Hi there, yesterday I started to build a model to get a fibreglass mould for wheel fairings (rear) for my Seagull mc2. It would be easier to buy a couple of ultralight aircraft fairing (pretty cheap, about 50 euros each) but they are too small for wheelbarrow wheels. The fairing is going to be symmetrical.
Very lazy in these days. First I thought of filling the cells with polyurethane foam, but it's not so easy to work and trim when hard. Flat parts are easy to cover with thin plywood, more trouble with the round parts on the top and on the leading edge. I don't want to build too much ribs to fasten the plywood.
Any advice? Wire mesh? Plenty of ribs? Thank you.
Cheers - Enrico
Hi Enrico
Years ago I was half shares in an ultralight aircraft with a friend [a Vector]
We fitted wheel fairings to it by making a mould off an existing fairing we found in the hangar and making our own
One day one of them on one side was left off for some reason that I forget now and we found that the aircraft pulled away from that side! The fairings were creating more drag! We took them off
We decided at the time that the slot where the wheel went into the fairing was the problem so I think that particular attention should be paid to that area
Cheers Hiko
Perhaps try white expanded foam, the stuff that fridges come packed in? You can get large amounts at places like Clark Rubber. The only caveat is that you must use epoxy, rather than polyester when making a mould.
if using white foam , i covered th wheel with scraps of foam, glued with the spray on polyuerathane foam then carved and sanded the shape. then a layer of gyprock , or plasterboard topping coat, which sands very easily( easier and better finish than plaster) and smooth, a layer of varnish , then the glass over the top
The shelf for my landyacht models is almost done 
Both sides completed, it needs only minor trimming. I'll go on trying with white foam, thank you for your suggestion.
I don't believe fairings will be effective on a very short axle, but they're very cool 
and I want to try my skills on fibreglass (never used before).
The "golfball" car is great!
Cheers - Enrico
