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Old 06-10-2009, 04:08 PM   #54 (permalink)
aerohead
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Cobalt rear bumper

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevey_frac View Post
I just tried to take a picture of my bumper to show you what i mean, however, without context, the picture just just a bunch of crap. Truthfully, I'm kinda disappointed. I don't see any easy way forward to make significant gains. The underbelly of the cobalt could use improvement yes, but it's already pretty good. The wheel wells don't contribute to massive amounts of drag, moonies are expensive ($150 for real moonies), and I think that any attempt I make at wheel skirts are gonna come off hokey. At the moment the only thing i have planned is a switch to synthetic oil, at a slightly thinner viscosity. I might get the moonies if I get some extra work.
Steve,I've had a chance to look under both a Cobalt LS and SS.My impression is that neither of the cars bumper bottoms are low enough to be affected by underbody flow.The LS was so high as to clearly expose under-chassis components.The SS was lower and has an faux-aspirated panel on its underside,however,it is also so high,with respect to the cars platform bottom so as not to be swept by "clean" air.----------- Both of these models could benefit from lowering,by use of a flt-bottomed valence,which would intersect an imaginary line rising from ahead of the rear axle at the platform bottom along a 2.5-degree angle gaining elevation to the rear.Paneling in that span would provide a nice diffuser as well as a rocker panel extension to clean up turbulence behind the rear wheels/tires.
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