Getting in from Bonneville trip

[slowmover]

Thanks for including us in.

Sounds simple . . just driving there. Never is, is it?

.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Thanks for including us in.

Sounds simple . . just driving there. Never is, is it?

.

Yeah,when I left home,I did my best to rid my mind of any expectations.Three years ago,I broke down 1,550 miles from home and made it back with spit and baling wire.
I understood that there was no guarantee that I'd make it.I might have blown the engine also.I reckon that it's borderline insanity to do this sort of thing,but when things work out,it's the most fun physics course I ever had!
Since I never made it out of 4th gear and never reached terminal velocity,I'll think about next year and the 150 MPH Club.I'd get to do the 2-mile course.I might actually complete all the major aero components and have them all installed.That might be enough for the old gal to reach her lowest drag and top end.'Thinking about the A2 Wind Tunnel as well.

[brucepick]

I read over the requirements for the 150 mph club runs. Understood some of them. Requires a roll cage and other things that most of our cars don't have. Will add some weight, too.

Just sayin', plan ahead for that run !

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by brucepick

I read over the requirements for the 150 mph club runs. Understood some of them. Requires a roll cage and other things that most of our cars don't have. Will add some weight, too.

Just sayin', plan ahead for that run !

Yes,everything that develops over the next year will add mass to the truck.So the gutless-wonder would be under an even greater disadvantage,acceleration wise.
The iffy optimism would revolve around the extra mile.
Plan-B is to head for North Carolina and see about getting into the A2 Wind Tunnel facility.
If they could measure the Cd and run their smoke wand all over the thing with the video camera running,we'd have a 'good' number for drag,and the smoke would reveal any areas which require additional work.It would be worth a lot.
Since Csaba Csere has left the helm at CAR and DRIVER,I don't think they do coastdown tests anymore out at Chrysler's Proving Ground where they tested my CRX.So I think that door of opportunity has closed.
I'll have a little time to scratch my head before I have to commit some dollars one way or another.
While a top speed would be a data point I don't yet have,it's the Cd I'm most interested in.
The wind tunnel wouldn't have the 'rulebook' requirements.And it wouldn't have 'salt' and the problematic rolling resistance associated with that.

[aerohead]

I've gone back into the first post at the top of page-1 and edited in some additional data to help flesh out some of the particulars for the 'racing.'
It will be below the orig. material.Hope it helps!

[KamperBob]

Phil, I know I'm tardy catching up. Congrats on making it to the salt, down and back, all safe and sound. Sounds like you burned some durable memories on your brain drive. Rock on, man!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by 2000neon

Thank you for the details and the numbers from the trip. I can honestly say that I am extremelly impressed with the fuel economy, 34+ at 75 mph, soon you will probably beat my Neon

Any idea what sort of improvement came from the front wheel skirt(s)?

I also have to say great job for really doing something! Not many people have what it takes to not only build the truck, but get it Bonneville and run it.

2000,thanks for the words and encouragement!
I can't as yet assign a value to the skirt as far as a mpg improvement goes.
The truck did demonstrate the highest mpg to date,although I had the additional grille block,and higher tire pressure for 3,000 miles of the trip.
And since I never got the driver's side skirt on at all,they will have to remain an unknown quantity.
Ford reported a 9% drag reduction for their inner fender/spat combination on the 1984 Probe-IV.So there is at least one modern source for spat-related quanta.
basjoos' mpg on AeroCivic was probably the biggest driver for including the skirts/spats on the T-100.
I'll just have to finish all the bits and pieces and see about final numbers.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by KamperBob

Phil, I know I'm tardy catching up. Congrats on making it to the salt, down and back, all safe and sound. Sounds like you burned some durable memories on your brain drive. Rock on, man!

Thanks Bob! It's actually quite surreal.Like climbing a mountain.You're so busy getting to the summit that when you get there,you look around and realize you're there,but it doesn't really sink in 'til later.
I'm very pleased to have done it and made it home without major event,but without an actual top speed,I'm unsure as to what I actually accomplished.
I think the next stop should be North Carolina and the A2 Wind Tunnel.I could get a Cd from them and also blow smoke all over the rig and videograph it for YouTube.
After I know the actual Cd,I could think again about Bonneville,and what further lessons could be learned out there.
One thing is for sure,this has been the most outrageous physics course I've ever had! And driving around in a 91-year-old-design vehicle isn't so bad either!

[freebeard]

If they could measure the Cd and run their smoke wand all over the thing with the video camera running,we'd have a 'good' number for drag,and the smoke would reveal any areas which require additional work.It would be worth a lot.

Among other thoughts that flitted through the cavity referred to as 'my brain' was this:

One way to make copious amount of smoke is with a chemical reaction. I think they're called fuming agents. If you could mount a SCUBA tank at the stagnation point with a telescoping, rotating arm, it could reach any point within a half circular area at the front of the car. Then you could put in sort a suppository with the chemical and get up to 1500psi of dense smoke, and do you own smoke testing in real life. If it created red or blue smoke it might cause less alarm along your route.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Among other thoughts that flitted through the cavity referred to as 'my brain' was this:

One way to make copious amount of smoke is with a chemical reaction. I think they're called fuming agents. If you could mount a SCUBA tank at the stagnation point with a telescoping, rotating arm, it could reach any point within a half circular area at the front of the car. Then you could put in sort a suppository with the chemical and get up to 1500psi of dense smoke, and do you own smoke testing in real life. If it created red or blue smoke it might cause less alarm along your route.

I've had some significant-sized smoke bombs for sometime and Shell Oil makes an ONDINA oil which has been used for wind tunnel smoke generators.
Forced to do my testing on public roads,I've been extremely reluctant to push my luck,igniting chemical smoke,or heating a smoke-producing oil.(my last 'smoke' experience was at China Beach,quite intoxicated,thinking it would be cute to set off a green smoke grenade on the nose of my surfboard.It was only a moment before I was staring down the rocket tubes of a Cobra helicopter who's pilot probably didn't think it was cute at all ) Alcohol,gotta love it!
And it's windy enough on most days that it would be a challenge to end up with longitudinal-only flow.
Since A2 can provide the drag data and have a smoke generator,it's just really practical to take advantage of their resources without freaking anyone out.Guys with badges especially!
We do have some local caliche roads in the area.And when it hasn't rained for some time the road surface turns to a fine white powder which requires little coaxing to get it airborne.Any vehicle which passes over this surface will invariably vacuum the powder up into the wake.United Parcel Service delivery vans produce the most remarkable wake images!"dirt-cheap" flow-imaging (pun intended).
If you had an abandoned airbase which is now an industrial park,as Myth-Busters uses in the Bay Area,you might get the operators to let you operate on the old runways and taxiways,out away from other motorists,where the smoke wouldn't cause any crashes.Just a thought.