Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard
Granted it is the theoretical optimum, how do you put a window in it? I'm leaning more toward something like this:
The full tail casts a *huge* shadow and doesn't take advantage of the pronounced taper in the cabin of the Beetle. So I radically truncate an aeroform that is no higher than the tops of the fenders and go Tropfenwagen style above that.
Here I've added an irregular cone that defines the rear view. It looks like the secondary Lexan screens could be square or have Batman curved front edges. I'm thinking about an H-shaped bracket that the stock bumper and brackets would bolt onto and that would bolt onto the stock body mounting holes. The rear fenders, deck lid and bumper all come off pretty easily. With lightweight construction (e.g., no back bumper), it might weigh less than stock.
slowmover -- Well, having money but no time got me wherever it did...
I think it all comes down to intention. That's the thing that science can't measure. Well, above the quantum level anyway. (How come Creationists never want to talk about the implications of Quantum Theory. Evolution is easier to understand?)
Anyway, crank-fired ignition and EFI is where it's at. The big forums are:
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Busy week,just now catching up.
*'Apron' is the same as 'ducktail' (used in the 1930s),so the body plan-view taper you've depicted looks like a good 'minimum.'
*From the car-blueprints image it looks like the rear fenders are a lot wider than necessary for containing the wheels.
*If you ran the original 155/15 tires (or even narrower,as with Daihatsu's Cd 0.16 UFE-III' 145s) the sheetmetal could be pushed in and flattened,allowing easier boat-tailing and integration into the tail.Like a 1/2 blister canopy over the rear wheels.
*The rear backlight could be handled like a box-cavity for the upper tail structure,allowing a 'tunnel' through which to look.I did this on the CRX.You get good optics,the glass is protected from the weather,and area below its 'floor' can be used for ducting cooling air into the original inlet.
*By keeping the tail with the original body width your side mirrors allow you to look around the back corners to the rear to compensate for blind-spots.
*If you move the fender portion of the tail forward towards the B-pillars and widen them, you could end up with a horrific vision challenge when backing unless the side mirrors are pushed way out.
Just thinking out loud.
Any way you go you'll have some extremely sophisticated coach work ahead of you.You'll also have something which might end up in a museum of modern art.All your renderings are quite attractive!