drafting alternative?

[Telco]

I consider drafting close behind large vehicles to be too unsafe, but then got to thinking about alternatives to this. What about a prespoiler that sits about 2ft in front of the vehicle,, no more than 2-3 inches tall and wide enough to go across the whole front of the car, in a wedge shape that would divert air both up and down with more air being diverted up, attached to the nose? If this worked, it would disturb the air before the car itself got to it, while presenting a very small face to the wind. The very small face should present very little drag, might it eliminate more drag on the vehicle overall than it adds? If so, then this would mean you could "draft" everywhere without having to follow a semi too closely. All you'd need is a pair of thin brackets strong enough to stand up to the wind, with a crossbeam like an extra bumper across them, to predisturb the air before the car gets to it.

This is not one I'm willing to try myself, but as some of the folks here seem to like the off-the-wall aero improvements I thought I'd throw it out.

[lunarhighway]

it's not gonna work as the energy to push the air asside is going to come from your vehicle. when you draft a truck you recycle some of the left over energy from the first vehicle moveing trough the air. but it you don't have anyone if front of you you're going to have to push all the air asside yourself. the more streamlined your car is the less resistance it will persent, so the less blunt your car is the better that will go. adding something more wedged to the front of certain cars might produce a certain benefit, but i see no distance to have it a certain distance away.

the only thing that comes to mind that resembles what you describe are these spoilers that are sometimes added to the sides of boxy trucks.i think they're intended to direct the air around the edges of the truck. might be a good fix, but they only work because the truck's main shape is so terrible.

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Just sit back ~50-100ft. It's still a ~10-20% improvement.

[brucepick]

Well if you take that little spoiler - it's a horizontal V shape pointing forward - correct? - and continue the surfaces till they meet your car - then you'd kinda have a basjoos front end. However his does send most of the air up where it will have a nice clean path, rather than under the car. And that approach does seem to work, I think he's getting something like 70-80 mpg.

(Sorry basjoos if I've misstated anything.)

[Hockey4mnhs]

there is none drafting works you just have to go balls to the wall with it. it takes some getting used to just chill at a 100 feet and you will be fine

[Belloc]

Just get a friend with a semi truck to drive in front of you all the time.

[lca13]

check out the thread: winglets and bumpy paint. I think you are proposing something similar to waht kitcar is proposing.

[basjoos]

Originally Posted by brucepick

Well if you take that little spoiler - it's a horizontal V shape pointing forward - correct? - and continue the surfaces till they meet your car - then you'd kinda have a basjoos front end. However his does send most of the air up where it will have a nice clean path, rather than under the car. And that approach does seem to work, I think he's getting something like 70-80 mpg.

(Sorry basjoos if I've misstated anything.)

According to the SuperMID, I'm getting about 100mpg (38 to 44km/l) while driving with load cruising on level roads at temps in the 80's at any speed from 30 to 65mph. Even though I've tried, my car doesn't get better mileage at lower speeds like most cars do.

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Originally Posted by basjoos

According to the SuperMID, I'm getting about 100mpg (38 to 44km/l) while driving with load cruising on level roads at temps in the 80's at any speed from 30 to 65mph. Even though I've tried, my car doesn't get better mileage at lower speeds like most cars do.

That's what ya get for minimizing the drag coefficient with no regard for engine speed/BSFC!
Btw, you should be a gearing change or two away from a 100mpg average.

[Telco]

Read the paint bump post, very interesting.