New beetle tdi 5 speed

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by razordave

I do think the nose is a no go, I was considering utilizing the windscreen and forward of the car. Lights, wiring bumper vin etc. I believe that would maybe let me slide past a cop every so often.

It's funny but I can imagine being towed because the windshield is not dot approved. I know, I know. It's good enough for an airplane but I kid you not I've had bigger problems from what I thought would be a lesser issue.

Link to the YouTube video with attached airplane car
https://youtu.be/mUKDowTrlp4?si=HbVrLMBQ9kBmdHP5

That side bulging associated with the wheels would utterly destroy the aerodynamics. And as discussed, if a cop or highway patrol officer saw that there was no DOT Laminate Safety Glass embossment or labeling, you might be looking at a tow truck, plus hefty fine.
The DOT screen from a Bede Lightstar would be $1,000, but would be too narrow.

[razordave]

I believe the bulges on the car in the video are from the wings? If I were to find the facilities to pull this off, I would either widen the airplane body to gradually taper the needed width for the rear axle or shorten said axle and tuck it up inside.

I have been looking at abs diffusers on ebay..

$30 for 22x20 building base..

I was going to cut my bumper and run the exhaust straight through where the reverse light used to be but I ended up with a 90 bend and a turn down directly behind the driver rear tire.

Probably better for noise mitigation and smoke dissipation.

[razordave]

I have been Uber busy fixing mechanical issues along with brain turbulence.

Behold my latest tinkering!

Would this qualify as a Kamm back?

What do you see that I'm missing/ should watch out for in a tuft test?

I have one truss/crossmember/ 1x1 aluminum curved bracket roughly in the middle and plan to add one more toward the rear once I finalize the shape and brackets to attach to the bumper.

The rear fenders still really bother me. I'm trying to source a parts car to harvest the fenders in order to cut them and tuck them in out of the weather..

[razordave]

Almost forgot my cowl delete panel. Rainx on the glass and wiper arms in the car just in case.

Made this piece from a fiberglass boat hull I had lying around. You may notice there are 3 levels

Might make a new one down the line from a flat piece of something. Would be nice if I could figure out how to make something curved to create the smoothest possible transition between bonnet and windscreen.. maybe foam and glass

[freebeard]

How's the visibility? Does it attach to the hatch or the roof?

[razordave]

I was going to lie and say it was unaffected, but I'm used to driving semi and box truck etc.

[freebeard]

Follow Colani:

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by razordave

I have been Uber busy fixing mechanical issues along with brain turbulence.

Behold my latest tinkering!

Would this qualify as a Kamm back?

What do you see that I'm missing/ should watch out for in a tuft test?

I have one truss/crossmember/ 1x1 aluminum curved bracket roughly in the middle and plan to add one more toward the rear once I finalize the shape and brackets to attach to the bumper.

The rear fenders still really bother me. I'm trying to source a parts car to harvest the fenders in order to cut them and tuck them in out of the weather..

In order to be a 'K-form' roofline, the extension would have to add to, and respect the amount of roof and plan-view camber already established by Volkswagen, then performing the elongation along a streamlined pathway of slowly diminishing cross-section.
This is what creates the controlled flow deceleration, which is responsible for the pressure recovery, which 'IS' the drag reduction.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It requires all-compound-curvature ( three-way curves ), the most difficult, and costly, in terms of both time and complication.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by razordave

Almost forgot my cowl delete panel. Rainx on the glass and wiper arms in the car just in case.

Made this piece from a fiberglass boat hull I had lying around. You may notice there are 3 levels

Might make a new one down the line from a flat piece of something. Would be nice if I could figure out how to make something curved to create the smoothest possible transition between bonnet and windscreen.. maybe foam and glass

I performed a complete wiper and cowl delete for Spindletop at Bonneville, and at 98.5-mph, it made zero difference.
A cowl delete plus Dodge Viper windshield reduced the drag of Spirit by Cd 0.005.
I wouldn't expect much, and it will be very hard to quantify.

[razordave]

My roof extension really didn't turn out pretty at all. It seems the top side would need to have a flat general shape with a bubble in the center to follow what vw left.

I'm going to leave it for at least 100 miles, it's already there and there's something going on back there based on how much dirt is collecting.

If there isn't a significant improvement, I would have to say I'm going to do my best to replicate Ernie Roger's spoiler.

I have a pile of holes in the roof just ahead of the hatch where the rivets currently attach the extension.
That may be an invitation to add a fixed spoiler along that edge. Maybe something similar to the factory active spoiler on the turbo s (attached image)