Some fun cardboard wind tunnel testing

[a8ksh4]

I figure some folks here will enjoy this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qoZRjnWegQ

They stripped down a tesla for drag runs and are doing wind tunnel testing with a cardboard body to try and get the drag coefficient back down close to stock.

[freebeard]

Cardboard Aided Design. Notable:

There is a path from the cowl to the front wheelwells (11:50-12:00)
Wickerbill didn't help. They could have tried a box cavity/difusser
They did the tape and carboard in the tunnel at $600/hr.

[j-c-c]

IMO, Rich kids, but slightly interesting.
Definitely should have skipped the wickerbill and just tried a roof extension based on their stated goals.
I would have also liked to see some ride height/different rake runs.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Cardboard Aided Design. Notable:

There is a path from the cowl to the front wheelwells (11:50-12:00)
Wickerbill didn't help. They could have tried a box cavity/difusser
They did the tape and carboard in the tunnel at $600/hr.

That tunnel time was probably paid for by the ad they did for the tunnel talking about the tunnel, the price, how useful it is, etc.

I've watched those "kids" videos for 8 years now. They may have money but they didn't start with a lot. They made good content and now have good subscriber numbers, so now their full time job is making videos about their hobby.
I personally love the YouTube model of average people making amateur programming that is way closer to reality TV than any actual "reality" TV show. I think it's great they can make money or even get rich off personal creativity without writers, producers, editors, publicists, etc.

[j-c-c]

It was entertainment based.
Not sure it would be worth my time to see their next tunnel/aero endeavor.
The reality became IMO, as your surmise, if one doesn't have a commercial video aspect to the project, you must be a rich kid to afford such tunnel playtime.

[Piotrsko]

Like a poor kid in the ghetto with a 2 grand phone: if you want it bad enough to sacrifice everything else, it is suprising what you can end up buying.

[aerohead]

My takeaway was:
1) the significance a vehicle's aft-body to overall drag. IF that WAS a Model S Plaid, then we'd be comparing Cd 0.208, to Cd 0.599- 0.598.
2) the importance of monitoring air density during testing, in order to attribute any delta-Cd to an aerodynamic modification, and not 'thicker' or 'thinner' air, as weather changes during the course of testing.
3) at the sister Aerodyne Wind Tunnel, they have the facility to feed 120-pressure tap readings, simultaneously, from any body panel, with no chance of pressure 'drift' during data capture. At this level of resolution, an isobaric contour map can be generated for a 'deck', backlight', 'greenhouse roof and quarter windows', etc., allowing a more 'complete' picture of what a specific mod is doing, as NASCAR does. Very important considering rotational, incompressible, subsonic flow, where any mod, anywhere can affect local pressure at any other part of the body.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by j-c-c

It was entertainment based.
Not sure it would be worth my time to see their next tunnel/aero endeavor.

We Built an Aerodynamic Body For Our Tesla Go-Kart To make It Faster!
BoostedBoiz -- 1.22M subscribers

Spoiler: They skin it with aluminum and gain 5MPH top end in the quarter mile.