Scion xA aero mods

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Interesting. I didn't come to the same conclusion, but it's hard to tell from the stills I have. FYI, there are pics of the smoke testing of the car in this thread: Wind tunnel images of GM EV1 (Impact) and Sunraycer solar car

My thought is that with attached flow,the smoke would lay directly against the surface of the backlight and close to the trunklid right to the end.
Your wind tunnel image ( thanks! ) and my still clearly show the smoke trace far above the body,indicating a captured/locked vortex,with flow separating up at the backlight header.
It's been mentioned in the press,that GM has very stringent and rigid standards for outward visibility which may lead to aero compromises.

[NeilBlanchard]

Minor update -- one of my smooth hubcaps came off and ripped the Coroplast rear wheel skirt off with it... bummer. I actually was able to retrieve both -- the wheel cover is warped pretty badly, and it probably is ruined (unless I can mechanically fasten it). The wheel skirt survived almost unscathed!

It felt like I was driving a naked car.

[aerohead]

Neil,sorry to hear about the xA's spontaneous disassembly.Some of my Moonies are scattered along New Mexico's interstates.I justify the loss by considering life with the screw-on type.
I never got to recover any so I don't know anything about restoration.Maybe a leather shot-bag and rawhide mallet.
Hope you get her restored.The mods make her a real 'looker.'

[NeilBlanchard]

Thanks, Phil -- I've been contemplating making some screw-on covers, or if I can fix the one then I'd have to mechanically affix it... The rear wheels would do better with flat covers; while the domed ones seem to fill the space better. The wheel skirts had to be arched out to clear the rears, and they rubbed a bit.

I've been meaning to remake the skirts and grill block with something more permanent than Coroplast and tape -- but the fact that they work so well as is, also has it's appeal.

[NeilBlanchard]

I got a copy of "Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles" -- the Hucho book! 4th edition...

[Daox]

Wooohoo, congrats. Its a great book.

[NeilBlanchard]

My first take on rear wheel strakes:




The side needs to be smoother, and extend a little farther back, the bottom needs to not slope up quite so much and level from the back...

[NeilBlanchard]

I need to buy some more Coroplast! The wheel strake makes it very obvious that I need to connect it with a larger wheel skirt. And I need to do a full belly pan...

I bought one sheet a couple of years ago, and I think I need another.

[silverinsight2]

Like the wheel fairings. Is the tape a temp or permanent thing?

[NeilBlanchard]

The wheel skirts (with the white-ish "transparent" duct tape) are "semi-permanent; in that I'd like to make them from aluminum and have screws with tabs to attach them.

The wheel strake behind the driver's side rear wheel that I have just added (with the black Gorilla Tape) is temporary. It will serve as a template to make better version (for both sides), once I get more Coroplast.

My latest thought involves extending a Kamm panel up from the tip of the wheel strake to complete the ones I've had on the upper sides for a while now. I'd have to have clear acrylic on the part that passes over the taillights, and I would *not* be able to attach them to the upper parts; because they are on the hatch door...