Aerodynamic Truck Front End Swap? (1990 mazda b2200)

[Christ]

There isn't a bolt-on solution to a better nose for that truck, however, you could probably make something work from a Camaro or Firebird front end if you know how to manipulate ABS plastic.

Flexible plastic epoxy is only like $6.99 a tube. You'd have to cut it in several places and make filler panels, but the width should be pretty close to fit.

[snakub]

The hoods on some of the Firebirds come out to far into the front end would you have a year in mind for either the firebird or camaro? What do you mean by filler panels? Where would the flexible epoxy be used?

[Sven7]

Aerohead's T-100 is the most aerodynamic road pickup I know of.

Originally Posted by aerohead

there are some photos there.

Aero-Dynamic by jeff868_2000, on Flickr

For visualization many people here use Google Sketchup. I use Autodesk Alias because I have a student license

[radioranger]

If your going to go that radical i still think front bumper cover from one of the common econo cars would work as a starting point , Aeroheads lower bumper panel looks like it came off a small car and went from there design wise, beautifully done Truck i might add. ,

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by radioranger

If your going to go that radical i still think front bumper cover from one of the common econo cars would work as a starting point , Aeroheads lower bumper panel looks like it came off a small car and went from there design wise, beautifully done Truck i might add. ,

The design is from R.G.S.White's 'Method of Estimating Drag Coefficients,' MIRA,1968.Hucho's books touch on his work.
White has a recipe of parametrics.When you take the best from each category they add up to a Cd 0.24 car,plus-or-minus 7-8%.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by snakub

The hoods on some of the Firebirds come out to far into the front end would you have a year in mind for either the firebird or camaro? What do you mean by filler panels? Where would the flexible epoxy be used?

You'd be using the nose clip only. You'd have to cut it to adjust how tall it is to fit the front profile of the truck's nose.

The flexible epoxy is used to hold filler panels together between the areas you need to cut to make the nose clip taller.

Certainly not going to be an easy job, probably easier to start with a wood frame and glass it.

[Frank Lee]

Aerohead, does that hood blister work? Been able to quantify any effect?

[snakub]

Originally Posted by aerohead

The design is from R.G.S.White's 'Method of Estimating Drag Coefficients,' MIRA,1968.Hucho's books touch on his work.
White has a recipe of parametrics.When you take the best from each category they add up to a Cd 0.24 car,plus-or-minus 7-8%.

Where do I find that book I looked it up on google and nothing
Maybe you could make a pdf of it
Right now my truck is getting a consistent 60 mpg equivalent would any aeromods improve the city mpg/watt-hours per mile? If the front end on aero's truck came out even further would it improve it?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Aerohead, does that hood blister work? Been able to quantify any effect?

Frank,the short answer is that I don't know.
I was very interested in the GTP-style windshield from the Maurader Lola Mk-4.IF they would sell one to me,and they said 'maybe',it would be $3,000.
It's probably as 'ideal' as I would be able to find in DOT laminated safety glass.
So anyway,the idea,short of morphing on the expensive glass was to create a blister fairing to soften the pressure spike created by the greenhouse erupting up out of the body by altering the angle of attack to the windshield,header,and A-pillars.
Without the blister,the last foot of the hood will tin-can at highway speed.You can just see it displacing up and down.
And the burble at the cowl kills any water dynamics 1/3rd way up the windshield in a rain.So I pretty much new it was 'dead' there.Which is good for ventilation!
And with the blister,the ventilation IS compromised.
In a rain,water is pushed all the way up the blister,so the boundary layer is very active upon it.And rain which makes it to the glass is actively fanned-out by the airstream.
One definite liability is that the lower portion of the glass remains dry in a rain which is tough on the wipers.It's not a hardship,and it can be 'fixed',but I'm busy frying bigger fish.
Without on board instant- results computing capability it might be hard to 'see' a difference in A-B-A on road 'tank' testing.
My 'guess' is that in a wind tunnel,the Prandtl' line of discontinuity would show a modified pathway.If I make it to the A2 Wind Tunnel next year I'll be able to find out with their smoke wand.I hope to put the whole test session on You-Tube so everyone can scrutinize it.
PS I covered the entire 'cowl' area above the blister with cardboard and duct tape to bridge the existing gap at Bonneville.The time slips registered no effect at 105 mph.
In 1990 I had done the same with the CRX and it also showed no change to performance.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by snakub

Where do I find that book I looked it up on google and nothing
Maybe you could make a pdf of it
Right now my truck is getting a consistent 60 mpg equivalent would any aeromods improve the city mpg/watt-hours per mile? If the front end on aero's truck came out even further would it improve it?

I'm mailing the paper to a member.Perhaps they can post it.I've done a composite buildout of the lowest drag recipe but haven't found time to follow it all up.24-hrs a day is not enough!