Re: aero figs

[STEADIRIC@aol.com]

>Are we discussing coefficient of drag here?

yes...

>I believe that although the horsepower will enable the
>Volvo wagon to keep up with respect to the velocity of other
>cars it may be racing with :> (e.g., Audi), 
>the coefficient of drag for the Volvo might be lower
>by virtue of a lack of air resistance.

The Volvo has a higher amount of air resistance than the Audi.....  
Therefore it's cd is higher than the Audi's.........

>And, Eric, I believe that the low drag coefficient might be a result of,
>for example, lower surface area normal to the direction of fluid flow (sides
>of "box" :> are flatter).

Weeeelllllllllll.... Both of the things that you have just said are 
wrong....  (I'm trying not to use my buzzer here!)  The Volvo's drag is 
higher than the Audi's and the Volvo has a larger wetted (Aero Speak....) 
area compared to the Audi's.  Anyway slab sides induce more wake 
turbulence than a curved side....  In order to make a slab-sided (Volvo) 
car have less induced drag you would need all sorts of little vortex 
generators on both the nose and the tail to re-engerize the boundry 
layer... Look at a IMSA GTP Or WSC car and you'll see what I'm talking 
about...

Later!


Eric Fletcher
'87 5KCSTQIA2RSR2B
St. Louis, MO

STEADIRIC@aol.com