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

[MetroMPG]

The Civic just became much more useful.







Also, that's a convenient mounting/support point for a tail extension, if I get that far with the car this fall/winter.

[Daox]

Looks like you're ready to haul some building materials.

[MetroMPG]

Made up the coroplast version of the spoiler this evening... the cardboard one was off the car this weekend for a couple hundred km of highway driving and the missing .3 mpg kept me up at night. :P

I'll post pics tomorrow if the weather cooperates.

Sitting at ~52 mpg (US) so far this tank, says ye olde scanne gaige.

Need more aeromods to keep that up in the depths of winter...

[jedi_sol]

What's the "theory / purpose" of those tabs you put on the corners of the rear bumper?

[Xist]

Originally Posted by jedi_sol

What's the "theory / purpose" of those tabs you put on the corners of the rear bumper?

Many newer cars, I believe including the Civic and Prius, have corners on the rear bumper, and the theory is that they cause the air to detach cleanly.

[MetroMPG]

Based on 4 fill-ups, looks like the ScanGauge was 9.3% optimistic vs. MPG calculations done at the pump for two 1.8L 5-speed Civics (both 2007 models).

Now I can go back and adjust the numbers & graph in this thread.

I've been driving with mine set at +10% fuel use, and I think I'll just leave it there. Makes me try a little harder.

[MetroMPG]

The semi-permanent coroplast spoiler is now finished & on the car. I'll post pics tomorrow.

[jedi_sol]

Can't wait

[MetroMPG]

Above: that gives you a pretty good idea of how I made it.



Above: I wiped down the finish with paint thinner to clean it, then applied painter's tape. To be honest, my fingers are crossed that it won't damage the finish in the 4 or 5 months this will be on the trunk.



Gorilla tape to hold the spoiler to the painter's tape. Also wrapped around & under the side of the deck lid.



Above: from the rear, it looks much taller than it actually is, owing to the strip of tape holding the spoiler to the rear surface of the lid.

In reality it's about .5 inches taller than the Civic hybrid-style spoiler. Yes, I'm a sucker for "if a little bit is good, then..."



It's immediately obvious that airflow is changed, because the rear surface of the car gets dusty very quickly now.

I just need this to last the winter. If I wanted a permanent spoiler, I'd get one off a Hybrid, or shape it from rigid foam insulation.

[Daox]

Looks pretty nice from the pics. How long did it take to make?