Bottom tire area fairing/brush

[mikesheiman]

I'm thinking about using a light broom or set of broom bristles to form triangular fairings around the front and rear tires of my car. What are some possible safeguards or loopholes in this approach, how would you recommend doing it, and what type of CD advantage am I likely to see?

[kach22i]

In the early 1960's brush bristles were experimented with on some of the early small hovercraft (otherwise skirtless).

They discovered brush bristles didn't cut down on the dust being kicked up from the cushion pressure escaping out of the bottom of the hull, and did not contribute to forming an airtight seal either.

About the only thing they did was sweep a surface clean and perhaps soften coming off cushion slightly from impact with the ground. They were dead weight and were abandoned.

In your application I'm guessing the air would pass though unabated, perhaps turbulently and the bristles would not divert the air and the air pressure behind it would push through.

Think of the wind passing through a row of pine trees.

https://www.vwheritage.com/blog/2014...ed-hovercraft/

Designed to go just about anywhere over everything, including snow, marshland, roads and water – backwards, forwards and even sideways it employed ‘brushes’ as opposed to a bag skirt for greater versatility. Top speed was a claimed 30mph over water and 45mph over land and it could climb gradients of up to 20%, enabling it to comfortably get up and over most river banks when necessary, we presume.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by mikesheiman

I'm thinking about using a light broom or set of broom bristles to form triangular fairings around the front and rear tires of my car. What are some possible safeguards or loopholes in this approach, how would you recommend doing it, and what type of CD advantage am I likely to see?

So far,the best source of info is Goro Tamai's book,The Leading Edge,developed from his work with the MIT Solar Race Team.
Whatever you use,as mentioned,it needs to be non-porous.I'm using foam floor cushion padding,and I let the tires ablate it to 'size.'