basjoosing the Toyota T-100 (articulated front wheel skirts) - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

aerohead · 08-18-2012, 03:15 PM

[IMG]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj622/aerohead2/One of the 'works-in-progress' for Bonneville are the articulated front wheel skirts as on AeroCivic.
I'd toyed with the idea of a double-articulation in the mechanism so as to have the skirt always moving parallel to the side of the truck.
Pot holes have forever changed my thinking and I've run for the protective skirt of basjoos' design.It's closer to Clarence Kelly Johnson's dictum of KISS engineering.It's 'better' than what I had in mind.And with time constraints being what they are,I've got a better chance of completion before my departure deadline.
I've completed the mechanical superstructure for the passenger side unit and after 6-test runs have dialed-in the roller location for a best-fit.
I'm cheating,using a Harbor Freight single roller instead of AeroCivic's two per unit.It's not as good,but I'm making due with available hardware.
So far,it does everything okay as far as the kinematics goes.I'll do a round trip to Fort Worth and back this weekend,then reproduce in mirror image for the driver's side.
No luck so far with my two sources for used aluminum.I'll keep checking.
I have a few photos and will see if Al can help get those up.Otherwise,the units are kinda like AeroCivic's.
Thanks to basjoos for the elegant engineering solutions!

metromizer · 08-18-2012, 03:39 PM

Are you racing the T-100 at Bonneville at USFRA in September?

aerohead · 08-18-2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metromizer

Are you racing the T-100 at Bonneville at USFRA in September?

Yes,well I will try as hard as I can.I've tried for 3-years now.
Anyway,yes I'm all paid up and have all the required safety gear.
I'm trying to 'harden' everything which was already on the truck,plus add some new features.
If I survive the event,I'll have over 5,500 miles of new road-test data by the time I make it back home.
She's geared for 138 mph at 4,800 rpm (peak horsepower).
The last trip's mpg indicated Cd 0.15 something and if true,would put the top speed at around 117 mph ( up from 96 mph stock) according to Hucho's rule of thumb.I've driven at 80 mph into a 35 mph headwind and cruised at 107 mph for 10-miles or so behind Homeland Security Tahoes.Plenty of throttle left.
If I can shave the Cd a little lower with the skirts and extra boat tail length I might push beyond 117 a little.
I won't be gear-limited as I was in the CRX back in 1990.HONDA put 3-overdrives in that gearbox to make sure nobody exceeded the tire's speed rating or over-revved the little beast.
With 346,000 miles on the engine I'm certifiably insane I guess,but all knowledge comes at a cost.

JethroBodine · 08-18-2012, 05:38 PM

We're thinking along the same lines

. I have the parts for the front skirts, but I'm still working on bugs from the other recent major work

.

Can't wait to see the truck on the salt

.

aerohead · 08-18-2012, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JethroBodine

We're thinking along the same lines

. I have the parts for the front skirts, but I'm still working on bugs from the other recent major work

.

Can't wait to see the truck on the salt

.

No guarantees,but I'll do all I can to make it.
And I'm sure to get an energy fix from FrankenJetta too.That's a fine booty she has and we'll be dyin' to see more of those 80+ mpg numbers.Fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

metromizer · 08-18-2012, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerohead

Yes,well I will try as hard as I can.I've tried for She's geared for 138 mph at 4,800 rpm (peak horsepower).

She's all set to race on the 1 mile short course, the USFRA's 130mph club, just as she sits! 130mph club runs are on the 1 mile short course, so you need acceleration and relatively short gears.

It's a fun event, I'm meeting a bunch of my VW friends out there again this year.

I drove a friend's Karmann Ghia last September, to 138+ to get my name in the books as a new member of the 130mph Club, along with my picture in hotVW's Magazine. It was still accelerating at the 1 mile marker.