Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeemans
Has anybody done work on the classic 80's Chevy vans? I've two of them (both 1990, one V6 and one V8) in Kuwait with a number of plans to play aero, however doing the underbelly I thought would give good gains, not? The van's floorpan is really a raft of cross members that stand out (or point down) like sails! I also plan to redirect air into the front wheelwells by opening the headlight housings, replacing the lights with small diameter lens-type headlights.
Of all things, I found dumping the clutch-fan (radiator fan) in favor of an electric fan (Volvo S80) not only resulted in massively eliminating engine vibration, but I also noticable improvement in performance, hence economy.
On the V6 I've added a windshield (?) between the bumper and the front axle crossmember, and the result was tangible.
Mike
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Mike,the Chevy should react like any other bread box on wheels.If you can find the FLOW-IMAGES thread,you'll eventually see the Cd 0.16 "van" that Klemperer came up with in 1922 which remains a "benchmark for low drag today.That body would give about a 33 % mpg increase at 55-mph,more at faster speeds.
CAR and DRIVER attempted a full-size van aero-mod in the latter 1970s.Their bellypan was of no benefit unless painstaking detail was applied.
Your fan delete is one which is well known of and proven benefit.
I would mimic the front of any modern van or pickup if you can.Smaller mirrors have shown measurable results.
One and a half feet length of boat tail gave me 4-mpg.A receiver-hitch cargo box might serve you as a foundation for such a mod,with quick-on/quick-off capability.
This is something "hard to park" curbside and better suited to long highway excursions.