Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Aerodynamics
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 11-21-2014, 09:12 AM   #11 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Motor City
Posts: 272
Thanks: 0
Thanked 212 Times in 131 Posts
Another very similar thread

  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to ennored For This Useful Post:
aerohead (11-21-2014)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 11-21-2014, 10:16 AM   #12 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Big Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Steppes of Central Indiana
Posts: 1,319

The Red Baron - '00 Ford F-350 XLT
90 day: 27.99 mpg (US)

Impala Phase Zero - '96 Chevrolet Impala SS
90 day: 21.03 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 186 Times in 127 Posts
Old Saab 900s had dual curvature windshields. Probably made by Pilkington.

Saab was and is mostly an aircraft company and thus is quite familiar with double curved canopies.

The old 900s has such a radical plan view curvature that the wipers didn't work worth a hoot. Not an issue on aircraft as the higher wind speed tends to clear windshields of rain and snow but at 50 MPH...not so much.

Such a windshield is not for the one-off types.

Aviation uses a plastic sandwich (acrylic over polycarbonate) for most low-volume aircraft. The acrylic (Plexiglass) is moderately abrasion resistant and polycarbonate (Lexan) is renowned for toughness. This 'sandwich" is much lighter than safety glass. These windshields survive 150 knot bird strikes all the time.

Safety glass is probably beyond the capabilities of most DIYers but plastic is a possibility. Make a wooden form, heat up the sandwich plastic and vacu-form it. Still not for the technically faint of heart.
__________________
2000 Ford F-350 SC 4x2 6 Speed Manual
4" Slam
3.08:1 gears and Gear Vendor Overdrive
Rubber Conveyor Belt Air Dam
  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Big Dave For This Useful Post:
Cd (11-26-2014), Powerstroker (11-26-2014)
Old 11-21-2014, 11:57 AM   #13 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Sven7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Warren, MI
Posts: 2,456

Boo Radley - '65 Ford F100
90 day: 13.28 mpg (US)
Thanks: 782
Thanked 667 Times in 409 Posts
Did you discount blow molded/vacuum formed plastic? If I'm not mistaken you can sometimes heat a flat piece of plastic in a shaped frame until it droops the exact amount you'd like. Voila, a windshield.

__________________
He gave me a dollar. A blood-soaked dollar.
I cannot get the spot out but it's okay; It still works in the store
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2014, 04:52 PM   #14 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
aerohead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A.
Posts: 15,861
Thanks: 23,922
Thanked 7,207 Times in 4,640 Posts
compound laminated safety glass

It is Metal Crafters,Costa Mesa,California which was mentioned in AUTOWEEK many moons ago,credited with the ability to create complex laminated safety glass.
The tooling for 1980s GTP car windshields is $29,000,so for a one-off windshield your looking at a minimum $32,000 to cover expenses.
If you could use a LOLA GTP windshield,they're $3,000 from Maurader,who builds a race ready LOLA clone.
__________________
Photobucket album: http://s1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj622/aerohead2/
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2014, 05:30 PM   #15 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 1,756

spyder2 - '00 Toyota MR2 Spyder
Thanks: 104
Thanked 407 Times in 312 Posts
Why do you need double curvature when there is so little separation on the roof? Is that even going to be a measurable gain?
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2014, 06:22 PM   #16 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
aerohead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sanger,Texas,U.S.A.
Posts: 15,861
Thanks: 23,922
Thanked 7,207 Times in 4,640 Posts
gain

Quote:
Originally Posted by serialk11r View Post
Why do you need double curvature when there is so little separation on the roof? Is that even going to be a measurable gain?
We don't have a lot to work with on this one.
The fluids texts do push the convex hemisphere for sub-transonic flow,of which the double curvature shares its heritage.
The velocity/pressure profiles would be sweet.
Many record cars have used them to good effect.
There is a paper from Cal Tech,in 1974,which showed this windshield as the lowest in drag.
R.G.S.White of MIRA's wind tunnel,in his 1968 recipe for a Cd 0.245 car showed this windshield,quantitatively as the lowest drag of all.It's not a lot though in the grand scheme of things.
Hucho infers that we don't see them because of their added expense.
Cheapest I've seen is $3,000.
If we go back to DARKO Technologies wind tunnel,we could take a composite mockup of one,tape it on over an existing glass and measure the difference.
I've considered running my '96 Camaro backlight over the windshield of the T-100 as a bug screen,with an operational wiper.I'd still have the 'actual' laminated safety glass underneath.Vision would be an issue.Bonneville said "not no,but hell no!",otherwise I'd have had it there in 2012.
__________________
Photobucket album: http://s1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj622/aerohead2/
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-26-2014, 11:53 AM   #17 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Knoxville, Tn
Posts: 2
Thanks: 1
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Hey fellow powerstroker, after alot of searching of the internet, you are the only person known to have done the 3.08 and gear vendor. That is exactly what I am trying to acheive, and I am assuming you used a 9.75" rear from a 2000 f150 to do it. If so, I have found one, a rare bird, and would like to buy it before someone else does. I would really appreciate a few minutes of your time to discuss how you did it or at least, what rear you used, plus I have a few mods I would like to share with you. Please call me at your earliest convienience, Steve 865-389-5560. Thanks

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com