Corvette c3 cd of 0.55 to improve

[Jade]

The goal is just to make it a better sport car, I guess high speed stability, added downforce, and less resistance will pay off in pretty much every area like fuel efficiency, acceleration, top speed, grip etc. basically only advantages just by spending a few hours in the workshop with a car that was designed in an age where aerodynamics wasn't a consideration.

And also I guess like all of us we are itching just to engineer something that car manufacturers left out due to cost, lack of research, style, etc

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Jade

Would a larger (15% taller) tire close the gap as effectively as that too? I do have large tyres and a lowered Vette, to the point where the back tyres sit an inch in the wheel well and fronts have virtually no gap.
And my front stock air dam does come infront of the front tyres all the way down to 4 inch from the road, so I think that would do an effective job as a spat.

One area that may be a big one for aero is the rear bumper, I removed the spare tire carrier so the bumper is now a big plastic parachute, I was thinking of cutting out the area of where my licence plate sits, hinge the bottom of the licence plate, and install an actuator pushing the top of my licence plate to a 45deg angle when I am above 50mph to vent the buildup into the wake of the bumper. Would that work? Anyone done anti parachuting without hacking up the bumper?

yeah, the larger tire will close some of that.

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Welcome to Ecomodder.


Thanks kach22i, although I prefer the red Audi floorpan pic:



Could you sketch up a 'Vette with a Charger-style wing that fits within The Template? It would be narrower than the taillights and a little taller than the stock spoiler. Pleeez?

I LOVE this picture!!!
I used it as my inspiration to do my underbelly pan!

[freebeard]

Would that work?

No. The license plate is maybe one square foot.

Rather than accept the 'parachute', panel it over with a diverter that extends as far forward and rearward as possible. Angle it at 4-10° and add three or four vertical fences.



That upper wing is probably as effective as the GTI 650 example, but it is constrained by racing class rules, hence the rectangular end-plates.

[Isoldmysaturn:(]

as said, a belly pan from the suspension to the bumper would be the solution to the parachute bumper.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Jade

.... wheel well and fronts have virtually no gap....

I think at this point we all want to see photos of your car, we might see something you neglected to mention or failed to describe accurately - it can happen.

Looking at the photos in the link below, and comparing them to your description I find it hard not to imagine a large gap at the lower leading edge of the front wheel well.

1982 Corvette For Sale at Buyavette® - Atlanta, Georgia

As mentioned by others, low drag and high down-force are often at odds with each other goal wise.

In an earlier thread I mentioned comments made by an aerodynamicist about one of my design sketches featuring a too steep belly pan angle coming up after the rear wheels. He offered a patch solution of a wing/foil at the lowest plane (behind the rear wheels). Perhaps if there is clean flow under the car such an under tray wing would work on your car.

If I have time later I will sketch this up to clarify the concept.

[aerohead]

Here is some of the evolution of the Corvette and you can see what GM has done over the decades to get the drag down.

I'm not optimistic that you'll see any remarkable drag reduction without compromising the 'look' of your car.
*The nose is wrong
*The flanks are wrong
*The roofline is wrong
*And the underside is wrong

[Cd]

Have you done a tuft test on the car yet ? That would show the problem areas on the car.

The 1981 Camaro had a Cd of around .45 - .48 ( It's been a while, so don't quote me on that. )
However, Hot Rod magazine took a 1981 Camaro and got it down to a verified point two zero one Cd .
The car looks nearly stock. It even has the stock door handles and window trim. Even the fit of the body panels is a mess on that car, but they got a verified Cd lower than almost any car driving today.

Here is the article :Car Aerodynamics - Hot Rod Network
Note there is a link to the pics at the bottom of the page .

If that doesn't work for you, this fellow posted the entire article here :Wind Camp Hot Rod Magazine March 2007 by John Haag | Photobucket

Good luck !

[freebeard]

Look at aerohead's side views and then look at this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=1982...shooting+brake