Thread: T100 Question
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Old 12-13-2008, 03:33 PM   #13 (permalink)
aerohead
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trapped

Quote:
Originally Posted by akashic View Post
Right, that's the "bubble" theory to my untrained mind. So here's a question... suppose you extended side fairings all the way back to the tailgate so that the bed's stationary vortex was trapped between the walls... essentially like your aeroshell, but without the top... maybe the cab-top is faired down a little, but the bed is completely open, no tonneau... Would it behave nearly as well as the aeroshell?
akashic,I think it would be a great experiment.My intuition is that it would provide an improvement,although as they say,"proof's in the puddin'" The only downside that I can think of off-hand,is that w/o the roof,the "fins" might move the aerodynamic center-of -pressure forward,depending on cargo loading,which could have adverse handling effects in strong cross-winds or gusts.That's a hard one to nail down without a windtunnel.----------- The Bertone "BAT" car kinda did this sorta thing,but the fins on that car increased in size towards the rear rather than reduce,which would honor stability issues.
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