Zulu's Build Thread (Honda CR-Z)

[CigaR007]

Sorry for not updating this thread for a few weeks as I have been very occupied with personal and work-related matters.

Updates !

Below is the intended front bumper fascia redesign. I do not know if the current design poses a problem, but I figured I might at least create the foam plugs for now, given that it was still warm enough outside to make it happen.



Here are the foam plugs :








I also experimented with clay, in the hopes that it would be easier to make a mold out of it, but it turned out to be a difficult medium to work with since it was developing cracks during the drying process. But here it is anyways :





The goal here is to make the lower front bumper smooth and flush.

[freebeard]

It looks like you used 4mil polyethylene as a mold release. Correct?

[kafer65]

I'm curious to see if you can produce any tangible improvement by smoothing this area. I'm running low on easy pickings and closing up the exhaust tunnel on my belly pan is looking daunting at the moment.

[CigaR007]

Originally Posted by freebeard

It looks like you used 4mil polyethylene as a mold release. Correct?

No mold release here. Plastic wrap was used to protect the car's plastic trim and the 2-part foam was poured into the bumper cavity. Next step would be to trim any excess foam (or add foam if needed) and apply the fibreglass/epoxy resin coatings.

Originally Posted by kafer65

I'm curious to see if you can produce any tangible improvement by smoothing this area.

I asked myself the same thing but given that every little detail adds up, it might be beneficial when coupled with the other mods.

[kafer65]

The CRZs fuel logs parallel my own except they are about 10% better give or take so I figure at our mileage resolution there may be some gain here. If we were getting 20 mpg we wouldn't see any I think. .

IF you look you can see where the dirt path that was pushed by the air

[vibrating_cake]

I always thought the lower front bumper recesses were there to create turbulence to "jump" or bypass the drag created by the open front wheel well.
Kinda like canards, in the right place reducing drag of the wheel well.
Do you have the undertray under the engine bay? It looks like the same philosophy is used there...
It's interesting the entire philosophy of the car.

[vibrating_cake]

Low speed fan . On 98degrees c off 96 deg c.
that low speed fan is extremely quiet! I had to hold my hand in front of the grill to feel it coming on!
Just fyi

[CigaR007]

Originally Posted by vibrating_cake

I always thought the lower front bumper recesses were there to create turbulence to "jump" or bypass the drag created by the open front wheel well.

Kinda like canards, in the right place reducing drag of the wheel well.

Good question. I guess some tuft testing might reveal what is truly going on.

[freebeard]

To the extent that the vent is at an angle to the flow you might get some turbulence bleeding off the trailing edge. A cavity facing forward will have a pocket of recirculating air.

See BMW's air curtain:


http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post239013

That's a ten page thread from 2011. And here is a genuine BMW part for the left side for $16.95.

Genuine BMW Air Duct 'Air Curtain' Left - 51118068901 - Turner Motorsport

[teoman]

I am curious about the CRZ,

There are a couple of them on our local craigslist equivalent.

How easy is it to tune the electric motor / system ? Say I managed to double the capacity of the battery can i use it on demand? And say i found means of charging the battery at home, can i use it to depletion coming home and charge it there?

And the bms, is it easy to reverse engineer? I have been following Robert Murray-Smith on youtube. Building a several kw battery and putting that in the car so there is always full electric assist would be an interesting project.

Are these relatively easy to configure or would i be pulling my hair out.