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

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 05-25-2012, 05:19 PM   #1 (permalink)
Fat free ranch for life!
 
Ultra-Orange's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Longview WA
Posts: 113

Ecno-bubble - '96 Geo Metro Base
Thanks: 70
Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts
My first Made to order Aero Hub caps

Friend of mine lost a hub cap and asked me to make him a set of Aero hubcaps.

And thus started my adventure. I spent a weekend diving the local boneyards. Apparently Mr 15" rim got sauced at the company Christmas party and made a tit of himself getting ostricized by the other rims. At least thats the only reason I can come up with for the total lack of 15" hub caps.

So I found a cheap set at Wallmart. Using the T-shirt method I started Fiberglassing over the Hubcaps. about the second or third coat I put my Hubcaps outside to cure . I live in Oregon. Its cloudy here. I've learned to ignore the clouds. Bad move.

About 3 minutes after I put the hub caps out. It rained (only for about 5 minmutes and the only rain we had that day). Made a mess of my glass job.

So. Nocked the resultant bubbles down. Cleaned with Acetone to get the wet resin off, sanded them down to nothing.

A couple coats later I noticed that I was running out of Hardener. I tried an experimental batch of resin with less hardener than normal. Bad move. Didn't cure. So I tried an old painters trick and made a batch with extra hardener and worked it into the uncured resin as good as possible. Worse move. Came out terrible. Blotches still didn't cure. More acetone. More sanding. more fiberglass.

I ended up buying a D.A. sander, this was probably the best move I've made all year. (Power tools! Yay!) I sanded the hubcaps till they where reasonably smooth... then I applied paint, every scratch bubble and warp showed up. Next time I'm just gonna Zip tie Coroplast to the hubcaps.

So here they are.



Saw this at a local gas station and figured this was the place to share it.



Last edited by Piwoslaw; 05-26-2012 at 07:00 AM.. Reason: Fixed typo in title
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Ultra-Orange For This Useful Post:
aerohead (05-29-2012)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 05-25-2012, 05:46 PM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
nemo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: US
Posts: 1,015

Chief - '06 Pontiac Grand Prix
90 day: 26.7 mpg (US)

SF1 - '12 Ford Fiesta S
90 day: 30.95 mpg (US)
Thanks: 195
Thanked 247 Times in 190 Posts
Got a good laugh out of the cartoon. Thank for posting it.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2012, 11:16 AM   #3 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,515

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 52.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,062
Thanked 6,959 Times in 3,603 Posts
Live and learn! At least you got a new sander out of the project!

And pretty smooth hubcaps.... even if they're not perfect.

__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread






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