Aero kit for better fuel mileage?

[sauce]

Has anyone ever explored putting on a aero kit that would make the car have better fuel mileage? Nothing radical like chopping the top and boat-tailing, simple stuff like an underbody kit, front air dam, and rear wheel covers? I think it could be made to look good and also provide some performance. I could make the rear wheel covers out of sheet metal for sure(wish I could do fiberglass), but I would need a solution for a quick release system to clean in there and to do any service work. Any one got a couple of pennies for me on this?

[Pu241]

Yes, some of these have been discussed in the past.
A search should bring up the thread, check around the time gas was $4+.
Don't know if anyone actually did anything.
I know a few who have done the air-dam, but not sure if increased MPG was documented.

[sasquatch]

i wanna put a sheet of aluminum on the underside of my car to make it flatter on the underside... not for fuel economy but to make it more stable at high speed... i dont know if thats why they handle like junk at high speed but its worth a try...

[sauce]

Aero is tricky stuff, but if you take cues from other vehicles, it can be done. I can fab up covers and an underbody out of steel, if someone could do a fiber glass job using my design as a template, that would be a good partnership. I can also adapt some other ideas from other hyper-miler body mods. Any interest in something like this?

[getnpsi]

When I owned the 1995 aspire, I was using signs made out of coroplast (plastic corrugated) and sealed off from under the swaybar forward, and also blocked about half the radiator. I also sealed off the parachute of the back bumper cover. I didn\t clean up under the passenger seating area or make it all that uniform but I seemed to enjoy faster warmup times and it cut down on wind noise a lot inside the car. Ill stand behind the proven fact that 75 mph with every aeromod possible is still going to burn more fuel than a slow and steady 60mph with no mods. Drafting behind an 18 wheeler that is speeding on the other hand will beat both (confirmed in other cars with obd2 scangauge reader)

[sasquatch]

the more i think about it the mose i want to "smooth" out the bottom of my festiva... the only thing i can think of that would be a very bad idea is the exhaust... my car is gonna get a bpt in it and that motor puts out a fair amount of heat... that exhaust with no air running over it is gonna get crazy hot... any idea on how to make it so my car dosnt catch fire??? the only thing i can think of is getting it ceramic coated and wraping the whole pipe in header wrap...

[sauce]

I always draft on the freeway. Illegal, but effective for stretching the beer budget, haha. A rear diffuser would look neat and get rid of that "parachute effect". I could fab that up out of steel in an hour. I just need someone who can copy the design out of glass. I was also thinking putting on a rear fender flair for the wheel cover to make it look "classic". No aero improvement with the flair, but stylee! haha. Also, aero mirrors off of an RX7 could be modified to fit, or I could make them out of clay and try to find a glass man. It doesnt seem like theres a lot of buzz about this in this community though, but I guess. I think it would be a fun project. Plaidstiva is getting these mods even if I have to make all my parts out of 16ga.

[sauce]

the more i think about it the mose i want to "smooth" out the bottom of my festiva... the only thing i can think of that would be a very bad idea is the exhaust... my car is gonna get a bpt in it and that motor puts out a fair amount of heat... that exhaust with no air running over it is gonna get crazy hot... any idea on how to make it so my car dosnt catch fire??? the only thing i can think of is getting it ceramic coated and wraping the whole pipe in header wrap...

You have the right idea. If you look on a few different vehicles, the plastic parts have heat resistant material glued or fastened on to them. Plus making a small bulge where the pipe is could work and then line the inside with some fireplace gasket material.

[Pu241]

I did recently install a grill block, made from polycarbonate, but haven't really seen an increase in MPG as it has been so cold MPG suffered anyway.
Even with the grill block, I think there is much of the air flow into the engine compartment from under the bumper that could still be blocked off.
I think as far as smoothing at least the engine compartment under-body, the Mazda 323 came with one and could be a fit with some mods or at least used as a template for one for the festiva.

[sauce]

The way to set it up like like setting up a time attack car. You run minimal air from the front to keep it cool, and run a vented hood with rear facing vents. You basically block off the whole underside of the engine bay and "seal" that exit. So it comes in the front and goes out the hood, backward over the roof. Its a very good design. Adding the vents to the hood is no sweat for someone with a grinder and a welder. The middle of the car doesnt really have to be flat, its already pretty flat minus the exhaust. The rear diffuser could start right after the rear axle. Its a pretty simple design, and it could be done on the cheap. The biggest hitch for me in the front air dam style bumper. I could weld up a big metal one like on the front of semi trucks, haha.