Quote:
Originally Posted by 3-Wheeler
Say, are you thinking of doing something like this with the extreme end of your boat tail?
Jim. |
I'm actually considering doing something like that more to the rear bumper, but more to give myself a clean mounting point for the boat tail than anything else.
The
Kamm back I made for the car already gives it some of that appearance, and will be useful for attaching the upper portion of the boat tail.
As for the effectiveness of having an open "pocket" at the rear of the vehicle, vs. a clean chop and a solid surface, Phil has posted some information that the solid surface may be better for drag reduction.
Cd (the person) will hopefully remind us about the university that designed a
shallow indentation in the "transom" of an aeromodded Ford Taurus (if memory serves) that they claimed helped Cd more than a flat surface. EDIT: Washington University, and it was one of their "Viking" experimental cars.
But the thinking seems to be that a wide open space at the back of the car isn't optimal (such as with my Kamm back, and the fairings on the Prius shown), even though it may improve drag over the unmodified shape.