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Old 07-07-2008, 10:27 PM   #52 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

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

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

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

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by .Cd View Post
Both you and I have a rounded tail end to our cars.
I'd guess that they are rounded for a reason, but as we know, a sharp edge is usually better than a rounded end.
I'm not sure you can get any useful info from doing a tuft test comparison of the two styles. A sharp cutoff of a proper taper will simply show the tufts streaming straight back before the cut. A radiused cut off will show some turbulence after the separation point on the curve.

I never did get a good answer to "which is better" after that long thread at GS. It's something I'd like to talk to a pro aerodynamicist about if I ever meet one.
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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
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