Side Mirrors...

[Phase]

I was thinking of replacing my big side mirrors with little tiny 3 inch side mirrors that are usually just use as wide blind spot mirrors. then id probably fit a another mirror inside the actual car for added safety

by making my mirrors 1/4th the size that they were, that should really help with drag right?

do laws state that side mirrors need to be a certain size? or that you just only need a mirror and nothing specific?

[basjoos]

South Carolina law just stated that you need a mirror that can see 100 yards behind the vehicle and that you only need side mirrors if you can’t see out through the interior mirror, no minimum size given. On the Aerocivic, I removed the external side mirrors and replaced them with smaller side mirrors mounted on the door on the interior side of the glass. As long as I didn’t pile luggage inside to the point of blocking line of sights for the main interior mirror, I was fine. Every time I got pulled over by cops curious about the car, I would ask them if anything about the car was illegal, and none of them had any complaints about the mirrors. Removing the exterior side mirrors reduced the wind noise inside the car considerably since these wind noise generators are located about 2 feet from your ears on the opposite side of the glass.

[freebeard]

On my panel van I had two [approx. 2.5x4"] rectangular convex mirrors . The rear window was about the size of a piece of legal-sized paper.

Objects 100 yards behind were visible, but very small. Peripheral vision and situational awareness were good.

[Phase]

Originally Posted by basjoos

South Carolina law just stated that you need a mirror that can see 100 yards behind the vehicle and that you only need side mirrors if you can’t see out through the interior mirror, no minimum size given. On the Aerocivic, I removed the external side mirrors and replaced them with smaller side mirrors mounted on the door on the interior side of the glass. As long as I didn’t pile luggage inside to the point of blocking line of sights for the main interior mirror, I was fine. Every time I got pulled over by cops curious about the car, I would ask them if anything about the car was illegal, and none of them had any complaints about the mirrors. Removing the exterior side mirrors reduced the wind noise inside the car considerably since these wind noise generators are located about 2 feet from your ears on the opposite side of the glass.

See I’m trying to avoid getting pulled over period. I’m technically running 15 percent “ illegal” window tints but cops here don’t care unless you give them a good reason to pull you over. I have 1300 dollar nano ceramic tints all around that block 98 percent of IR rays. They allow me to run my ac at only a fan speed of one in my black car, even in hot Arizona summer deserts. It’s amazing. That obviously helps save gas. Probably not 1300 dollars worth of gas, but extra privacy and comfort from the sun is nice. I just try to avoid getting pulled over because I don’t want a “ fix it” ticket


If I get small little micro side mirrors, I’ll probably also have to fabricate some type of mini aero curved shell on the leading side so it’s not a hard flat base pushing into the wind

[freebeard]

nano ceramic tints all around...

Windshield included? Uprated headlights?

[Phase]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Windshield included? Uprated headlights?

yup. 70 percent on the windshield. xpel xr plus all around the whole car

headlights are the brightest LEDs on the market currently according to bulb facts and third party testing. even have my reverse back up lights upgraded

heres a video i made last year of my headlight upgrade. over 300 percent brighter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFl6QOAS9Kw

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[Phase]

Took of side mirror as a test to see how it would look. These are the slots. What have others done to cover this area up or make it more seamless? I’ll probably replace the mirrors though with little skinny 3 inch mirrors. I kind of dig the mirrorless Ioniq look. Gives it a bullet like appearance. Especially being black with tinted windows

[M_a_t_t]

Indiana law is just that you need a mirror to see 200 ft behind you. That's all the law says. Nothing stating where or how big.

I used a piece of sheetmetal cut to shape. Put weatherstripping along the edge and painted it black. Then used the domed allen head bolts to attach it.

[Vman455]

I siliconed plastic covers on the truck:



On the Prius, which has door-mounted mirrors, I fiberglassed over the hole:



Before you fit smaller mirrors, test them to see if they are actually lower drag than the larger stock mirrors; they may or may not be. Something like this will tell you which mirror has lower drag (the one further from the pole's centerline when there's no torque developed):



But that isn't the whole story; you'll also need to investigate whether the lower-drag mirror by itself is also the lower-drag mirror next to the car, where there is interference between the mirror and body.

[Phase]

Originally Posted by Vman455

Before you fit smaller mirrors, test them to see if they are actually lower drag than the larger stock mirrors; they may or may not be. Something like this will tell you which mirror has lower drag (the one further from the pole's centerline when there's no torque developed):



But that isn't the whole story; you'll also need to investigate whether the lower-drag mirror by itself is also the lower-drag mirror next to the car, where there is interference between the mirror and body.

I've seen that video. im not even thinking about using smaller car mirror. i was actually going to stick a screw out and then attach one of these super mini 3 inch blind spot mirrors. and then id fabricate some type of little aero cover shell on the backside of it facing the wind. ill be getting a rear view panoramic mirror and then also putting two little mirrors on the inside of both windows too for extra safety