Showing off the VX improvements...

[benfrogg]

The newest addition-
Fabricated, installed, caulked, and painted wiper deflectors. Yes, I wanted to use a nice even line across the top. No, it wasn't possible. Maine (as many other states do) requires the sprayers to work on your windshield. I like having them too. Personally, one thing that GM ever got right was sprayers on the wiper arm itself. If that were the case with the VX, I could have made it sweet.

These are three pieces of aluminum sheet metal. I don't know the gauge, but it's the same as all of my other panels for aero. It's very thick, like almos 16th inch or so. It holds it's shape well.



Side shot:


What it looks like looking at it from a "level" line in front of the car. Note that only one small portion of the wiper arm is visible:



Since you were wondering, this is what it looks like from inside the car:


All in all, I'd call it a success. It is far uglier in person than in these photos. I'll forget it's even there in a few hundred miles.
Oh, and if you were wondering, yes, I can just barely get the hood to open to the full 90degree setting. I wasn't about to lose that capability. I also trimmed a little of the plastic trim on the passenger side of the windshield (very minimal trimming I may add) to get the passenger wiper to "park" a little lower. Thus, both wipers park as low as possible.

I'm looking forward to the next snow storm so I can see how well this deflects air (snow is visible) over the windshield/wipers.

Oh and add 34,000 to the odo for real miles.

All for now, more to come.
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[theholycow]

If the squirter is what stopped you from using a reasonable-looking straighter piece, why not just go to a junkyard and get GM nozzles?

[benfrogg]

I thought about that, too little too late. It might have been tricky to, with routing those hoses.... maybe it wouldn't have been that bad.

I'm going to use it as is and see what it does on the highway. I'll report back.
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[benfrogg]

So, some new stuff to add:

This is just under the front bumper. White coroplast sign material. There's a 2x4 running width wise just in front of the front wheels to lower the lip below most of the suspension components: (a little tough to make out, the coroplast is painted black like the 2x4)


View from the font to back:


View of the back with black coroplast:

Note that I wanted to keep the tow hook a useable jack point in the garage.
View of the rear suspension cut outs:

Clearances around the muffler:


That took care of most of the "parachute" above the muffler. The piece on the right extends up into the passenger rear wheel well.

In case you were wondering, the middle sections of coroplast are supported by a 1x2 by 44" long pieces of pine. They are painted oil based black. I used appropriate length sheet metal screws to adhere them to the underside using the center rails around the exhaust. The far ends are screwed directly to the underside. The screws did go into the cabin, under the carpets. I cut them off with an angle grinder inside.
The screws and much of the coroplast are from home depot. No, you can't buy either of them. They are what is used to ship exterior doors to the store. Plastic holds the doors up, the screws hold the plastic/doors do the pallet. Normally both items are thrown in the trash. I saved up the screws (I've got thousands of them as a result) and old co-workers have been providing me with the plastic since I quit.

I also did an antenna delete and front coroplast wheel covers. I'll post those when I get the chance.
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[pgfpro]

WOW I missed this post. I didn't know you had this many FE mods. Nice!!!

You should do a write up in the Fuel Economy Projects.

[benfrogg]

Good idea.
Perhaps a site administrator could move it over to the projects thread for me so I wouldn't have to re-add it all over there?
It would be appreciated.
THanks
B

[pgfpro]

Looks like you got it moved.

I sent some people over from the "other name GasSavers" forum to check your progress out.

[benfrogg]

Yes, I'm glad it got moved, thanks!
I'll take some photos tomorrow in daylight of the new aero mods I've been working on.
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[Wocketman]

Being in Maine with a CRX-HF (and GF with a VX) I was thrilled to see an aerodynamic VX on the freeway one day near Portland..."wow, what is THAT?!!" He must have thought I was nuts shooting pics with my camera phone while driving. I wondered how I'd ever find that car again.

Then I found him here on Gassavers.org. Thanks to Ben's willingness to share his experience I was actually able to meet him and drive the amazing car! I learned a LOT in only a few miles. Thanks to Ben and Gassavers.org! With all the miles that Mainer's drive, many here could benefit from learning about his car and I'll be spreading the word.

Bruce in Maine.

[benfrogg]

Thanks Bruce!
I'm glad to meet anybody interested in the car and what we're up to! I like to think of all of this study of FE as "open source." I'm happy to share any knowledge that I've acquired about it and to learn as much as I can from the people who have knowledge about it!
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