Touring robot rock band challenge, please help.

[MetroMPG]

That Airstream VW is cool! But the back is all wrong (round = bad!)

[freebeard]

In my own defense what can I say....uhm. Doodlebug!

[capturedbyrobots]

I don't think I'll be able to get the totally optimal shape under my limitations. I would have to go with a truncated tail for sure, as I saw on those NASA studies. I'd really prefer to get the cargo width wise, as I have almost no room to stand when it's packed length wise.

As for a quick and dirty front end mod to start, if I were to cut the sleeper down and continue the windshield angle up to the roof, then disable the front doors and eliminate the flat body extensions by adding a sheet metal/lexan shell from the front of the van to the edge of the side walls extension. That would also add a cover to the front wheel wells... I'd also add an air dam, and try to improve the underside flow as much as possible. Duct tape coroplast? Right on!

I'll post a pict of the camper in a bit to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

I guess the main question I have is whether I will see any reasonable gains using this carb'd 360. I know it's a brick now, but if I improved the front aero and added a boat tail, could I even see significant gains over the course of a tour? I am very conservative while driving, try to accellerate at a slow rate, and coast as much as possible, and try not to brake unless needed.

[capturedbyrobots]

Well, Ah did a bit of photoshop, and she will get even uglier with these mods.
No tail in the pic yet, but it's a beginning idea of what I could possibly do. I'd probably skin it in galvanized sheet metal with adding curves at the corners to make it a little more slippery. But because of how bad the body is already, it would probably make more sense to just start over from scratch.

Maybe I'd be better off to just find an airstream to replace the whole body including front end. And then make a better tail.

The main reason I'm thinking of keeping this is that its out of smog, so a diesel swap would be easy, with just about any diesel I'd like and could fit.

I guess lower height is better for cd right? Like what should be the max running height I should shoot for if making a new body?

I'd be into making a pop up sleeper, but yeah, has to be hard top similar to either the a frame trailer, or that one you showed on the hot dog van.

[capturedbyrobots]

If I chopped out the windshield and doors, then pushed them out and welded em into place, this is what I came up with in photoshop.

[NachtRitter]

Ya, anything that will reduce frontal area will help... so if you have any way of reducing the height, you will reduce the amount of fuel needed to move your brick through the air.

I've seen some trailer campers that have an interesting popup concept... basically two hard shells which fit inside each other (kind of like plastic cups that fit together), and once you arrive at your spot you can crank the outer hard shell up to the point where you have standing room inside. The following pic is this same concept applied to a Sprinter camper:


Probably a bit complicated mechanically for a DIY project, but a cool idea for reducing the frontal area while driving while still having the space and the insulation for camping. You said you need at least 6 feet on the height of your cargo; so not sure if this could work for you.

[capturedbyrobots]

That could work for sure. I actually thought of doing something like that, but was missing one piece of the puzzle...
Is there a door that has to swing into place on the front end of the box to make it weathertight?

Btw, do you have any info on the way it raised up???

[NachtRitter]

I'm sure you've seen this thread as well, but in case you haven't: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...home-9123.html

[MetroMPG]

Yes, reduce frontal area if you can.

Also, don't forget while you're noodling designs that you want construction that avoids "sharp" corners on front edges. Rounded corners (radius of ~2 inches is enough) are far better (and harder to make ).

EDIT! Don't forget also that the "template" shows profile taper only, but taper should be applied to the sides as well, if possible, with rounded corner/transitions between the top & sides. Side taper is arguably more important than top taper (2 sides, only 1 top).

[capturedbyrobots]

Right,
my morning thoughts lead me towards the NASA study design with the truncated tail.
That got .28cd right? Or somewhere around that? That's awesome, right?
They didn't even cover the wheel wells, did they do a belly pan?
It only tapered starting at the beginning of the tail, but the front had those rounded nose for sure.
Now, "frontal area" defined.
Would you say that going for more of a rounded shape like the Modified flat face semi in the NASA pics would do that? Should I go for more of a pointy bullet design, or more round and bulbous, like the doodlebug/NASA rounded front?
From what I'm reading, the rear is more important as long as the front isn't crazy bricky.