Clear plastic boat tail idea

[Sulfuric]

I've been searching for a while for a good material that would provide the drag reduction of many of the more serious mods e.g. a boat tail, but would require less work to install, would be easy to take off, and requires the least amount of wiring, etc.

I thought a plexiglass-like material would work well because it would provide decent visibility and I wouldn't have to move the license plate or brake lights or do any wiring work. But all I have is thick plexiglass and it's relatively heavy and requires very good support to attach it securely to my car.

- - - - - - - -LIGHT BULB - - - - - - -

Then a brilliant idea popped in my mind!

How about a clear plastic material, similar to "death" plastic packaging? You know, the kind that you need scissors to open and a good 5 minutes because you can't find a good angle to cut through the plastic? What if that was shaped so it would connect from the back of the roof to the back edge of the trunk, and then a second piece that connects from various parts of the back outward to form a boat tail?

It would only require a few screws to hold it into place because of how light it is, but it's still rigid enough to provide the aerodynamic benefits and won't flex just from airflow.

If you see a flaw or jsut want to comment, pelase tell me. I'm really hyped about this, the only problem is getting the material and shaping it correctly.

[Angelus359]

sounds sexy

[botsapper]

'Death' plastic or 'scissor-stabby' plastic is clear/translucent/tint PVC. Relatively easy to work with, machined, welded, glued and easily heat/vacuum formed. Weather resistant but prone to sag in hotter weather climes. Also not UV stabilized for long-term solar exposure.
But very workable & affordable for aero testing eco-modders. Good luck.

[Sulfuric]

Originally Posted by botsapper

'Death' plastic or 'scissor-stabby' plastic is clear/translucent/tint PVC. Relatively easy to work with, machined, welded, glued and easily heat/vacuum formed. Weather resistant but prone to sag in hotter weather climes. Also not UV stabilized for long-term solar exposure.
But very workable & affordable for aero testing eco-modders. Good luck.

Eh, I live in a hot climate . . . thanks, Florida.

If I get it a little thicker that should deter sagging, correct?

[KY Metro]

You'll probably need a light frame anyhow, so that could prevent sag. Maybe frame it with thick plastic ribs? Or PVC pipe is pretty flexible.....

[redpoint5]

You might consider Lexan. I used the stuff when I needed a clear canopy for an electric car I built in high school.

Here is the bubble bursting moment though. Your car will not be legal because lights must be mounted to the furthest points on your car, meaning all the way back, and all the way at both sides.

You would especially want these lights if you have a long clear back-end you don't want rear-ended.

[Frank Lee]

It still won't be clear enough to negate the need to relocate lights and license.

[Sulfuric]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

You might consider Lexan. I used the stuff when I needed a clear canopy for an electric car I built in high school.

Here is the bubble bursting moment though. Your car will not be legal because lights must be mounted to the furthest points on your car, meaning all the way back, and all the way at both sides.
You would especially want these lights if you have a long clear back-end you don't want rear-ended.

I believe you, however, laws are different for each state so maybe I can get away with it . . . I would probably add a light of some sort if I went through with it, it's just that I'm really bad with wiring.

I could make it just a kammback from the roof to the trunk and that would still help a lot. Then I wouldn't have to move anything.

[tiderfish]

For the light issue, you could use a fiber-optic approach. Get some solid clear plastic tubes and attach them to the existing lights and then run them to the end of the boat-tail. I see this method on switches and servers. They use a surface mount LED and have a small bit of plastic that routes the light to the exterior of the case. You may need a diffuser to make the light output uniform.

However I still think that you would need some kind of reinforcement to prevent deformation at speed. I am thinking popsicle sticks glued together. Those can be very sturdy if made right. Or some other other type of light weight wood.

Good luck!