1. Find a level stretch of road sufficiently long to permit accelerating to 60 or 65 mph. 2. At speed, note time and remove foot from accelerator and shift out of gear. Yeah, thats a lot to do at once and some of you may not make it.. 3. Coast until the speed drops to 30 mph. Note time that it took. 4. Repeat step 1 going the other direction. This will remove any grade bias or wind bias. 5. Repeat steps 2, 3, 4 at least 3 times.
Repeat with soft top up, soft top down.
Now, the tire size, pressure, car weight, and toe in/out also need to be known. Also any extra weight in the car (eg passenger and your weight).
If we can get enough of you to do the experiment, then we will have a statistically relevant database.
I will collect the data, and do the math. I will publish the info for all to criticize. Let's put a time limit on doing the experiments. Lets have a week for all to input to design of the experiment itself including equations, methods for data reduction, etc.. So, the experiment design close on March 20th. Experiments to be done no later than April 20th. Calculations no later than May 20th.
If you use or postulate data or information, remember it is absolutely worthless unless you can quote the source of the facts. Opinion, guesses, and druthers simply carry no weight.
Some one mentioned that the mechanical efficiencies I used were too high. Well my source has the following to say...
"The power and torque output of a combination of a hypothetical engine, having a bare engine output of 200 hp and a manual transmission having gear ratios of 2.55 for first gear, 1.60 for second, and direct drive in high, indicates the losses of a typical automobile installation. The transmission efficiencies efficiencies are 94.5, 97, and 99 percent at maximum power in each gear, respectively."
Since our premise was top speed, the 99% is relevant to the tranny.
The text goes on to say that rear end efficienceis are usually above 95% at wide open throttle.
My source is "Combustion Engine Processes", McGraw Hill, 1967.
L.E. Mayfield 124 Maximillion Drive Madison, Al. 35758-8171 205-837-1051
DrMayf(at)AOL.com mayfield(at)traveller.com <<<<preferred
"Thought is the software of the mind; rational thought is bug free!"