Tonneau/half tonneau.....spoiler/half template

[aerohead]

Unfortunately for us is,that the original research was basically conducted on a mid-1970s,long-bed,GM and Ford pickup.
There was no attempt to quantify what would happen if the top elevation,or slope of the cover were altered.
Or if the bed rails were angled as Honda did.
Ford did test long beds and short beds, and all those values are predicated upon the exact configurations they put together.
Later,when Sport Truck Magazine did an 'AERO' issue,they interviewed aero guys from Ford,GM,and Chrysler,and they said that there wasn't any one-size-fits-all solutions for pickups.Everything had to be taken on a case-specific basis.
If you've got a Scan-Gauge,you could use MetroMPG's CAD (cardboard and duct tape) technique for quick fabrication and throw something together long enough for a field test,and see what kind of numbers it generates.
The little voice in my head considers the Ridgeline to be less 'mutilated' than a conventional horizontal-rail pickup,but I don't have any evidence that it performs any better.
The Lotus Europa had a 'level' rear deck enclosed by flying buttresses, kind of like the Ridgeline and scored Cd 0.29 back in 1967.It's tail extended out to the Template though,so I'm unsure what a 'shorter' truncation would have meant to it's drag.
If you look at some of the most expensive and highest performance models for some manufacturers today,you'll see aft-body architecture resembling a 'template' fastback.
Wherever they chop the body off,it's at the 'template.' Just like Kamm and Fachsenfeld advocated.

[kach22i]

From another Ecomodder thread back in 2017.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...k-35133-2.html

Originally Posted by ChazInMT

A nice perspective.

https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/1...up-trucks.html



https://www.discountramps.com/auto/l...ruck/p/P3309B/


Very aggressive slope coming off that roof, much greater than the 5 degrees of the bottom diagram.

https://photobucket.com/gallery/user...bjQuanBn/?ref=

[freebeard]

Now I'm a fan of the Ridgeline.

Is it a two-way tailgate? With a 'full' aerocap one could open both doors to get to the trunk. Minimal might be flying buttresses and a row of vortex generators across the back of the cab.

[KamperBob]

I'm setting up my next truck. While shopping bed covers I found Diamondback, which I'm really liking just on its own merits (material, quality, style, security, etc).



And yet ... here's a closer look at an integrated cab fairing on the front.



I'm thinking that's a good idea that can be improved. I'd make it taller and maybe extend back further as well.

Oh, and the tie down cleats are optional. My preference would be to have them not installed. Easy enough to add later if ever needed. Meanwhile, why have air snags since I might never use them.

[freebeard]

It looks like a headache rack, that isn't full height because lawyers.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by KamperBob

And yet ... here's a closer look at an integrated cab fairing on the front.

I did an image search and found "Diamondback TRD" examples with;

1. nothing at all there

2. over cab drag makers to protect rear window

3. stepped back lower racks one front, one rear for elevating cargo

Found this old post for inspiration:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...-19525-11.html

Originally Posted by BamZipPow

Kinda like this on the Toyota T-150?

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...-19525-12.html

Originally Posted by kach22i

In the video below is a gate spoiler and cab attachment similar to some of my sketches and ponderings of the past.

Sep 8, 2017
Yoshi Suzuka
Pickup truck aerodynamics Drag reduction Part 2

Dang, he even used a sidestep/sportstep.

My sketches did have it going more to a half-round.

EDIT

Roof Spoiler on Pick-Up Truck Cab - Phase-2
https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...tml#post523562

S10 4x4 Pick Up by George Kachadoorian | Photobucket

















No actual design settled on, just exploring ideas.

[KamperBob]

Long streamer in wind tunnel video is very intriguing. Inspires me to maybe sacrifice an old cassette tape for donor ribbon material. Tape ‘em to roof and door(s). Have passenger shoot video out rear window. Perfect is the enemy of good enough? Curious who’s maybe tried it.

[freebeard]

In times past aerohead and others have talked about portable smoke generators.

[KamperBob]

Their website has almost 1500 reviews from customers; many with pix.

One thing I like is how the tonneau can be opened from the front as well as the rear to access bed cargo.



A snug fit cab fairing attached to the front section should swing back nicely. I also like how the lids can be removed.

https://youtu.be/ldx9Cd7VTZ4

So, alternatively, one could remove the front section altogether. Let the bed air roll in the vacancy to promote flow from the top and sides of the cab and, hopefully, reattach at the tailgate. That seems plausible...

[freebeard]

Can it be fitted front to back? The front lid plus the divider is approx. equal to the rear lid.



With a wedge under the back lid, it could appoximate this.