Most sources say that any sort of top would help aerodynamics on any car
by helping the air flow more smoothly across the top rather than being
swirled behind the driver and causing a lot of. Turbulence. While there
are probably exceptions, I doubt the TR's are among them.
Joe (C)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-fot@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-fot@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of emanteno@comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 9:04 PM
To: Larry Young; Jack W. Drews; FOT
Subject: Re: aerodynamics question
-------------- Original message from Larry Young --------------
> While we're on this subject, does anyone know whether a hardtop would
reduce drag on a TR3 or TR4?
While this isn't racing data, I did check fuel economy with the top up
and down on a road trip to a VTR Convention in my TR6 . With it up, the
mileage went up 4 mpg. I attributed that to better aerodynamics with the
top up, but that's just an uneducated guess on my part.
I was also able to observe that a TR4 will lose 500 rpm on the straight
at Road America if the trunk lid comes up and stays up, but that's
another story.
:-)
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