"That just looks weird!"
 

My wife keeps telling me that wheel skirts look weird on cars. She then tells me that the Honda Insight looks rather horrible. While I disagree, it really doesn't matter. It isn't like I have 20K to blow on an insight anyway.

At what point to aero mods start offending the eye? At what point do the extra additions hurt the appeal of economy? Most importantly, how many of you really care? Would you drive an ugly car with ridiculous modifications if it got 60+mpg?

wheel skirts
 

I'd buy rear wheel skirts for my F350, if I could find them. I'd also buy a tonneau cover or cap, but they are not particularly aerodynamic i.e. no sloping "fastback" models.

Does anybody out there know of ready-made aero parts for pickups?

I like the look of areo
 

I like the look of areo cars. That 3 wheeled car that you showed earlier may have gone a bit too far.

I wouldn't mind things like
 

I wouldn't mind things like wheel skirts and similar things so long as they didn't get in the way of safety or anything like that. I usually like the look of aero cars. Although I'm not going to be doing anything to my 'Sol because the body kit gives it a certain look that I like, and that look is not 300mpg ultra-efficient nerd vehicle. If I do end up buying a commuter car when I graduate, I would definitely consider more far out ideas that would be super nerdy.

Re: "That just looks weird!"
 

well, i have to agree with your wife, matt. they do look weird - but only because they're unconventional, not because they're unattractive.

i also used to think the insight was an ugly car before i learned about the importance of aerodynamics, and before i knew that it's the most aero mass market car currently being built. now i view them similarly to the way i view a sleek sailboat or a giant wind turbine - examples of design elegance & efficiency in one package.

<img src="https://albumauto.9online.fr/24heuresdumansauto/1989/jaguar_xjr9_6_89.jpg" width="325" align="right">

as for wheel skirts - i drove through toronto today at rush hour with the cardboard skirts on my car. was i a bit self conscious? yup. but if you want to get over it, just slap 'em on and drive around for a while :)

i only noticed one person *obviously* looking at them. i do think they look weird, but i still fully intend to produce a more "professional" & durable permanent pair made of plastic this spring.

--

on a side note - i struggled against a headwind all afternoon today, covering about 400 km heading west on the north side of lake ontario, through toronto. with the wind (gusts were up to 50kph/30mph) i barely managed 50 mpg (US). but after i rounded the west tip of lake and started heading east with the wind at my back, i was stunned to see the scangauge climb to 72+ mpg over 25+ km of 80 kph/50 mph pulse and glide driving. i realize it's mostly the wind, but it's still cool to see numbers that high.

I'm gonna take this chance
 

I'm gonna take this chance to mention, metro, that I love how your pictures are always embedded in the side.

Mini-Skirt
 

Old Caddy's from the 50's, and more recently, the 90's Oldmobile Regency 98 and same generation Cadillac Fleetwoods employed an integrated "half-skirt" that looked classy. MetroMPG tested skirts (with some other aero mods) and found it to be worthwhile. As for looks, it would have to be done right or else it would look like a cheap "bolt-on". IMHO, the Insight skirts are a bit too high on the dorkometer for my tastes.

RH77

I'm thinking of making the
 

I'm thinking of making the stuff out of fiberglass and getting a www.paintscratch.com can of matching paint and then spraying it to match the car so that is does not look completely terrible.

Concerns...
 

Fiberglas is a good composite for the application, and with the paint it might not look half bad. I'd have to photoshop my car with such a setup to really get a feel for it.

Something you may want to think about is a quick-release system for when you have to change the tire. Otherwise, you've glued yourself into a corner. Speaking of cornering, since your car has an independent rear suspension, you'd have to allow extra room for camber movement as the wheel tilts outward on it's axis during shock absorbing, cornering, etc. Have you considered lowering the car? If so, that would also decrease wind resistance and reduce suspension travel (with a camber kit, of course).

RH77

Coilovers for lowering are
 

Coilovers for lowering are in the mail as we speak, expect a thread on it when I get/install them.

Coilovers
 

Coilovers :drool:

Back in my leadfoot days, I had dreams of getting TEIN coilovers that were electronically adjustable from inside the cabin -- soft for the family, hard for autocross/rally with the turn of a dial. I assume yours can be adjusted?

RH77

Adjustable yes, cheap bouncy
 

Adjustable yes, cheap bouncy crap, yes. Got them for free, mainly want to lower for looks/gas mileage until I can afford better.

Re: Adjustable yes, cheap bouncy
 

Nothin' wrong with that. When the shocks/struts go out on the 'teg, I'll also be going with an inch or so drop. Not sure how long that will take (on Missouri roads, rather quickly I expect).

RH77

Oh shit yeah, Missouri roads
 

Oh **** yeah, Missouri roads = terrible. My gramma lives out in rural Missouri so I know this stuff. :( for you. I wanna go 2 inch drop and see if I bottom out. I think my coilovers will do 3.5 but that = smackage.

MO Betta
 

We ranked like #49th in the Nation for road safety and conditions a couple of years ago. For example, the main suspension bridge that crosses the Missouri River in Kansas City had a section collapse during a cold snap -- luckily no one was injured. Since then, they've really dumped a lot of $$$ into road improvements and safety. I-435 was on the top 10 deadliest highways because there was no barrier between lanes and vehicles would slip off the edge and roll into oncoming traffic. I just moved there from the Kansas side (smooth as silk over there) to lumpy MO. So, what part of Missouri does your Grammy live, SVO?

RH77

Re: Concerns...
 

believe it or not, i'm going to try velcro - epoxied to the 90 degree lip around the wheel well, with the other half of the velcro on a corresponding lip shaped into the skirt material.

i don't want to drill any holes in the car for mounting hardware since that will be an open invitation for premature rusting.

connections
 

Are there holes and some screws holding the inside fender in place that you could reuse? You could just use some double backed tape or even better some silicone glue which seals and will not be permanent - then you could always clean the glue off with acetone. LOL

Or better yet use some Neo Magnets!!! God I love the ability to edit my post after I post it.

Re: Coilovers for lowering are
 

Spring & sleeve setup or full coilovers? What brand?

Quote:We ranked like #49th
 

Yeah, I was going to mention the second worst thing, but didn't feel like it. Missouri is just bad in the rural parts cuz the roads are so narrow and the combines blow you off. She lives outside of Chillicothe , which is like 2 hours northeast of you.

Quote:Spring & sleeve setup
 

Full coilovers, adjustable and all. They're a no name brand off of Ebay (love that place) that I got for shipping from a guy in california.

*bouncebounce*

Re: Quote:Spring & sleeve setup
 

the word "coilovers"... does it refer to the spring itself, to the strut/shock, or to whole spring/strut package? always wanted to know, never bothered to ask before.