Covering up the rear wheel wells?

BoHenriksson · 03-31-2007, 06:18 PM

Has anybody tried to cover up those rear wheel wells to reduce drag? Remember the old very aerodynamic Citroen CX had a removable cover over the rear wheels that'd you'd pull of if you needed to change the tire. Seems like this would be a simple mod to improve the Prius mpg a little. Or maybe, a lot!

Godiva · 03-31-2007, 06:37 PM

I had wheel skirts on my old 1960 Cadillac Sedan de Ville.

A few of us have photoshopped them but I don't know as anyone has actually built and used them.

toyotablackbox · 05-01-2007, 06:05 PM

Yeah I havent been able to find any wheel skirts for my Prius either. I think they would look so cool like ones on the Honda insight. I even played with some plastic panels to give myself the idea of what it would look like, but somebody needs to make some factory looking color matched ones with a black trim piece on the bottom to match up with the rear underbody spoiler. The only problem with the Prius is that the rear wheel arches are rounded instead of square like on the Citroens and Hondas with factory wheeel skirts, and the skirt could only go half way down the tire as to not obstruct tire travel. Even with rounded wheel wells, and half length skirts, I'm pretty sure I'd like them on my Prius...

Cheap! · 05-02-2007, 02:57 PM

That is the next mod project for me after the Prius Plus. You know maximize what you have. So, I will have to make some fiberglass forms and once you make those there will be no problem dropping in more fiber glass to make some more.

05-01-2007, 06:05 PM	#3
toyotablackbox Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 63 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Yeah I havent been able to find any wheel skirts for my Prius either. I think they would look so cool like ones on the Honda insight. I even played with some plastic panels to give myself the idea of what it would look like, but somebody needs to make some factory looking color matched ones with a black trim piece on the bottom to match up with the rear underbody spoiler. The only problem with the Prius is that the rear wheel arches are rounded instead of square like on the Citroens and Hondas with factory wheeel skirts, and the skirt could only go half way down the tire as to not obstruct tire travel. Even with rounded wheel wells, and half length skirts, I'm pretty sure I'd like them on my Prius... __________________ 1994 Toyota Tecel EV: full electric conversion. liquid silver metallic. mods: low rolling resistance tires, rear adjustable air-shocks to support battery weight, LED interior illumination, 110VAC outlet in gas door for re-charging via on-board charger, PDA linked computer controller system, custom science/technology/innovation license plates. - 2007 Toyota Prius Touring Pack 3: classic silver metallic. mods: shark fin antenna, all weather mats, white 1W LEDs for map, dome, cargo, vanity, and door lights, aqua LED ambiance lighting for footwells, plastic seat-mounted tray tables for eating lunch/snacks in the back seat. Upgraded from a 2006 Prius Pack 0

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03-31-2007, 06:18 PM	#1
BoHenriksson Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 17 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Has anybody tried to cover up those rear wheel wells to reduce drag? Remember the old very aerodynamic Citroen CX had a removable cover over the rear wheels that'd you'd pull of if you needed to change the tire. Seems like this would be a simple mod to improve the Prius mpg a little. Or maybe, a lot!

03-31-2007, 06:37 PM	#2
Godiva AmeriKan Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 10,026 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 3 Times in 2 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	I had wheel skirts on my old 1960 Cadillac Sedan de Ville. A few of us have photoshopped them but I don't know as anyone has actually built and used them.

05-02-2007, 02:57 PM	#4
Cheap! Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1,157 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	That is the next mod project for me after the Prius Plus. You know maximize what you have. So, I will have to make some fiberglass forms and once you make those there will be no problem dropping in more fiber glass to make some more.