Wheel well vents

[freebeard]

I'm not sure how I missed this thread until today. chillsworld's link at Permalink #49 gets '404 not found'.

I found it at http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...94455598,d.cGU

[2000mc]

The practical version of what I think the best theoretical version is, didn't seem to work for me.
That's why I added a qualification to my answer frank, I taped some up on mine that tested worse than doing nothing. I still think they would work great if I closed in the wheel wells on the underside and before and after the wheels with very small gaps, but that's far harder to design, build, service vehicle, keep intact in all conditions.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Sure, but if the question includes, "If I slap skirts- even flush non-vented ones- on my car, is it more aero?" can we definitively say yes it is?

If we have to 'guess' based upon empirical data,then I'd say we might expect a high confidence of a benefit.
Morelli has published data from the CNR/Pinifarina research which illustrates the doubling of drag by inclusion of wheels.
Hucho has a number of examples of from VW's research into wheel associated drag,as well as other authors.
Korff tested, measured,and published related drag reductions.
Ditto Tremulis.
Carl Breer,Chrysler.
HOT ROD Magazine has promoted them since 1962 based upon their prior association with Kamm at Cunningham's race shop in Florida.
FIAT has reported on it.
Ford reported a 9% drag reduction just from the front wheel treatment on the Probe-IV.
The Spirit of Ecomodder recorded some pretty good mpg numbers in spite of its compromised belly pan.Had she had the full pan at Darko,it might have meant Cd 0.21 at A2/GM Warren,Mich..The skirts 'flowed' well under smoke and I must believe that they helped contribute to the lower Cd.
There aren't any low drag concept cars which don't employ flush,sealed skirts,so it's inferred that they have value,especially if aft-body elongation is to be used.
Ford stayed with the flush,sealed skirts on the 1985 Probe-V of Cd 0.137.
Jaray had them on his Cd 0.13 'pumpkin seed' of 1922.

[nimblemotors]

I put front fender vents on the Indy One.
I looks very similiar to the SRT10 Viper.



They are used in many 'performance' cars.
The 64 Corvette Stringray is very subtle.

The C6 Corvette.

[aerohead]

Unless you can develop these in a full-scale tunnel,or full-scale CFD I'd stay away from them.
Performance' cars typically have high drag for the sake of high speed stability.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by aerohead

A Viper was apart and I caught this shot

Looks like an Autoform hood; the stock hood has the fender vents but not the center vent. Those don't vent the wheel wells, though, as there is a full plastic liner (you can see the top of it behind the headlight buckets):

[aerohead]

This was a dedicated race car with tube frame,nothing production.

[nimblemotors]

When the air comes through the radiator in the front, where does it exit?



If you close off the hood and have a car with closed wheels, what is left?
Either under the car or around it. Around it looks best particularly when the rear is tapered in a tadpole layout.

I note that the Indy One has no brakes to cool, braking is done via the motor regen, there is no need to cool the front wheels.
I'd like to cover the front wheels altogether, but don't know how to do it easily and cheaply.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

When the air comes through the radiator in the front, where does it exit?



If you close off the hood and have a car with closed wheels, what is left?
Either under the car or around it. Around it looks best particularly when the rear is tapered in a tadpole layout.

I note that the Indy One has no brakes to cool, braking is done via the motor regen, there is no need to cool the front wheels.
I'd like to cover the front wheels altogether, but don't know how to do it easily and cheaply.

Not having access to the Lexus you've pictured,any cooling air not exiting the hood could go out the front wheel wells or under the car.
As to the front wheel skirts,there won't be anything easy about them.If your time means nothing to you,then it won't be a lot of expense for the materials.

[kach22i]

https://www.r8talk.com/threads/wheel...21641/#replies


I found this location diagram of interest because I thought the wheel well vent was to be located aft of the center hub, and not over the top or forward of it.

Not sure where the original diagram came from, no source cited.

EDIT: Think I found the source, 350rsracing.wordpress.com?

https://350rsracing.wordpress.com/20...et-fender-mod/