolt EV LT

Pierre - '07 ZENN MC2 Base
Thanks: 178
Thanked 89 Times in 45 Posts
B13 '91 Nissan Sentra aero mods.

I like to compete in economy run events and have used a few different cars over the past few years. One I haven't tried yet was my '91 Sentra SE-R [2.0 liter - 5 speed]. It's been lightened considerably from it's original [approx] 2450 lbs. down to 2020 lbs.


I normally use it for rallycross competition, but because of it's weight reduction, I decided to see what I could get from it in the recent Tri-State Fuel Economy Run event. I had three 4'x8' sheets of black choroplast and some lexan recycled from another older project. The following are the mods I came up with from browsing these forums.


First up was recycling the choroplast belly pan from my Datsun B210. The '91 Sentra is longer and a bit wider than the B210 so it isn't quite a full belly pan. This is looking from the rear axle area towards the front of the car.


Looking behind the rear axle. To the left of the picture is the back bumper.


Starting to fabricate the side skirts and rear wheel fairings.


These are the rear wheel spats I came up with. I am wondering if I made them too big/wide?


Front end closed in. I don't have the grill block taped on yet in this pic. I used a digital water temp gauge to determine the size of the cooling opening you see. The engine runs between 200-210 deg. F. The cooling fan comes on at 213 deg. Any comments or feedback are welcome on the profile I came up with under the bumper.


I used a combination of choroplast and lexal pop riveted over light aluminum angle from the Home Depot. I mocked up the supports for the Kamm panel from cardboard.


Then I bent them from aluminum strap. I used 3M body moulding tape to attach them to the trunk lid.


Complete rear section. Now it was 2:00 am the morning of the event. Enough is never enough so I decided I needed to close in the front wheels as well. So I spent the next two hours fabbing up front wheel fairings. I wanted to connect the upper to the lower and build a full boat tail but ran out of time.


After 1 hour of sleep I an ready to go on Sunday morning in Williamstown, MA for the event.


The car performed very well, netting a result of 76.04 mpg over the 105 mile course.

I very much welcome any constructive criticisms as I did all of this from the seat of my pants with no angle measuring or tuft testing.

Thanks, Mike

__________________
2007 ZENN and 2019 Chevy Bolt EV 145,000 oil free miles to date.
  Reply With Quote
The Following 14 Users Say Thank You to blownb310 For This Useful Post:
aerohead (10-08-2011), Arragonis (10-04-2011), botsapper (10-04-2011), Cd (10-04-2011), ChazInMT (10-11-2011), CigaR007 (10-04-2011), d0sitmatr (10-09-2011), HyperMileQC (06-11-2012), JRMichler (10-08-2011), KamperBob (10-04-2011), Nissandriver (01-19-2023), skyl4rk (10-04-2011), TEiN (05-26-2012), TOOQIKK (10-06-2011)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 10-03-2011, 11:23 PM   #2 (permalink)
OCD Master EcoModder
 
brucepick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern CT, USA
Posts: 1,933

Outasight - '00 Honda Insight
Team Honda
Gen-1 Insights
90 day: 54.18 mpg (US)
Thanks: 429
Thanked 391 Times in 261 Posts
Um, I'm guessing the front wheels still steer, but how??
__________________
Coast long and prosper.
Driving '00 Honda Insight, acquired Feb 2016.


  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2011, 11:49 PM   #3 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
blownb310's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 476

Saab EV - '19 Chevy Bolt EV LT

Pierre - '07 ZENN MC2 Base
Thanks: 178
Thanked 89 Times in 45 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by brucepick View Post
Um, I'm guessing the front wheels still steer, but how??
I modeled them from how they were done on the Aerocivic [they tilt outwards if the tires push on them]. I used the pleats of the choroplast as hinges and employ two bungy cords per fairing [front and rear] to keep them closed. I also afforded myself some extra clearance by using narrower 155/80R13 tires on 5" wide wheels. I make a conscience effort to plan my moves to avoid sharp turns. This is not an every day car. I wouldn't bother with these for my daily driver. These are just to get that [hopefully] big number in competition.
__________________
2007 ZENN and 2019 Chevy Bolt EV 145,000 oil free miles to date.
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to blownb310 For This Useful Post:
aerohead (10-08-2011)
Old 10-04-2011, 12:04 AM   #4 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Reloadwin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: St.Louis MO
Posts: 28

Silver Prius - '08 Toyota Prius
90 day: 46.37 mpg (US)
Thanks: 5
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
WOW great work, looks great did you ever finish the full boat tail? Pictures?
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2011, 12:11 AM   #5 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
CigaR007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 680

GreenTurtle (Retired) - '01 Toyota Echo Sedan
90 day: 44.85 mpg (US)

Zulu - '14 Honda CR-Z
90 day: 49.05 mpg (US)
Thanks: 150
Thanked 236 Times in 147 Posts
Impressive work !
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2011, 12:13 AM   #6 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 4

PT CruiserAZ - '07 Chrysler PT Cruiser
90 day: 27.88 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Looks great to my eyes.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2011, 07:29 AM   #7 (permalink)
Recreation Engineer
 
KamperBob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Somewhere USA
Posts: 525

Black Stallion - '02 Toyota Tundra 4WD xCab

Half Pint - '06 Yamaha XT225
Thanks: 333
Thanked 138 Times in 103 Posts
Nice! Considering everything you did and 70+ mpg I doubt you left much loss on the table. I can visualize rear end eddies tucking under what overhang you have so I'm skeptical how much more a full boat tail could help. Cool beans!
__________________
Recreation Engineer
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2011, 08:31 AM   #8 (permalink)
Cd
Ultimate Fail
 
Cd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Austin,Texas
Posts: 3,585
Thanks: 2,872
Thanked 1,121 Times in 679 Posts
Love it !

I would definitely drive that.

Last edited by Cd; 10-04-2011 at 07:15 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2011, 03:48 PM   #9 (permalink)
PSmodder lurker
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Chino
Posts: 1,605
Thanks: 26
Thanked 908 Times in 522 Posts
Do you enter NASCAR or General Lee style? Clean & tidy and very reproducible for many.


Vaporware, is not so vaporware.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...5&d=1296259422

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...6&d=1296259422
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2011, 07:46 PM   #10 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
blownb310's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 476

Saab EV - '19 Chevy Bolt EV LT

Pierre - '07 ZENN MC2 Base
Thanks: 178
Thanked 89 Times in 45 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reloadwin View Post
WOW great work, looks great did you ever finish the full boat tail? Pictures?
Thanks everyone. No I haven't. I was hoping to hear some negative things about my Kamm tail design to encourage me to rush a boat tail together before the 16th when I make one final attempt this year for a new personal best mpg.


I know that the sharp crease on each of the [top to side] panels of the tail are not ideal, but is there anything fundamentally wrong with how the tail ends, or how abruptly each lower side panel ends near the rear bumper?

Mike

__________________
2007 ZENN and 2019 Chevy Bolt EV 145,000 oil free miles to date.
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Tags
b13, hypermiling, nissan, se-r, sentra

Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com