Aerodynamics

Might pick up a Windible desktop wind tunnel for aero testing. Who thinks systematic aerodynamic testing will have a big impact on diecast racing?
Discussion
My two cents, every drag racer I've asked in the hobby says aero plays a role in performance, and then I talk to a host whose day job is literally aerospace engineering and he says in short "nahh, not so much" at least at this scale.
Those small wind tunnels are to my thinking fun toys, do check out EP Diecast Racing's short but excellent video
- I'm guessing you talked to GTR? ;) — ManiacMotorsports
- yea, but, manybe we think of cars to test this, not just if aero matters, but how much — dr_dodge
- Maniac, spot on. Trying to stay in my lane as a fan and not discredit other's experience without having any of my own — Chris_Hood
I totally agree that there is little need to do any 'aero' work on diecast cars for racing. But its a great tool if you want to study aerodynamics on different car shapes etc. Or if you're just getting stoned it could be very entertaining.
I have a project that I've been working on that may answer the question
but first look at what lotus designed
www.lotuscars.com/en-US/evija
It's basicly hollow
I have an evija casting, and am fairly far in making it a laminar flow element
test it simple, cover the scoops, run times, peal off covers run again
then you could also run it with a bus (flat frontal) next to it, behind, infront, etc
drag it, and also do a fast mt track
I suspect the faster the race car goes, the more the effect
dr
- I'm curious to see the results. — Dutch_Clutch_Racing
- Always love to see data! Yeahhh, SCIENCE! — Chris_Hood
- I need to get it built and send it out to a few of y'all — dr_dodge
- THAT CAR IS AWSOME...for an electric car. — LottaSpeedRacing
- I've done similar testing on my track. I found that taping Windows shut on cars with open windows. Consistently gained one to two thousandths of a second on my track — Milestone_Racing
It does play a role, but it is way down the list of factors making a car fast. Well below wheel selection, lube choice weight placement and other casting related features like wheelbase and wheel width and size.
I'm not sure it's a big enough role to justify purchasing a wind tunnel although they are cool!
Interestingly in a drag race with side by side lanes, there are defiantly cars that break quickly from the gate and throw up "dirty air" preventing a faster closing car from passing.
- Yes, solo times are usually a few thousandths lower than 'in traffic' times — GspeedR
- Leaning in attentively to your testimony here, thumbs up — Chris_Hood
Air will always be an obstacle to any moving body within the atmosphere. But our cars are small, the speeds are nominal on the grand scale, and their rolling duration is usually pretty short, so any cumulative benefits that an efficient design might provide is typically miniscule. You can roll a funny car with its body propped open and it will be consistently slower than with the body down, but it takes that extreme of a comparison for us to witness a difference. Perhaps aerodynamic effects might be more influential on a 120ft+ track like Meal Ticket Raceway or the 200 footers during Puerto Rico's diecast hayday? If the velocities and/or track lengths increase and become mainstream, racers may be lining up for those Windsibles.
Edit 1/24: I finally pulled the trigger on the 1/64 Windsible. Hoping to beat the upcoming tariffs.
- the problem with wind tunnels, the road surface doesn't work right because it's stationary. NASCAR discovered this in the tunnel — dr_dodge
- No doubt, the Windsible is limited. But it seems to demo upper laminar flow pretty well. — GspeedR
- Grateful for these observations! 100+ foot drag strips, I need to explore this more! — Chris_Hood
seems like if you had everything else dialed in 100%, then maybe...