Paint sheen effecting aero?

[Sean T.]

At my local SCCA meets they talk about how you should wash your car before a race, not only to look nice, but "because the air flows nice and smooth over clean paint"....

I'm sure this isn't going to create a huge effect right?

I'm just wondering because I might get a couple beater body panels and experiment some mods with them, but I will probably rattle-can them first....

Will a nice glossy paint vs. a dull finish cheap paint make any difference in MPGs?

[Frank Lee]

Maybe if you're going 300 mph.

[Sayyad]

Speed holes.

The only finish that can improve over a flat panel with wind flowing across it (your car's roof) would be a finish that incorporates longitudinal riblets, such as 3M's Scotchcal Drag Reduction Film. Good luck getting any of that though.
It's obviously more complicated than that since most panels curve and there are many little things that trip the boundary layer into vortexes which then reattach and stay attached around curves.
But that has nothing to do with the finish.

[whokilledthejams]

Originally Posted by Sayyad

Speed holes.

The only finish that can improve over a flat panel with wind flowing across it (your car's roof) would be a finish that incorporates longitudinal riblets, such as 3M's Scotchcal Drag Reduction Film. Good luck getting any of that though.
It's obviously more complicated than that since most panels curve and there are many little things that trip the boundary layer into vortexes which then reattach and stay attached around curves.
But that has nothing to do with the finish.

Video of Speed Holes - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

[bacardiboi]

lol @ video

[Sean T.]

uhhhhh.... somehow I am thinking I DON'T need any speedholes.