Lincoln Aerodynamics (BAD)

[red91sit]

I typed my replies in Reddish, BTW sorry for the super long lenght of this post...

Originally Posted by skewbe

Not real serious here, but I wonder if 4 wheel steering could be set up to keep the nose pointed into the wind but still keep the wheels going straight down the road?

Not with a live axle!

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I've read both: that you want a blunt, roughly hemispherical leading edge (as you've done). Problem with that is the stagnation point becomes higher, so more air goes beneath the car, with implications for handling (front end lift).

The other school of thought is generously rounded front-to-hood-and-sides transitions, but the lower part of the bumper should be more or less vertical, to lower the stagnation point and get more air over the car. (The EV1, Honda Insight, and the Bonneville Cobalt that came up earlier this week are more like this)

EDIT: I'd go with option 2 for your car because you have more unshielded stuff beneath the car.

Hmm that is a good point. I came up with rough idear of what I want. I figure this one would route most of the air over the car, or to the sides of the car (which is ideal since they are very clean with kamback style ends, except for wheel wells)

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I have to admit, I have wondered why you're driving the limo. Not that there's anything wrong with trying to do better with what you've got.

ha ha. well It's a good vehicle to haul my homies in. My fuel mileage looks so bad partially because my commute to work is 2 blocks, and to work is only about a mile. Others have gotten highway mpg of 28 on long trips. I figure with a bit of tuning I should be better than that. In thsi frigid climate, the abilty to warm up within just a few minutes is great. And oh my gosh, the luxuriousness of it is overwhelming. I would drive the civic, but it's motor threw a rod bearing the other weekend when the motor out ran the fuel pump . Now I'm unsure if I'm going to get forged internals with turbo, or go back to natural aspirated.

Originally Posted by cfg83

Hello -

How about clear plexiglass to create an aero-shape? :



Not practical, obviously (no wipers for that giant front window and good luck opening the trunk!), but it would be neet to know what the CD change is. The boat tail would be supported by a monster spoiler.

Are there any cheapo-aero modeling programs out there?

CarloSW2

Plexiglass in the front is an absolute no go for me. The weather here is freezing atleast 2/3 of the year, and the idea of scraping off that much frost in -20F weather makes me want to cry. The rear end could definetly benefit from this with the expense of looking like a herse haha. I hope you are all ready for a big cardboard boat tailing thing for the top box this spring

Originally Posted by theclencher

Even with nose work and fastback work that square greenhouse is a real impediment to good aero- I'm thinking those A-pillars are nasty. My vote would be to sell it and get something slipperier- or put a little 4-banger in there and putter around at 50 mph or less so aero isn't a factor! Also the undercarriage aero on that thing likely is no better than that of a pickup truck so an airdam/side skirts and/or bellypan would do more on this car than it does on our FWD unit-bodies.

The green house is truley a disaster, and yes the vehicle is for sale :-) but until then I'll work with what I have. I'm still trying to find a tripminder for this vehicle, which would REALLY help me out in the fuel usage test department. It's also a great little "tisk, tisk" device to prevent fuel abuse. Driving 50's not a big problem either, since these cars are associated with the elderly haha. A fast back on this car from roof to the top end of the trunk comes to around 20 degrees. Would it be better to use this, and get a smaller wake, or to go with 10-12 degrees and end up with a fairly large wake? For reference, this is nearly the same angle Phil Knox is using on his Toyota. At any rate, I will test out both configurations before i paint the car hehe.

Z-Pilito

I have a block heater, on my shelf haha. This weekend we're supposed to be in the teens, ABOVE!!! I should be able to install it then.

Originally Posted by BluEyes

You certainly can put more underbody covering on the car. Check this link:
http://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sho...ight=belly+pan

He had pics at one point but my computer dopes not seem to be loading them now? If they don't come up for anybody else, I have copies that I dl'd to my hard drive.

The thing is, only the very rear of the driveshaft moves. The front of course remains stationary. If you really want to leave the driveshaft exposed, find some driveshaft loops (drag race safety equipment and good insurance in case you ever lose a front u-joint) and use those as mounts for a smooth panel on either side of the driveshaft.

I'm not sure if the Lincoln uses a 4-link rear or leaf springs (I'm not a Ford guy) but either way you could probably do some aero around the rear axle using a sheet of flexible plastic. I'm working on this for my LeBaron (FWD, but a solid rear axle) and I think if it was attached to the suspension controll arms and the axle it would work fine. The plastic would be able to flex with the movement of the suspension and hopefully wouldn't make the kind of sounds you get from flexing a large sheet of metal.

For the rear of the car, looks like you could benefit from vortex generators or a lip spoiler. If you can, grab the March issue of "Hot Rod" and read the wind tunnel article they have. Talks a bit about lip spoliers and how they can be used to reduce drag. Basically tricks the air into thinking you have a boattail.

See if you can find more aero mirrors. I'm sure yours look alot like the ones on my '70 Caddy - very square and brick-like...

Consider an extractor vent on the hood like Ford used on the GT-40 (try google images if you are not familiar with it). It can help redirect what air does need to come into the engine bay back out and avoid it going under the car, plus it can help 'fill in' the low pressure/detached air flow area you likely have above the front of the nose.

I was actually thinking of hood scallps much like Datsun's used back in the day. The only thing is I have a FULL grill block, the fan just sucks air from around the edges of the radiator ha ha. I'm going to use some ducting on the civic, where it coudl really help when combined with a hoood exhaust. I should be able to block nearly all of the grill on that car as well

As far as the underbody goes. The big problem is finding things to attach the materials too. I dont' really like the idea of drilling into the frame, but if i change my mind, where do you get your sheet metal from? (has to be about 7 feet wide or long.

Originally Posted by theclencher

Even if you manage to achieve fantastic aero you still have a big V8, an inefficient slushbox automatice, loads of power-robbing accessories, and lots of weight. Unless it is consistently used to haul six people and their stuff around it is probably best to leave it parked.

Also with all the intense crosswinds we have here I wonder if the Basjoos-style total-windshield-over-the-hood thing would actually decrease aero by virtue of the phenomenal increase in "frontal" area in the yawed condition.

True, this engine spends a good deal of energy just keeping it's self going. The oval shapes of the basjoo styling do not increase in frontal area during cross winds until the angles of boat tailing, or boat fronting? are less than the angles of cross wind, 12 degree taper at the end won't be seen by a person unless they are standing more than 12 degrees to the midline of the car. I have a picture. but My post is getting WAAAY too big, so I'll put it up another day.

[red91sit]

Horray!!! I ordered a Fuel Consumption Display today. 25 mpg, here I come! lol

[red91sit]

Alrighty, I've got another plan for the car,
The top and the bottom of the car are VERY unaerodynamic, so why not use the sides? My main concern is the front wheels will disturb all flow going past them? Also it will be less triangley, more half cirlce shaped, but that's a lot harder to draw haha.

[caprice]

I have a caprice and it is very simular shape. You know how the hood is two pieces of sheetmetal spotweilded together? remove the "skin" replace it your own fiberglass. Make it like a wide cowl induction hood. It won't block your visibility moe than the big hood does now... and the windshield will shrink, and the angle the wind hits it would be better. Decreace the gap on the front wheel, turn the back in to a fastback, like a Mustang, Camero, corvette. Cut off the whole back window, window sill, sides of trunk. Camero hatches are heavy though (too much glass is heavy). Use a small back window like the one off a 1998 Ford Exsort ZX2.



I think the most aerodymanic front clip would be one that has the "transparent grill" as far forward as possible. In stead of a "grill block", we make it half its original size and move the bumper out 6 inches, any more may be a PITA. Then ALL of the rest of the bodywork angled back and as sleek as possible, like the new Hondas.



David

[caprice]

Just a custom front clip

[caprice]

Noone likes my design? either use plexi glass (may not be good idea for winter, ice wont melt off it) or a newer style light, like the new Mazda Miata, though expensive

[GasSavers_BluEyes]

Not to be a pessimist, but how you should focus on the easier stuff first. Everyone is talking major body modifications here. I have done simple and much smaller mods to my LeBaron sedan (pretty similar body shape) and improved my mileage to over 30. Check my fuel log. You can steadily improve your mileage with much smaller aero mods like rear fender skirts, front fender gap fillers and an improved airdam without having to do anything so drastic.

[cfg83]

BluEyes -

Originally Posted by BluEyes

Not to be a pessimist, but how you should focus on the easier stuff first. Everyone is talking major body modifications here. I have done simple and much smaller mods to my LeBaron sedan (pretty similar body shape) and improved my mileage to over 30. Check my fuel log. You can steadily improve your mileage with much smaller aero mods like rear fender skirts, front fender gap fillers and an improved airdam without having to do anything so drastic.

I think that the idea is that the Lincoln has so much going against it that it could use major plastic surgery. For instance, the Lincoln weighs 4400 lbs and your car weights 3000 lbs.

But I agree the easier mods should be done first. More bang for the buck. And if the big mods don't pay off it will be pretty discouraging. Where's that free wind tunnel when you need it most!?!?!?!

CarloSW2

[red91sit]

Caprice - Great ideas you have there, a few problems I have though, I"m quite short, otherwise I would definetly have the cowl on there, but i woudln't be able to see over it haha. I"m about 1-2 inches above hood level, the way it is haha. The rear end though, i had a GENIUS idea. Remember on old cars how they would put a layer of slats to keep sunlight from coming in, but you could still look backwards through.

These don't seem like they'd be too bad for flow? as it would flow from one step to the other, isntead of creating a "GIANT vortex behind the window.

:EDIT:: BTW - I jumped the lincoln too day, and got about 4-5 feet of air haha.