Originally Posted by oledoc2u
straight from the book my friend...explain the theory then....do the test, and explain...air passes under car faster than above it...creating a pulling down affect...I was talking air movement, but you are the engineer....and I know the guys here in INDY must not know what they are doing...when I am down at the shop, I will give them that information....
You are talking downforce, and I was talking air movement....the chassis engineers here are finding better ways to increase the speed of the air traveling below the car...and yes, you still have to have the downforce, which you were referring to. But, they feel by increasing the passing of the air under the car, keeping enough downforce to hold it stable, will increase speeds. So, they are looking for better ways to move the air...by streamlining the underneath, and you still need the wings for downforce. So, the experiment, is moving the air under the car faster, will actually pull the car down...as shown by the paper demonstration they showed me... as for pressures, yes, more on top, less on bottom...but their theory seems to be working, and you see an totally different body look with the new racecars...most normal highway cars creat lift, and without spoilers, wings, would have no downforce at high speeds...the topic here was to lower wind restistance...spoilers creat resistance...but moving air more efficiently means less resistance to the point where you were still stable and controllable. There are so many factors when talking cars...are you going straight all the time, or are you racing thru corners too...all would have factors you have to consider when talking downforce and pressure...but, I think these guys here in INDY are on to something...
The air under the car is a pressure wave. It is so powerful the Russians actually built a transport ship using the concept.
Russian Tank-Ship-Plane | Yurock
Perhaps your Indy guys are aware of this force. Perhaps not. But simple logic suggests that removal of this Pressure wave, by diversion or spoilers, would reduce the lifting effect it has on the chassis.
More to the point, it takes HP to create this pressure wave. Diversion would allow this parasitic power loss to return to use at the wheels.
My 75 Starfire came from the factory with a 2" X 24" diverter wing under the front bumper. I presume it's purpose was to increase air flow into the engine compartment. Using a flat aluminum strip for a stiffiner, I extended the diverter with a 2 1/2" vinyl base cove under the car from front wheel to front wheel. Thereby creating an angled air dam under the car.
I also had two angle steel rails under the quarter panels added for stiffness and to transfer the rear wheel loads better to the chassis. They also had the black vinyl draped during my wild days.
While the whole rig looked amatuerish and funky it seemed to function well.
The improvement in top speed, handling and MPG were very noticeable.
Does that qualify as a test?
Later versions of the car and many others came equipped with similar ground effects. The Chevy Monza version had a factory kit. I still have the parts hanging in my garage.