Writer seeking examples of tested DIY aero mods for book
 

Julian Edgar, former editor of Autospeed (which many here probably visited regularly), is writing a book about road vehicle aerodynamics.

Please post your own threads of tested mods, or nominate others.

Julian said he may also want to get in touch with individual modders via e-mail.

me me me
 

http://ecomodder.com/imgs/tail-wrapped-collage.jpg

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...uft-25223.html

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1402343053

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ini-29182.html

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1434634665

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...0-a-32189.html

http://ecomodder.com/imgs/airdam-side-full.jpg

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ly-b-9732.html
(Coastdown test results in post #29 of that thread)

http://ecomodder.com/imgs/montana-pa...boattail-1.jpg

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-6-a-6069.html

Not all tests show measurable gains, and may underline the difficulty of testing very small changes:

http://ecomodder.com/imgs/corolla-tu...vg-driveby.jpg

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...olla-2390.html

See also: Tested: Airtabs on a mini van, A-B-A - no measurable effect

http://metrompg.com/posts/photos/aer...ail-rear-z.jpg

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...esults-94.html

http://metrompg.com/posts/photos/mir...ded-detail.jpg

Reflections on side mirrors: testing drag vs. MPG

http://metrompg.com/posts/photos/ACFBE7D.jpg

http://metrompg.com/posts/photos/ACFBE85.jpg

Testing grille blocking & wheel skirts: +5.7% improvement

scattershot
 

This one's maybe less useful because it's an "all-in-one" test that incorporates a number of non-aero mods, though the majority of the gains are likely from drag-reduction.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1412084540

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...7-a-30111.html

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1425571314

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...dan-31498.html

Is a wind tunnel good enough?

Thanks for the replies so far. As MetroMPG said, I am writing a book on home car aero modification. The book is quite large, and so I can use plenty of examples. It is being published by a UK publisher, but it will be distributed worldwide. At this stage it is looking like being 100,000 words and 350 pics.

As with any print publication, good quality pics are needed (ie typically at full res out of the camera, not at web resolution).

If you want to appear in the book, I'd suggest that you do the following:

1. Email me a couple of high res photos and a short description of what you've done, and how you tested the results. julianedgar1 at gmail.com

2. I'll get back to you to let you know if I am interested. (I hope I will be, but I might already have examples that cover the same ground, etc.)

3. I'll then ask you to write a more detailed description, or provide more pics, eg a step by step, or testing of different versions, etc

4. You will be mentioned by name in the book, as will EcoModder

If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them.

I really appreciate the work you did at AutoSpeed over the years.

Why didn't you use EcoModder.com - View Profile: Julian Edgar instead of creating a new account?

I don't have any documented result, but I did observe at Darko wind tunnel last September when aerohead and gumby79 tested their pickup trucks, and aerohead's 1/3rd scale model.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-32673-31.html

It's an exciting book to write.

Jaguar's chief aerodynamicist has been very helpful with providing me with material. F1 aerodynamicist Willem Toet has been commenting on some paras, and my technical editor/consultant RH Barnard is just about to get the first chapter to give me feedback on.

These are the chapter headings:

Introduction
Chapter 1 – Theory
Chapter 2 – Aerodynamic vehicles
Chapter 3 – Flow visualisation
Chapter 4 – Pressure measurement
Chapter 5 – Noise measurement
Chapter 6 – Measuring drag and lift
Chapter 7 – Reducing drag
Chapter 8 – Reducing lift and increasing stability
Chapter 9 – Improving flow through heat exchangers
Chapter 10 – Engine intakes
Chapter 11 – Reducing aerodynamic noise

As far as I know, it will be the only major aero book aimed at normal people modifying road cars.

At some point I may have some A-B-A comparisons with a faired vs unfaired electric recumbent trike. Winter weather makes reliable comparisons difficult though.

https://i.imgur.com/bzCOnsR.jpg

Thanks to those people who have written to me.

If you haven't but are considering doing so, I'd encourage you to.

I think that this is a once in lifetime opportunity to see your work and car in a 'proper' book ie one that will be in libraries all around the world for perhaps the next 100+ years!

Have you heard from aerohead? He's only on the forum on the weekends. I will PM him if you don't. You two need to talk.

Jaguar has just told me that they are making an XE Jag available to me for on-road aero testing.

This is good news - it will be fascinating to see how the on-road testing stacks up against the excellent technical presentation Jaguar's chief aerodynamicist sent me (that, incidentally, includes lots of CFD).

I have many hrs of un edited video and stills of snow and tuft testing, of my Aero Tonto.

For truck mods ,I must retain the trucks ability to be a truck so function over form.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1511471715
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1511471715

Ps metro its "flipping" the pictures "agen"

Cool project. There are lots of possibilities here at EM.

Phil Knox(AKA Aerohead) 2nd that nomination.
As driven to Darco.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1511495049
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1511495049

Without function form is void.

My 91.5 D250 Johna started at 18.6 avg mpg (16.xx low- 23.1high)
Added the Aero Tonto and it bumped to 24avg(16low towing - 29.3 high) .
When i drop to 22mpg I am looking for something broken on my truck or a low tire.
It must still be a truck ... I define a truck as a rig that can; 1 carrie a full size fridge standing up, 2 carrie 1 cord of green oak(3000lbs per National Forest Wood permits) , 3 tow a trailer of at least 10,000lbs a minimum of 1000mi , as daily driven(nothing to remove to preform the task)Other wise its just a glorified station wagon with limited seating.
The cap is also desined to act as a fairing when towing high profile trailers ( box, RV TT, or 5th wheel).
now that the wind tunnle data is in, and I have almost 100k mi of data with the Aero Tonto. I can start adding more of the total kit, to reach my ambitious goal of 40mpg.
Yes my fule log is out of date... odo broke Dec '16 but periodically check with GPS .

Thanks for the posts but if you want to be in the book, you need to:

1. Email me a couple of high res photos and a short description of what you've done, and how you tested the results. julianedgar1 at gmail.com

2. I'll get back to you to let you know if I am interested. (I hope I will be, but I might already have examples that cover the same ground, etc.)

3. I'll then ask you to write a more detailed description, or provide more pics, eg a step by step, or testing of different versions, etc

4. You will be mentioned by name in the book, as will EcoModder

Basically, I need to see in my in-box the contribution you want to make eg I cannot tell from photos posted on a web discussion group whether they'll be sharp enough and large enough to use in print.

I've just finished a book on home car workshops and I featured three home workshops from around the world, so I am certainly happy to include content that shows off what people have done.

Too late for your last book, and it sold off decades ago; but here is the garage I designed for my parent's geodesic dome on the Oregon coast in 1980:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fr...893-garage.jpg

It's an 18x22ft octagon that housed a hi-top camper van so it has a 9ft high single-wide door and ample workspace on either side of the vehicle. It's not a geodesic dome. Technically it is an expanded zonohedron.

edit:
By the way, built for the Oregon coast, that's a 100mph cruising speed garage.

gmail address
 

Julian,I attempted to email you,but Yahoo would not accept your address at presented.I'm unsure as to what to do.Thanks in advance for your help,Phil.

You did replace the 'at' with '@'? Other people have been emailing me so there should not be an issue there.

aerohead — Are you using the address in an email client, or using Ecomodder's PM service?

My emails to him went through with no problems. Triple check the spelling.

I just approved what he wrote about my truck. His writing skills are far better than mine!

Julian - maybe it would help if you provided a minimum image size, in pixels.

I suspect most people used to posting images on the web (vs. print) work in lower-res images. I even have my camera/phone image size set lower than default.

I'm digging through my stuff now to see what images I kept that are bigger than, for example, 800w x 600h, which I assume is not big enough for print use.

Normally, a print image needs to be at least 1000 pixels wide. However, I can get away with some smaller images if I have at least one larger image I can also use. eg a large overall image, and construction (or whatever) pics smaller.

A sharp 800 x 600 would be fine for a 1 or 1.5 column width pic (ie 2-3 inches wide). 2000 pixels wide and we could use it for a full page! (The layout artist decides that though, not me.)

Obviously no one wants to have their car looking really poor!

email
 

I was at Yahoo Mail,which is all I know how to use.

Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Profile: JulianEdgar

email
 

I typed in Julian's address with the @ and no spaces, and was successful in transmitting.Old dog,new trick.
Thanks everyone!:)

Just an update. I am currently collecting material from forum contributors, writing it up in the form it will be used in the book, and then shooting it back to the various people to ensure that there are no mistakes.

At this stage I don't have anything from anyone on belly pans (except for my own work), so I am eager to get some other examples of these.

I also (and this isn't so much an EcoModder thing) need more examples where people have improved stability and/or reduced lift, so if you - or anyone you know - has done some aero work in this area with good pics, I am also interested.

3-Wheeler has a beautiful and meticulous belly pan, but as far as I know, he has not tested it, he just reports better fuel economy: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...y-10638-2.html

Also, his boat tail is a thing of beauty: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ect-13533.html

I nominate SedanKamm. If you have interest in aerodynamic trailers, my buddy and I have built a couple. One actually improved the fuel efficiency of a Ford E150 on the highway, the other minimally impacted the FE of a Prius on the highway (but was designed to add cargo volume more than anything). Impressive projects you won't find on here. I would have to see if my friend would release pictures of the van/trailer. He had plans at one time, no idea where that stands today.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-ii-13037.html

Yes, I am interested in featuring an aerodynamic trailer behind a car (not a truck; already have one of those).

Book word count reached 88,000 words and 313 pics today, so it is on track for deadline (mid 2018).

I spent most of the day writing about what I consider to be the seminal aero cars of the last 100 years (but excluding some that are already being used as numerous examples elsewhere in the book).

.



Maybe you'll find something of interest here.
(Boat tail, belly pan, full skirts and more...)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...yle-26022.html


:turtle:

>

Prius Aero Trailer
 

This setup was good for just over 44MPG at 70 mph for over 800 miles in ideal 70 degree conditions (still had to run AC because of all the glass a Prius has...).

Just a side note, the friends E150 is a full size van, not a truck. Think church van, but the 10 passenger size.

Woohoo! Aerodynamic trailer behind a truck! ;) ;)

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/v...s.jpg~original

I sent email concerning my Lupo 2L and Audi A8 3L projects:
https://scontent.fhel1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...73&oe=5ABAF1DB

Just an update on the book. I've now written 110,000 words and put together 400 images.

Jaguar's chief aerodynamicist has been very helpful with providing me with material and reading some book sections.

F1 aerodynamicist Willem Toet has been commenting on some chapters, and Professor Joseph Katz has just agreed to read some draft material and comment on it.

My technical consultant, RH Barnard has been going through the material chapter by chapter.

If you want to appear in the book, there are still some opportunities.

I am after good quality photos (preferably at least 1000 pixels wide) of the following modifications:

1. Belly pan (undertray), not on a Honda Insight and made with good quality construction.

2. Grille block, preferably one that is removable if conditions require that.

3. Rear separation edges that have been added.

If you have any of these and want to be in the book, email me some pics at julianedgar1 [at] gmail.com. If I think I can use them, I'll get back to you with a request for a description, materials used, etc.

Rear separation edge . Got one ? I do . Only problem with it is it's attached to my parts that you already have good examples of

Damn... I missed this one!

So nice to see you doing something like this, Julian... big fan of AutoSpeed!