Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
Some of you have taken the position that a larger trailing wake is lower drag than a smaller trailing wake. Doesn't make sense to me.
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The trailing wake in all examples given starts at the top of the rear window.
From that point we have several options;
1. Roof spoiler, creates vortex which eventually manages to pull the flow downward in a more controlled manner.
2. Plane above the window (should tilt down 10 degrees but is shown flat) which extends the length of the car. A longer car should move through the air better, but with some additional surface drag. This is similar to the aero-mods many people are doing in this forum.
3. A flat plane, marketed as a wing, secured tight to the body below the rear window, and completely out of any known air flow pattern. The pattern we do know about is turbulent and full of drag.
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If we could put the VW Beetle though a wind tunnel ourselves and experiment with many different positions and shapes, spoilers, wings and planes, we might come up with something none of us could have ever predicted.
I did this overlay (not to scale) to get an idea of what possibilities may be out there.
Automobile pictures by kach22i - Photobucket
