Commercially produced aerodynamic pickup bed cap

[silent_tiger85]

It might be a good idea to make an aerodynamic camper out of aluminum instead of fiberglass. Aluminum weighs less than fiberglass. Less weight means better fuel economy. Aluminum is recyclable and it lasts forever. It might also be a good idea to make the windows out of plexiglass instead of glass. Plexiglass weighs less than glass.

[bondo]

Originally Posted by silent_tiger85

It might be a good idea to make an aerodynamic camper out of aluminum instead of fiberglass. Aluminum weighs less than fiberglass. Less weight means better fuel economy. Aluminum is recyclable and it lasts forever. It might also be a good idea to make the windows out of plexiglass instead of glass. Plexiglass weighs less than glass.

Your choice of materials to use to build the Aerolid from are the best for making it light. Audi, BMW and many domestic automobile manufacturers use aluminum extesively to lighten up the vehicles they produce thereby increasing fuel efficiency.

To tool up for the stamping of aluminum components for the body of a vehicle is highly cost prohibitive only affordable for the big manufacturers. Therefore, FRP (fiberglass) must remain the material of choice to keep manufacturing costs down. The possibility of vacuum-forming the top portion of the Aerolid, to reduce weight and cut down on labor costs, is presently being looking into. The lower portion will be FRP.

Additionally, plexiglass is going to be utilized to make the large rear window out of.

Thank you again for your imput.

Bondo

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by bondo

Sounds good Sven7. Get through this semester and I might have to ask you to lend your expertise to designing me some nice DLO's for the Aerolid too.

Mattbatson, have not done an A-B-A test yet. I need to. When the temperatures get warmer this Spring I will do one. It will be interesting to see how the A-B-A test data compares to the wind tunnel test data and the CFD simulations we have already done.

Thanks,

Bondo

It would be great to hear more about this CFD effort.

[bondo]

KamperBob,

I would post more information on the CFD work that has been done on the Aerolid but I cannot, due to an agreement with the Aeronautical Engineer who did it. I may have disclosed too much already.

This Engineer used a state of the art sytem of CFD analysis to show how prior art, which was blocking my patent, was unaerodynamic (even worse that baseline) and then showed how the Aerolid has superior aerodynamic characteristics. He also did extensive CFD simulation on the Aerolid and extension box combination. An unbelievable reduction in drag of 24% was calculated over baseline in the simulations of the Aerolid/extension combination.

Maybe some day soon I can tell the whole story.

Bondo

[xx_ED_xx]

So maybe in another year production may occur?

[bondo]

Originally Posted by xx_ED_xx

So maybe in another year production may occur?

Hopefully much sooner than that.

Bondo

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by bondo

KamperBob,

I would post more information on the CFD work that has been done on the Aerolid but I cannot, due to an agreement with the Aeronautical Engineer who did it. I may have disclosed too much already.

This Engineer used a state of the art sytem of CFD analysis to show how prior art, which was blocking my patent, was unaerodynamic (even worse that baseline) and then showed how the Aerolid has superior aerodynamic characteristics. He also did extensive CFD simulation on the Aerolid and extension box combination. An unbelievable reduction in drag of 24% was calculated over baseline in the simulations of the Aerolid/extension combination.

Maybe some day soon I can tell the whole story.

Bondo

I don't doubt 24% potential Cd reduction. That's ~12% mpg gain which strikes me as possibly low for a clean cap and fanny extension.

I'm particularly interested in lack of vorticity in those CFD simulations. I don't envy your position: opaque proof. But I'm firmly in your corner. Rock on!

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by bondo

Sounds good Sven7. Get through this semester and I might have to ask you to lend your expertise to designing me some nice DLO's for the Aerolid too.

Sounds great.

In for CFD info/pics. That screenshot is so tempting!

[mississippiguy]

hey everyone. ive been watching this thread for awhile and think this cap is great.
how much for 1 for an s10 longbed bondo? and where are you at in arkansas?

[bondo]

Originally Posted by mississippiguy

hey everyone. ive been watching this thread for awhile and think this cap is great.
how much for 1 for an s10 longbed bondo? and where are you at in arkansas?

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