I am really considering a much more dramatic, full kammback for my Neon. Allowing the sides to taper in as much as possible without interfering with opening the trunk. Also, I am considering making a hinge system on the top, to allow me to fold it back and use the trunk. My issue is with building rounded corners on the top-to-side transition.
I know that rounded corners are preferred aerodynamically speaking, ease of construction is another story
. To the best of my understanding, this is because with just a straight, creased edge, the airflow "trips" over the edge, causing vortices which will increase drag and severely limit the drag reduction potential, am I correct?
So how drastic of a rounded corner does it need to be? I assume the more rounded the better, but is there a known minimum amount of curve that is required?
Finally, I know people can compare the amount of roundness by talking about the size of it, for example a 3/4" radius. So does that mean that if the curve was a whole circle, it would be 1.5" in diameter? Is that sufficient for avoiding air tripping over the edge? I am just trying to get my head around what kind of curve I need, to figure out the best way to build it.
Thanks for any input, you guys have already helped me out so much in building my Neon to where it is, and I appreciate it. This site is great!