Side mirror drag & effect on fuel economy - quantified

[Hybrid Effects]

OOP'ssssssssssssss


I ment passenger side mirror.

Thing is that there is really nothing saying that you can not remover both mirrors and put a tiny mirror on the drivers side.

You could mount cameras on both sides or one side,,,, and have a mirror the size of a golf ball on the driver side to pass state inspection laws.

Franklin

[krousdb]

To pass NC safety inspection, you are required to have an inside mounted rear view mirror and and outside mounted drivers side mirror. It does not mention the size of the mirror. See page 49.

http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_ser...nforcement.pdf

So it might be nice to have a small mirror molded into the drivers side mirror mount. Either that or cut a section out of the OEM mirror housing, glue it back together and install a smaller miror surface. It might be fun to try if I was willing to spend $160 on a spare mirror to make the change reversable.

[cfg83]

krousdb -

Originally Posted by krousdb

To pass NC safety inspection, you are required to have an inside mounted rear view mirror and and outside mounted drivers side mirror. It does not mention the size of the mirror. See page 49.

http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_ser...nforcement.pdf

So it might be nice to have a small mirror molded into the drivers side mirror mount. Either that or cut a section out of the OEM mirror housing, glue it back together and install a smaller mirror surface. It might be fun to try if I was willing to spend $160 on a spare mirror to make the change reversable.

That's why I was thinking of using a bicycle mirror. I do have smaller motorcycle mirrors on my todo list, but they're maybe only 50% smaller, not nearly as small as bicycle mirrors. I did just get this installed :

WRAPAROUND PANORAMIC WIDE-ANGLE MIRROR
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/I...D:100000218469


I basically have zero blind spot now. As you can see in the picture, it even shows both front windows (it feels like I'm watching myself in a Sonic fast food commercial). There is a little distortion at the edges, but it's not an expensive mirror. Because of this, I feel 100% safe to install smaller side view mirrors on the car.

At first I was disappointed when I got it. The original attachment seems to be designed for thinner (1970's style?!?!?) rear view mirrors. The other day I figured out how to remove the original attachment and retrofit my own attachment with zip ties.

CarloSW2

[AndrewJ]

I've been keeping my eye on stuff like this "backup camera" on ebay.

I'm just wondering where I'd mount the camera. I need to figure out something before I have to get my car inspected again. Its down to the backup camera, or making a tiny mirror (about 4" x 1.5") for the drivers side.

[Hybrid Effects]

In Virginia you have to have at least one mirror and all so the rear view mirror. The camera would be used to view what you you could not view if you had a tiny driver side mirror.

I think my post cunfused some people. The tiny mirror is realy just a way to pass inspection.

[tasdrouille]

Here in Quebec you need only an exterior driver side mirror that must be adjustable from inside the vehicule and allow you to see a distance of 10 feet to the left of the vehicule 36 feet back of the driver's eyes when sitting normally with the seat furthest back. Nothing mentions the height of the mirror though.

[bestmapman]

Originally Posted by krousdb

Removing a mirror will reduce frontal area as well as lowering the Cd. A more aerodynamic mirror would only lower the Cd.

Observations on side mirrors:

1) They have little effect on city driving where speeds stay under 40 MPH.

2) They are most usefull in city driving where traffic is heavy.

3) Folding isn't good enough for highway driving.

Solution:

1) Remove original mirrors.

2) Fabricate "stick on" mirrors to use in city driving.

With this configuration, you can literally "stick" the mirrors on in the city and "pop" them off for highway travel.

That's the best of both worlds. Also, I would permanently install inside mirrors.

[fanamingo]

Originally Posted by Hybrid Effects

In Virginia you have to have at least one mirror and all so the rear view mirror.

If your car was made in the past 40 years or so, it seems you need to have at least one outside mirror in addition to the inside rear view mirror.

19VAC30-70-220. Mirrors.

INSPECT FOR AND REJECT IF:

1. Any motor vehicle is not equipped with at least one mirror.

2. Any 1969 and subsequent model motor vehicle, designed and licensed primarily for passenger vehicular transportation, is not equipped with at least one outside and one inside rear view mirror.
...
Vehicles equipped with only one outside mirror must have the mirror on the driver's side.

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...19VAC30-70-220

Originally, I was hoping to get by with just inside mirrors as well.

For reference, the full VA motor vehicle safety inspection rules and regulations are here:
http://leg1.state.va.us/000/reg/TOC19030.HTM#C0070

[WaxyChicken]

Rather than completely remove the mirror on the driver side and replace it with an uncomfortable in-side side mounted mirror, why not aero mod it? give it a boat nose and add wind spreaders to the top side.

[Frank Lee]

Y'all are assuming removing the outside mirror improves aero and ya knows it might NOT be the case for every vehicle...