Quote:
Originally Posted by .Cd
I painted one of those '74 Camaros in high school. ( Have hated the smell of Bondo ever since. )
At the time, I thought G.M. was just being cheap when I saw that the lower half of the grille was 'fake'.
Now I know why it was closed off.
Actually, Hot Rod modified a T/A in the mid '90s ( or was that late 80s ) to run at Bonneville. ( The red Gale Banks car ) They lowered the car and put on moon disks. The .Cd instantly dropped down to .25 - .28 or so.
It's been decades since I read the article, but I still remember that it dropped into the twenties, because I was confused about that blocky front end on the car.
( Then as now )
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Banks does trucks primarily as far as I know... Which isn't much about him I'll admit, lol. I'll try and dig it up.
True the nose is blocky, but I guess when the air does hit at high speeds, the area right infront of the bumper creates a cushion of air, just directly ahead of the bumper (inches or so) that the incoming air blows over. Similar to the air flow bubble of a truck bed, where slower moving air directs the incoming air. But that's all an uneducated guesstimation. These cars have an underbody tray and air dam in the nose to help with Cd. I'd wager (Flows air around the tires too), and the center of the air damn scoops air for the radiator (how the nearly grill-less 3rd and 4th gen car's stay cool... loose that and watch the temp climb through the roof).
^air damn, though mine is missing the left side
But over all the car does retain a slick profile, and low ride height. Bullet shaped mirrors and such keep everything but the antenna close to the car with the exception of tires, which stick out in an aggressive wide-stance, even on a stock wheel/tire combo:
My car had these when I got it... 90s alloys
