Project "Save the Flea!" Winter beater: 2007 Civic 1.8L, 5-speed

[Baltothewolf]

I'm curious how much mpg that Kamback is going to give you. Please do keep us updated!!!

[MetroMPG]

I'm honestly not expecting much at all. The Civic's rear glass/deck design is not bad to begin with.

But I will do an A-B-A test to find out.

The real value of having the Kammback is that it will provide the proper shape to transition to a boat tail.

I've gotta do something to try to wrest back the lost MPG from winter's icy claws!

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I'm honestly not expecting much at all. The Civic's rear glass/deck design is not bad to begin with.

But I will do an A-B-A test to find out.

The real value of having the Kammback is that it will provide the proper shape to transition to a boat tail.

I've gotta do something to try to wrest back the lost MPG from winter's icy claws!

I really want a boat-tail for my insight. I wish I could have gotten the one you made, but oh well.

[MetroMPG]

Well, if you plan ahead, you can have dibs on the Kammback and tail for an 8th gen Civic in about 6 months.

[MetroMPG]

Continuing my habit of doing things all bass ackwards, may I present a photo from a quick tuft test of the Civic's rear glass this afternoon (now that I'm nearly finished the Kammback):



Above: you know you're a chronic ecomodder when your neighbour pulls in the driveway just as you're finishing taping the above on your window and guesses: "going to make something for the back end?"



Here are the tufts in action...

You know how in movies when there are a couple of people gathered around a video monitor showing something fuzzy and the boss says, "can you enhance that?"



I should have used dark tufts on the bottom 2 rows, because they disappeared into the light colour of the roadway. You'll have to take my word that the Enhanced Tufts (TM) are an accurate representation of reality.

I was slightly surprised to see separation/recirculation. The rear glass is laid way back and the deck is high. But, fail! It's obviously stil too "fast" to keep attached flow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxq9yj2pVWk

Also, I started on the mount for the tail's frame this afternoon.

[Cd]

Oh that's great ! Laughing out loud.
I was glad to see the bit from Blade Runner in there too.

[MetroMPG]

Stick tail frame under construction:



The height at the tip of the tail is right where the upper surface will arrive. Still have to work out width & bottom.

It adds 43 inches to the car's original 175 inch length, for a total of:

>>> 218 in. / 5537 mm --- Civic with tail

This will still fit in regular parking spots/garages. Longer than the best-selling car in the U.S. (Toyota Camry -- 4,805 mm 189 in.), but shorter than the shortest version of the most popular configuration of North America's best selling vehicle:

>>> 231.9 in. / 5890 mm --- 2014 Ford F-150 SuperCrew short box

Triangulation makes everything better:



It sits on the trailer hitch, and is secured to the trunk with bolts & wingnuts using the existing licence plate bolt holes. So far, it's relatively easily removable. I'll be adding straps across the top of the deck lid for redundancy.

[MetroMPG]

This one's different from others I've made: it has a rear window and off-center-mounted third brake light, up high.







I just have to put the plastic skin on it, tape it on, and connect the light wires to the trailer harness.

[Daox]

Looks like Darin is getting fancy on us!

Seriously, it looks good though. I can't wait to see the results.

[dirtydave]

Looks perfect! I am so going to copy your design! Good job!

What did you use for the back window?
What plastic skin will you use?