Aerodynamics Tests

[beetle1303]

I know that at least some of you will be interested in this... but some help is NEEDED

Im in the amazingly happy position to announce to you all, that I have access to my university's wind tunnel. Its a bit old, but they got it from Farnborough and it was used to test aircraft models. It has a 3d jig so it can measure drag, lift etc. Nowadays its used to test mmostly smaller pieces up to real size motorbikes.

Im going to build a rig with multiple oriffices for smoke testing (the one that shows multiple lines and how they get altered by the car's body)

Now i would like some info on where i could find a good beetle based lexan cover for an R/C. Probably it won't be a 1303 but i could alter it.

My goal is to madel the whole suspension front and rear along with inner fenders , engine, transmission and axles. I will try to use similar sized wheels and perform an initial test, so i can assess the beetle's stock aerodynamics.

As a next step i would try and modify the cover and model my body kit and run the same tests in order to see how good it is.

Finaly I would like to improve it further more, if time and budget allows.

All smoke testing will be recorded on video and photos.

If all goes as planned, the results of the initial test are going to be posted here for all of us to share.

If a lexan cover can't be found, or the one found isn't that good, I would try to make one from balsa (cheap and easy to scalpture on cnc)

If all of this fails, Im already building a 3d model of my body kit equiped 1303 and will run CFD on it to assess the aerodynamics.

if you have more info or want to help email me on beetle1303@hotmail.com which is my personal email.


Last, but not least, we could simulate side scoop different positions and probably different chin spoilers.

Rob (Judgie), we all seen ur trys to improve ur amazing hill climb race car, and u are in the metal trade and u got skills man, I would be really thrilled if we could work something out

Cheers,

Chris

[chug_A_bug]

hey dude that's soo sweet
welLI can help you on the bug body I'm also big into R/C so if you go to

http://www.towerhobbies.com/

I know that they are the biggest in the US and I knwo that the body was made by Tamiya

hope that helps


Chris.

[beetle1303]

I came up with this

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=TAMC0953&P=X

Its a baja based off road.
Spoke with the UK agents 5 mins ago and they have the shell and glass parts for it specially ordered from Japan. They got it for another guy, so i could get in the middle and buy it in the following working hours, so hurry up guys.

THe better the base model is the better the results will be

Chris

[wrenchnride247]

Check this out http://www.germanlook.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=8322 This might be something.

[MikeVW]

What about a model? I know I have seen better but this is all I could find

http://cgi.ebay.com/REVELL-1964-VW-V...QQcmdZViewItem


Mike

[1303R]

very interested too see what results you get, shame there aint much choise for beetle models, all seem to be standards and not very big. i been looking for a good 1303 shell for a while to make lill version of mine. anyways look forward to reading more

[chug_A_bug]

http://www.porscheengineering.com/peg/en/about/history/

[beetle1303]

update:

tommorow or the day after im supposed to recieve the lexan cover!
and the project will be officially under way...

Chris

[judgie]

when i next have a test day i will be having a go at the wool test, tape a lot of 2 inch long bits of wool over the car and drive it a differant speeds with somone taking photos of it.
cheap windtunnel
going to be trying to make the bottom of the car as flat as poss this year with a defuser running from the rear axle line to about 5 inchs behind the rear panel.also going to be making some deep side skirts with a kick up at the rear to try and remove the sharpe jion between the rear 1/4 and the rear wing, might also help in dirrecting air to the rear wing.
main thing to aim at is stopping as much air as you can from going under the car, front and side, and giving it the smoothest route out. heance the rear defuser.
cheers rob

[orbitron]

this kit is just released. Tamiya is notorious for their detail. Linky Linky
I really am going to get one soon!

[beetle1303]

Hey guys sorry for the late update.
Im really sorry to anounce that the test was not run due to increased work load at the wind tunnel by other students that needed it for their dissertation projects. Dont be devastated. I have been working on a 3d model that i can always finish to my desired level of detail and test using CFD.

The lexan model will be finished when i go back home and will probably be tested using some kind of premature techniques...

Orbitron thanx for the link. im going to get this lexan with all of the accessories as well.
The point is that im trying to replicate all the inner fenders and underfloor shape to a high level of detail which is veeeryy time consuming...

Sorry again for letting you down guys.

Cheers

Chris