One day a long time ago, Jim Hall - owner, builder and driver of the renown
Chaparral marque - was testing his latest creation on his teams privately
owned race track some where out in Texas when it was discovered that this
particular model would go considerably faster with its body off than on !
Hall's involvement in racing lead to many innovative aerodynamic
developments - the fixed wing - the movable wing - aero refined belly pans -
the "Vacuum Car" that used 2 / 45 hp snowmobile engines ( first time user -
I think - of 2 cycled power in "big time" motorsports ? )
I did have a chance to see the "Vacuum Car" race - sometime in the late
60's at a race held at the airport in Cumberland - Maryland - it went around
the track like it was on a wire ! This concept was eventually outlawed by
the powers that were !
Colin Chapman shortly thereafter incorporated the "active downforce" into
the design of his Lotus F1 machines and we all know the rest of that story !
If you've never seen the "Vacuum Car" take a peek at the following sites !
http://www.ashcom.homestead.com/Elford2Jhtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/chaparrall_(car)
If these sites don't come up Just 'google' Jim Hall - Chaparral race cars !
If you want to find out how important "low speed" aerodynamics are check out
the guys that build the SAE cars for the annual milage competition and then
the guys who build the SAE battery/solar powered cars !
All the best !
Gil
ps - Chuck - I'm glad you're on the mend and wish you success the next time
you pilot your F5 !
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cory McLeod" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007 7:03 PM
Subject: Re: [F500] new body for KBS and Q-cars
That's a ridiculous comparison. The car body does not have to function at
all for a car to move down the road, but a plane body must generate lift
for the plane to fly.
Chris Reinhardt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I think I could sit a 10
year old down and have them design a body, build it, and it would work.
How well it would work would be a different story....
Do you think you could have the same 10 year old design an aircraft that
would fly? If so, you test fly it!!!
CR
Dave Phaneuf wrote:
I'm going to have to agree with Chuck, I'd think a race
car would have more aero issues to deal with than
subsonic aircraft.
Rulebooks, ground effect ( ride height ) and traffic would be 3
biggies that quickly come to mind.
Dave Phaneuf
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