Massive air dam on '98 Geo Metro (Firefly), A-B-A coastdown test; Update: version 2

[MetroMPG]

RIP massive cardboard air dam

FYI, the air dam was transported to Fonda, NY for this weekend's AMEC fuel economy competition, then installed ... I mean duct taped on the car the evening before.

The forecast was for possible rain, so I covered the outside of it with black plastic (garbage bags) and duct tape to protect it as much as possible. It looked much better in black, I have to say. Factory! (OK, no.)

I know Ben got a pic of it in black, so hopefully that'll get posted.

The rain happened during the night before the run; it was still structurally sound in the morning and during the event, though the lower corners were a wee bit soft.

So it served its purpose for the competition, and then met its demise on the way home: I drove through two serious rainstorms last evening and it eventually self destructed into a flapping mess of duct tape-coated mush! I stopped somewhere north of Boonville to pull it off and reinstall my normal grille block.

FYI, I also cut a center section of the bottom part of the dam before the competition, making higher ground clearance in the middle, like the Calibra and the latest gen Honda Civic's air dams. Probably removed as much total frontal area as a single door mirror.

[Deezler]

ha. Glad it hung in there long enough to be useful.

What were the results of the AMEC competition? Where can we read about it?

[RobertSmalls]

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post123221

Will we see the airdam reincarnated in coroplast?

[MetroMPG]

Official results haven't been posted yet, but I mentioned the figures I could remember at the end of that AMEC thread.

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Robert: yup, I'll likely make a coroplast version of the air dam. Ultimately, lowering, shaped wheel deflectors (or the "catamaran" approach, like Aerocivic) and a belly pan is the way to go, rather than a giant air dam. But an air dam is quick, cheap & less problematic until then.

[aerohead]

Along with some yogurt,raisins and a few almonds,the tape-coated mush makes roadside dining a true delight.

[MetroMPG]

Mmm... almonds...

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FYI: here's a picture of the car with the air dam in black:

[lunarhighway]

reminds me a bit of this

so what's next? sideskirts?

airdam looks awsome

[MetroMPG]

I don't think I'll play around with side skirts until I've messed around with the ride height first.

[Big Dave]

I did the side shirts ascwell. They were more of an annoyance than they were worth.

I have some conveyor belt material for sale if you like. Not easy to work, but nearly indestructible.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi Darin,

I just realized -- there are no front wheel skirts on the 'Fly?