aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Specifficly 3rd gen Camaro [which is what I am building] especially the drag cause by rear of body shape. What shape or spoiler can help?

Or, since it is 1/8 mile bracket racing, is it a non-issue?

To me, it seems it is important because the last 1/2 of track is over 80 MPH. Also, it you are racing into a head wind the drag will be increased.

Any feedback?

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Hi Larry,
Aerodynamic drag is a function of both Coefficient of Drag and Frontal Area. Many times shown as CDA. If we keep the Frontal Area constant at 20 sq ft and the speed constant @ 100 MPH. A CD of 0.34 will produce an Aerodynamic drag of 51 HP while a CD of 0.38 will produce an Aerodynamic drag of 57 HP. The amount of Aerodynamic drag HP will increase with MPH and the HP difference between 0.34 and 0.38 will increase with increased MPH.

Stan


PS Maybe a graph which also includes 0.42 CD will show this better.

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Stan,

somewhere I saw a chart about body styles and aero drag. [may have been your chart]
that chart showed the 3rd gen Camaro with a relatively low COD and the 3rd gen Firebird among the lowest.

I have even considered installing a 3rd gen Firebird ft fenders and facia on my Camaro. Would doing that be worth the effort plus finding a Firebird ft and painting it?

Is the frontal drag the most critical? With rear drag less of an issue?

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Larry,
Frontal Area is the area that the car has when looked at from the front. You should be able to measure width and height and calculate your frontal area. Google calculate frontal area of a car What year is your car?


Stan

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

The aero package on the 91-92 Pontiac Firebird was reportedly the lowest CD of any GM car . Pontiac was very proud of that fact , and that was in many magazine articles . The frontal area was similar to the Camaro , but the front shape was way different . Rear shape was similar to Camaro , but air was able to flow under the spoiler.

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Hey Larry watch this video. in this case the front end was a disaster for drag but the most gains were picked up with work done on the rear of the car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X35-bGWpEY

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Some numbers I have.

'84 Firebird Trans Am W62 Aero 0.30
No numbers for a '84 Camaro

'88 Firebird Trans Am GTA 0.31
'88 Camaro IROC 0.34

'91 Firebird Trans Am GTA 0.31
No numbers for a '91 Camaro

Stan

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

non-issue! unless you are running 130 mph in my opinion

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Seems like a lot of over thinking for an eighth mile bracket car.

Re: aerodynamic drag and body style
 

Lee, overthinking is one of my high skills. And I think overthinking is a common trait for many hot rodders. I point to stockers, got to be one of the most overthought packages ever. However, overthinking often leads to success.