List,
One of the few good things about growing old is that you develop the ability
to laugh at yourself.
I am a firm believer in the teardrop shape as you all know but had never
bothered to think what a raindrop looks like. When you all took off and
looked it up I realized I had gone down the Teflon coated tube. I had a good
laugh.
For those of you who care and don't have it, get the book "Aerodynamics for
Racing and Performance Cars" by Forbes Aird. It was published in 1997. Lots
of good info.
On page 6 it shows a picture of a teardrop shape and the caption says " A
teardrop shape with a length between 2 1/2 and 4 diameters has the lowest
possible drag coefficient- about .03 to .04" Another good line from the book
on page 9. "for a given shape, form drag varies directly with frontal
area(Fa). Since it also varies directly with the cd, it is often useful to
consider the product of these two factors (cd X Fa.) For instance, two
different objects, one with a cd of .8 and a Fa of 10 sq. ft., the other
with a cd of .4 and a Fa of 20 sq. ft. will both have exactly the same
drag". I feel the performance of the "really small" cars is due primarily to
this factor.
None of this matters and I realize the restrictions and changes by putting a
teardrop on the ground.
I late October we took our car out to Los Angeles to show it to a very well
respected engine and drive line guy who has some very good history at
Bonneville .He wanted to to see it and he liked what he saw. He suggested we
team up and go to the salt. I am going out there on Feb.8 for six to eight
weeks to work with them on an engine and it's installation. We will be on
the salt with it next year.
This is where the rubber meets the road. We will find out if I'm just a
misinformed old man or if I did something correctly.
I'll be signing off the list while I'm gone because my wife has no desire to
deal with the 30 to 90 messages /day.
I am really looking forward to the opportunity to learn while I'm there and
to see what the car will do with a purpose built quality engine in it.
I will PROBABLY get back on the list when I return. (must be back in time to
get those darn taxes done).
You are a good bunch of people and I have taken no offense to any comments
except the one that we were probably lucky. That was an insult not only to
me but to my good friend Bryan who was not even involved in my horrible
explanation. I will stay on the list until just before I leave. I'm not
anxious, I already have the truck partially loaded.
Howard Nafzger
448 Streamliner
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