Back in the days of the jet car wars Art Arfons had a wing that would change
the angle of down force directly connected with the body lift and axle
changes. This was down with simple linkage.
I agree with Seth on the vehicle reaching it's limitations of design. The
tire tracks show this at the point it started and until the car started to
lift. Once a little side ways it became a wing and the front of the car went
airborn prior to starting a series of rolls and flips. We learn a lot from
each one and lessons learned made a difference on this vehicle and Seths
outcome.
Glen
----- Original Message -----
From: <ardunbill@webtv.net>
To: "Keith Turk" <kturk@ala.net>; <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 5:49 AM
Subject: Re: Limitations
> Keith, what you seem to be alluding to here is race car bodies that
> develop increasing lift with increasing speed. That would obviously be
> very dangerous.
>
> I have heard that people with cars with suspensions measure suspension
> deflection and log the data to record lift or downforce. Under fierce
> acceleration at Maxton I don't see how this could work, but it would
> better at Bonneville. I think I recall Chuck Salmen does that with his
> $um Fun roadster and he selected the '34 Ford roadster body because it
> has a natural downforce about it when dropped a little at the nose.
> That car has been conspicuous for its safe handling.
>
> The only scientific way to approach testing body lift or downforce,
> seems to me, would be model-testing in something like the Caltech wind
> tunnel, like Sam Wheeler had for his mc 'liner. But I hear that might
> cost $10K a day if you have to pay for it.
>
> And yet a lot of people have been successful in designing their
> high-speed lakester and 'liner bodies intuitively with no access to
> wind-tunnel testing. More power to them, it's a game with high stakes.
> Bill
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