These are an attempt to study the possibility of using the Smart's windshield on the CarBŒN. I'm also making a video of this same overlay of the two models...
This video has the CarBŒN and the Smart 3D models "overlaid" with the front wheels aligned -- I want to see if the Smart windshield will work (with modifications) in the CarBŒN; so I can have a glass windshield. The obvious compromise is the aerodynamic shape of the upper front of the car, and whether this is better/different/worse vs having the glass windshield and the working wipers, as well.
It is not quite there yet, but not too bad. The top corners of the windshield are a little too sharp, and the width across the 'A' pillars is much wider than before. The side window lines are even more awkward than before...
Cool. To improve aero you could round the roof above the windshield like Illuminati did with the Miata windshield on their Seven car. Also, if you use the Smart windshield, you could use a Smart door (or two) and make the front row two seats wide, taking advantage of that unused space.
I agree that the roof (and side windows) may need to be more rounded to fill any voids. But it is possible that these are not problems -- comparing things back to the early Mercedes Bionic model; and the boxfish itself. They're quite squared off, really, and if the 0.095 Cd is any indication, this may not be a problem. I'm still hoping to get some CFD done.
The driver is positioned forward, partly between the front wheels, so moving the seat around would mess with everything else. And I may end up putting side door(s) on it, if the rear entry/exit doesn't work; but I doubt I could get the Smart doors to work -- check the overlay model. The back of the Smart actually is bigger than the front -- the rear wheels are wider track than the front, by about 2" on each side. The back of the CarBŒN is tapered in, and the rear track is ~3.5" narrower on each side -- the back is MUCH more important than the front for low drag...
And I may end up putting side door(s) on it, if the rear entry/exit doesn't work; but I doubt I could get the Smart doors to work -- check the overlay model.
I looked at the overlays again and it appears that almost all of the Smart door is contained within your model. And that's with the Smart windshield back about 3-4". I think if you moved the overlay forward to match the location of the windshield on Carben 2.5 that the entire Smart door would fit inside. If the angle is too flat, bring the rear of the door in a little to improve it and fair to the rear from there.
The overlay was based on aligning the front wheels, and the windshield in the CarBŒN Mk 2.5 forward and higher and rotated about 4-5 degrees more vertical than it is used in the Smart.
The curve of the side profile is much flatter than the original windshield and this puts it closer to the driver's face. The upper outside corners are wider than the original, and the lower front edge is much wider than the original.
I will look for a 3D model of the PT Cruiser compatible with SketchUp...
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