Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Kamm
Good stuff! Thanks.  |
Mike,
I still haven't found that textbook, which is likely in a box stored in the garage. Anyway, going from memory, I'd say you'd have to determine just how aerodynamic the shape of a particular auto is when applying rough surface appliques. Even individual features could benefit, like the flared fenders on the 930 Turbo that have rough surface appliques to improve boundary-layer separation, improving air flow, and reducing drag at high speeds. If the front end of your vehicle is fairly blunt and affecting form drag, then rough surface appliques will trip the boundary layer from laminar to turbulent flow and increase the attachment length of the boundary layer before it separates from the body. But if you have a very sleek, aerodynamically shaped front end then surface drag is more important and a clean surface is essential and rough surface appliques would prove to be detrimental. It's no wonder car and aircraft manufacturers spend hundreds if not thousands of hours in wind tunnels and running computer simulations in order to perfect and improve a particular vehicle's drag characteristics.
This is all food for thought, but it's worthy of research in order to squeeze out that last bit of efficiency. I'll keep looking for that text book, but until then you'll have to do some research and weigh the benefits or drawbacks of appliques. Also, with luck there may be some other TN members with additional info that can shed more light on reducing drag with your vehicles. Later....
TrailDust
