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Old 05-15-2020, 05:02 PM   #70 (permalink)
aardvarcus
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Evensville, TN
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Deep Blue - '94 GMC Suburban K2500 SLE
90 day: 23.75 mpg (US)

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The project is still stalled out, mainly because I have other things to do that have taken priority. Plus I am still having issues nailing down a design...

Got a random thought today, what if instead of chopping the top, I left the top height alone and narrowed the rear as it went back in the cargo area? Basically sever the side walls (including the windows) of the cargo area from the roof and floor, and remount them at a modest (e.g. 5 degree) angle. (Results in a max width going from 79" down to 70ish inches over six feet.) Do a bit of compound curving over a few inches at the transition (so it isn't a sharp edge) but nonetheless still a reasonably abrupt transition. Remove a triangular section and reweld the roof and floor back together to the sides. Would need to modify or build a door, so probably a new door with a second foot or so section of full boat tail. Someday maybe even a hinged actuated extension...

The question being would the airflow stay attached to a vehicle side going from a zero to five degree angle with only a few inches of smoothing? The advantage of this approach is that I can reuse the rear cargo area windows and all the metal, since I am only repositioning the existing pieces versus building all new pieces from scratch. Yes, I am aware this is still a ton of work. Thoughts?
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