Side Mirrors...

[Phase]

tried to test a few different small mirrors on the inside of the car door near the window. NOPE! too many reflections from the inside of the window tint makes visibility bad, plus you get half of the inside door in the view. i will def need to go the route of fabrication a little arm and mount for those blind spot mirrors i showed pics of earlier and will have tp be installed outside the car

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Nowadays that most cars have curved glasses, which lead to more distortions to the image in the mirrors, I wouldn't expect it to be so great to use interior mirrors instead of regular exterior mirrors. Maybe it's time for you to take a look at those sports motorcycle mirrors which already have some aerodynamic housing and stalks.

[Phase]

Update. Finally was a dry night and spend an hour and a half doing the mirror versus no mirror test close to midnight

25 mile stretch round trip all interstate
47 degrees outwide and cruise control set to 65 mph

First test with mirrors,

51.8mpg average

Both mirrors completely off

53.8mpg

2 Mpg gain!

[Phase]

So these are the super mini side mirrors I fabricated. Very sturdy. Actually work really well. Only issue is clearly the part facing the wind is blunt and flat. I need to make some type of curved aero cover. Anyone have advice? I was going to use half side of tooth brush travel holders but they are kind of difficult to mount. Other idea was get black styrofoam and just whittle and shave it down into an aero shape then 3m sticky or gorilla glue it on

Any ideas would be helpful

Also they generate a lot of wind noise, so I’ll be trying a few vortex generators too later on

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Phase

So these are the super mini side mirrors I fabricated. Very sturdy. Actually work really well. Only issue is clearly the part facing the wind is blunt and flat. I need to make some type of curved aero cover. Anyone have advice? I was going to use half side of tooth brush travel holders but they are kind of difficult to mount. Other idea was get black styrofoam and just whittle and shave it down into an aero shape then 3m sticky or gorilla glue it on

Any ideas would be helpful

Also they generate a lot of wind noise, so I’ll be trying a few vortex generators too later on

Foam is good idea, it can be glassed over to create a permanent fairing.
Creating an 'armature' and laying up papier mache to create a slightly undersized form which can be fiber-glassed would also work. Once it's glassed, submerge it in water to disintegrate the form leaving only the shell.
Same for drywall compound over a hardware-cloth or expanded metal lath armature, ditto. I've done both.

[freebeard]

3D print with a 20% infill.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by freebeard

3D print with a 20% infill.

Which raises the question of the computer, CAD-CAM software needed to create the data-cloud, actually 'drawing', and access to the printer which would recognize the cloud.
For every iteration.

[freebeard]

For every iteration.

Left and right?

Forum members have been 3D printing parts since 2014. ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/im-making-custom-car-parts-3d-printer-30670l

My Ender3 bed needs leveling.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Left and right?

Forum members have been 3D printing parts since 2014. ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/im-making-custom-car-parts-3d-printer-30670l

My Ender3 bed needs leveling.

Since nothing exists yet, we'd have to manufacture something just to test.
If not satisfied with the initial design, the entire process must be repeated.
We have a 3D printing lab at the local public library.
The kids design something at school, then bring the 'file' to the library where it can be 'manufactured.'
I have no idea what a 3D laser scan of the mating surfaces of the mirror chassis entails, from which each iteration of the mirror housing would share.
Rick Dale of Rick's Restorations would be happy to take $124/hour to create for us, in 2016 Dollars? As many times as we like.
I've never done it. Unlikely that I ever will. Any way I look at it, it looks like bankruptcy.
I presume that, creating a mirror-image for the other side of the car is a matter of a few keystrokes. Don't know.

[freebeard]

Phase -- It's hard [for me] to tell, is the stalk just a piece of all-thread? Can you adjust it?

I can imagine adding the sculpted foam former, then vacuum-forming a shell over it. Instead of removing it, just trim the edge. If there is an undercut, it would act like a crimped edge.