View Single Post
Old 09-10-2012, 12:17 PM   #16 (permalink)
MetroMPG
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 62.14 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,078
Thanked 6,978 Times in 3,613 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard View Post
adding an arched top will probably help the overall drag, even if it adds frontal area
I've seen conflicting info about this. I'm fairly sure Hucho says the results of adding frontal area to achieve a lower drag coefficient will be a wash. However we've also seen that U.K. company adding camber to the top of transport trailers/large trucks and claiming an improvement.

Since we've got experts on either side of the fence, I'd personally stick to tried & true before investing a lot of time & materials in something that increases frontal area.

Or better yet, mock it up with CAD (cardboard aided design) and do a proper test on the vehicle in question.
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote