Aerodynamics of a bug

[SilverBullet]

How would the top cover help Wally?

[Wally]

Originally Posted by SilverBullet

How would the top cover help Wally?

Imo, when the air hits the nose, the part that goes over the front bumper splits in a part that goes over the bumper and bonnet and part goes downwards and under the car.
I think you want as much air over the car and not go under it.
My undertray may just help draw air from behind the bumper and downwards through the underside of the car.
Sealing the top should prevent this and as such give a little less uplift or more downforce, whatever effect prevails. At least thats my idea

[beetle1303]

Wally, after u posted the Bernd Rummenholl's 1303 Gelb-schwarzem Renner's pic i remembered that i had found something similar a long time ago. cant remember if it was through a forum or randomly over the net...
If any one knows more then please comment.IIRC its from one of the scandinavian countries from the 80's
If u look closely the fender cover extends high between the front bonnet and the headlights.and the bonnet is different maybe a hoffman product?
Also note the front splitter with rubber lower end that extends to the front wing's leading edge...
Chris

[Gerrelt]

Google image search resulted in this norwegian thread: vwnorge thread

The third picture shows the same front spoiler, but now from an angle.
I thought it looked pretty good from the front, but I don't like it from an angle.
Or is the yellow-brown color?

edit: the yellow-brown beetle has a different spoiler.
This is a better view on the gray one: LINK

[aartjan]

Originally Posted by Wally

Imo, when the air hits the nose, the part that goes over the front bumper splits in a part that goes over the bumper and bonnet and part goes downwards and under the car.
I think you want as much air over the car and not go under it.
My undertray may just help draw air from behind the bumper and downwards through the underside of the car.

I think part of the effect of the bumper cover might be attributed to another phenomena. The high pressure of the stagnation at the front of the car (where the flow splits, velocity=0) is used to press on top of the cover and thus forcing the car down. That's just another way of saying that the bumper is a large splitter. However, the bumper itself does also have stagnation in front of it. Maybe slightly lowering the bumper might give some additional benefit of stagnation at the front bonnet when using a cover?