Some Thoughts on Aerodynamic Shapes

[3-Wheeler]

Another interesting shape is logged today.

This is the second time this winter that this shape has appeared on the car, and this time a picture was taken before it melted and fell off.

The first picture shows a very interesting taper from the front tire, and is about the shape of something that I would expect to see from wind forces alone.



The second image shows just how "narrow" the front edge of the ice really is, and this surprised me a little bit.

Although this "pointy" shape has been seen before, it has not been on a car, but on the leading edge of the Yamaha TZ750 road racer fairing at Daytona in 1977. The leading edge of the fairing looked almost exactly the same. Yamaha must have done some wind tunnel testing on that old fairing.



This shape may make an excellent example of how to do this in foam/fiberglass when the time comes.



Jim.

[Christ]

Jim -

Is there any way that the tire could have carved in that narrow shape? It looks pretty close, turning the steering may have cut into the shape that was originally there.

[Jyden]

I see the same shapes on my car, and I hope to someday be able to make a pair of wheel farings in that shape.

Also for the rear wheels. As it is shaped by the wind, I belive it's the optimum shape for at leat your car.

Suspect I will be a slightly different shape from car to car - so go and take photograps of those Ice cones on different cars.

[MetroMPG]

You know you're an EcoModder when "snuds" are fascinating (name I've heard for the snow/mud things that build up behind the tires).

[thatguitarguy]

EcoSnudder??

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Christ

Jim -

Is there any way that the tire could have carved in that narrow shape? It looks pretty close, turning the steering may have cut into the shape that was originally there.

I suppose it's possible that the tire would rub on the "sculpture" when turning, but certainly not when going straight forward.

There is almost the same gap between the tire and snow, as the normal wheel well has, and even when the wheel is turned, there are several inches of a gap to the liner.

As far as the back tire, the skirt prevented me from getting a good look, but substantial snow did accumulate in the cavity, and caused some noises when the car was first moving this morning. I sounded like something had broken loose under there until stopping to check things out.

Jim.

[silverinsight2]

Originally Posted by 3-Wheeler

Another interesting shape is logged today.

This is the second time this winter that this shape has appeared on the car, and this time a picture was taken before it melted and fell off.

The first picture shows a very interesting taper from the front tire, and is about the shape of something that I would expect to see from wind forces alone.



The second image shows just how "narrow" the front edge of the ice really is, and this surprised me a little bit.

Although this "pointy" shape has been seen before, it has not been on a car, but on the leading edge of the Yamaha TZ750 road racer fairing at Daytona in 1977. The leading edge of the fairing looked almost exactly the same. Yamaha must have done some wind tunnel testing on that old fairing.



This shape may make an excellent example of how to do this in foam/fiberglass when the time comes.



Jim.

Two more data points

[Frank Lee]

Wow, tires kick **** up and it sticks. May wonders never cease?

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Wow, tires kick **** up and it sticks. May wonders never cease?

It seems that Yamaha must have also kicked up some dodo, to come up with exactly the same shape back in 1976.

Maybe the bike ran off course, almost high-sided, ran through a cow-pie, came back on course, finished the race, and the crew chief Kel Carrithers came up to Kenny Roberts and said...

Holly crap Kenny, look at that work of art, right behind the front tire!!

Of course, the very next year at Daytona, guess what showed up as their latest "improvement" to the fairing, but a sculpture of dodo attached to leading portion of the fairing, and painted bumble-bee yellow to match the rest of the fairing. No need for foam and fiberglass here. Why not stick with the real thing.

It must have done *something*, because Kenny won the 200 miler that same day!! Was it crap that gave him the advantage? We'll never know.

Wonders never did cease, even back on that fateful day in 1976!!

Jim.

[ChazInMT]

My type of luck, I'd carefully craft something like that shape, go drive in cold slushy weather, they'd get covered in a thin layer of "Snud", and some dam kid would walk up and try to kick them off!