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Re: weight

To: Nafzger <nafzger@vtc.net>
Subject: Re: weight
From: Rick Hammond <r.hammond@sympatico.ca>
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2001 22:07:28 -0500
Nafzger wrote:

> List,
> I'm obviously getting old and can't proof read my own stuff. The center of
> aerodynamic pressure MUST be BEHIND the center of gravity.Sor
> ry for acting stupid. At least you had something to laugh about.
> Howard
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nafzger" <nafzger@vtc.net>
> To: "landspeedracer" <landspeedracer@msn.com>; <kturk@ala.net>;
> "Higginbotham Land Speed Racing" <saltrat@pro-blend.com>; "Scott Cowle"
> <scowle@mentorcollege.edu>; <land-speed@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2001 7:18 PM
> Subject: Re: weight
>
> > JB,
> > Weight in the rear is good for traction but once you get up to a speed
> where
> > you have lot's of aerodynamic pressure on the front of the car, it's not
> > good to have a rearward weight bias. At that point you need the mass up
> > front to keep the car stable so it does not give in to the aerodynamic
> > pressure and swap ends. It's like firing an arrow backwards or throwing a
> > dart backwards, the heavy end will end up in front.
> > The center of aerodynamic pressure needs to be in front of the center of
> > gravity of the car . I was up there at the Oct. meet with a new racer in
> > 1985 and he came from a drag racing background. He had hundreds of pounds
> of
> > lead behind the rear axle and the first hard pass he made he spun seven
> > revolutions. ( he had a video camera on board and we counted them).
> > We finally convinced him to move the weight forward just behind the front
> > tires and the car was drivable and went over 260 MPH with no problems.
> > I don't know the proper proportions but the fore and aft cg. on my car is
> > 10' ahead of the vertical fin and it drives like a loud Lincoln.
> > Howard
> >
> >
> >

Howard,
Don't be so hard on yourself; plenty of us still believe a good flame paint job
will shift the COG back ;-)
Cheers,
Rick

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