modding a 3rd gen firebird (title change due to free aero)

[Cd]

This just begs the question : if the window mod is so easy to do, why haven't more people done it at Bonneville, El Mirage etc ?

[kach22i]

As mentioned before, the devil is in the details. We have an idea that bringing the glass lid sides down will be an issue.

That profile view is encouraging though.

[skyking]

Originally Posted by Cd

This just begs the question : if the window mod is so easy to do, why haven't more people done it at Bonneville, El Mirage etc ?

Agreed. Either it is magic glass with no separation, or they missed the boat.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by skyking

Agreed. Either it is magic glass with no separation, or they missed the boat.

No, I think there is just minor degrees of separation with steeper than template angles.

That is to say, divert from the template a little and suffer a little. Diverge a lot and suffer a lot.

It is not a right or wrong, black or white thing in my opinion.

[oil pan 4]

I am thinking a mix of raising the rear glass a few inchs and rear hatch louvers would be the way to go.

Not looking to radicly alter the exterior look, adding OEM or OEM knockoff parts like louvers or pace car wheels is very cool. Coroplast under body is sounding good too.

Pace car wheels are kind of cost prohibitive.
Coroplast is time consuming but look forward to doing it sooner rather than later.
The hatch alteration will be a tough one, need a lexan back hatch then have to fab up something to fill the gap between the body and the lexan then have to top it off with a set of altered louvers. I planed to put a lexan hatch on since we get a lot of hail around here and that hatch glass is always the first glass to start breaking in a hail storm.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Cd

This just begs the question : if the window mod is so easy to do, why haven't more people done it at Bonneville, El Mirage etc ?

I think that builders are limited by the rulebook in how far they can morph the body of any particular vehicle before it's disqualified.
It's like body templates with NASCAR.If it doesn't match the template,it ain't racin.'
For what Jethrobodine and I and others will be doing in the 130 MPH Club,it doesn't really matter what we do to the shape of our cars as long as it's safe.Racing as 'experimentals',we're not going for official records,although we might brake some 'Association' records,as was the case for the CRX in 1990.

[cfg83]

kach22i -

Originally Posted by kach22i

...

EDIT...........cannot forget the template.

I think your aero-template is too far forward. I would go with this one :



Notice how close the spoiler is to the ideal.

CarloSW2

[oil pan 4]

Could fill that void with modified hatch louvers.

All of a sudden the 2 or 3 louver sets that were on ebay are gone.

[Sven7]

Do we have tuft test information? That would put the separation/no separation issue to rest.

[ERTW]

definitely lower the car. an underbody tray may or may not help a lowered car. rear wheel fairings are good - although I may have found a much better solution

imho your mpg speculation is on the high side. can you get a smaller engine? less weight, and not so much excess torque. you'll need <15 hp to maintain 60 mph. perhaps a modded vw jetta tdi (54 mpg stock).

you could get away with 205 LRR tires.