Mods you've done to make your Insight more aerodynamic
The Insight is pretty aerodynamic to begin with, but I've read how some people have done some mods to make it even nore so. I'm both curious as to what some of you guys have done and also what can be done.
It looks like the license bracket on the front bumper isn't so aerodynamic. But I can't remove mine here in California. It's the law to have both front and back.
Someone here has replaced the roof antenna with a sharkfin-type one. Is this an easy DIY? I don't mine the antenna that comes stock, but I sorta like the aesthetics of a sharkfin, and if it improves airflow and reduces drag, then that's a plus.
Anyone notice that the side mirrors are pretty big on our little cars? I don't mind them, but it would be cool to have sleeker mirrors.
Read in some recent post where someone removed the rear wiper. That's insane! Totally hardcore! Makes me wonder if a certain type of windshield wiper is more aerodynamic than another. I recently installed Rain-X Repel wipers. These are the "one-piece" blades that hug your windshield. Not sure if they reduce air flow interruption over the windshield.
So who has debadged their hood for uninterrupted airflow over the hood? Hehe.
No "H" badge on my hood because one of the 3 yahoo's that owned the car before mucked up the paint job trying to do it themselves. I also have no panels in the right wheel well, under the engine, or under the bumper but am still averaging mid 60's with mostly around town driving. I'm easily over 70 on the fwy, wonder what this car would get if I had all the panels on it?
I have done, and recommend doing, most of the mods that you mentioned:
* Grille block! It's the biggest aero bang for the buck.
* Remove the license plate bracket and screw the plate directly to the bumper cover - not a big deal aerodynamically, but it lets me better manage radiator airflow.
* Completely remove the passenger side mirror. It still passes state inspection here, and my 17" convex rear view mirror obviates the need for it.
* Relocate the antenna to the inside of the car. One of these days, I'll get around to relocating it to the tail extension. Meanwhile, my radio reception is reduced, but still plenty adequate.
* Delete the rear wiper, wiper motor, and washer nozzle. I used a 1+1/4"-ish sheet metal plug, RTV'd in place to fill the hole in the glass. I have to keep a coat of Rain-X up, but I never miss having the rear wiper. Try going a month without using yours, and see if you don't agree.
* Smooth, fiberglass wheel covers.
* Minor improvements and repairs to the underbelly panels.
There are four things I've thought about doing or improving on:
* Underbody panels need a little more work
* Driver's mirror - could I replace it with a Schwinn, plus a large convex unit inside the door?
* The holy grail of grille blocks: the automated, motorized grille block that adjusts cooling air to meet your need
* The holy grail of EcoModding: a 4', streamlined tail extension
Like my old buddy Bill once said, "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, to throw a perfume on the violet, to smooth the ice, or add another hue unto the rainbow, or with taper-light to seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, is wasteful and ridiculous excess."
Why mess with perfection... I'm pretty sure anything we could do would result in such an insignificant advantage, it wouldn't be worth doing...
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Driving on down the road in my 2001 CVT, going "Boogety Boogety" ...and until avatars are provided, my car looks just like the original silver Insight on the header, above... =)
I'm pretty sure anything we could do would result in such an insignificant advantage, it wouldn't be worth doing...
I agree. Simply driving it more efficiently can yield much larger mpg gains than one can get from aero tweaks, so I put MIMA on mine and just drive it rather than fuss with it.
Plus any potential gains from aero mods are much smaller at reasonable speeds (i.e., speed limit or below) than they are while speeding, because drag goes as the square of the speed.
That said, I think for many people here modding their Insight-I's is a sort of hobby which they do whether or not the gains justify the effort.
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2006 MT
MIMA w/FAS module
various mods to driver
I think the biggest advantage to aero speeds is for someone who primarily drives on the highway at speeds of 55mph or more. In the winter its tough to hold lean-burn and 55mph at the same time when its below freezing so the little bit of help of an aerotail mod would help quite a bit and would likely bring my struggle to get 60mpg on a tank with snow tires and losing speed with full performance lean-burn to an easy to get 60+ mpg on my commute with comfort of not battling the car.
I drive cross country multiple times a year and probably will 4 or 5 times this year, with interstate speeds of 75mph, a little extra help would go a long way towards holding that speed or close to it, especially if a little headwind picked up. If driving in Texas on the 80mpg interstate, hugging the 78mph maximum for lean-burn a little easier would be pretty sweet. ...I'm curious what the results would be, I went across the state of South Dakota to a gas station near my house off the maximum performance that lean-burn would give me and got 73mpg calculated, it would be cool if I could get even better MPG and be a little bit less on the very edge of the engines lean-burn performance while doing it.
I agree, lots of effort but if I had the skill that 3-Wheeler has with fiberglass to build something like he did, I'd do it. Driving this car with less freeway/interstate/highway frustration and maintaining lean-burn AND speed without tapping the battery to maintain that highway speed is where it really would be at.
....That said, I think for many people here modding their Insight-I's is a sort of hobby which they do whether or not the gains justify the effort......
I agree with all that's been said up to this point.
The extended tail has one advantage that's already been mentioned...
.... a slightly higher aero efficiency (20%)....
.... on cold winter days, going into a strong headwind, I'm sure the tail helps.... so you can get an aero benefit from the tail at lower speeds....
However there is another aero gain that could be more important. Showing other drivers that it's "OK" to think green and conserve fuel. Every once in a while, I will get a pickup truck driver who gives the car a good look-over, and/or follows me for a while.
Was the tail extension worth four months of labor? Most definitely, especially as the fuel prices are rising again.
3-Wheeler, is that your Insight with the tail extension in your avatar? That's insane! I've always thought that was some weird, obscure European car. Got more pics of it?
I've always liked to tinker with cars and think up things and see if they're doable based on materials available and my skill and knowledge level.
RobertSmalls, when you say grille block, are you talking about the mod people use for winter driving in which the radiator is blocked off? I've heard of people blocking the grille, but I'm realizing that there are two different grille mods with different functions.
Btw, anyone heard of an air diffuser? I think the Mitsubishi Evo Lancer (?) has it. It sits horizontally on top of the rear edge of the roof and has small protrusions along its length. I heard that it's supposed to diffuse air current, whatever that's supposed to mean.
3-Wheeler, is that your Insight with the tail extension in your avatar? That's insane! I've always thought that was some weird, obscure European car. Got more pics of it?....
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Mods you've done to make your Insight more aerodynamic
