[DeTomaso] Cobra / Shelby Club Race at Willow Springs / Rear DeckLid Needed

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/15/08 8:19:24 AM, daniel.c.jones2 at gmail.com writes:
snip....
> Be aware that aero is concerned with much more than just drag.  A low drag 
> shape is of little use on an automobile if it is unstable or generates too 
> much lift (or not enough downforce) or doesn't allow for cooling.....
> 
Agreed! As   I said, airflow changes above 100 mph are not simple, are 
counter-intuitive and usually have unforseen results. Changing the basic shape of 
the Pantera body   to something like the Mangusta will undoubtably also change 
the Pantera's engine cooling, carb intake volume and maybe jetting, A/C 
efficiency, oil cooler placement and probably several other things we haven't thought 
of, so proceed by all means, but do it cautiously and keep a log of all the 
changes. 
Reducing drag on one end of a vehicle changes the center of pressure, 
affecting handling, too. The simple addition of a blade-type decklid spoiler on one 
Pantera reduced rear lift and resulting snakey hi-handling above 160 mph, but 
the lift on the nose then increased, requiring a more pronounced nose-down rake 
and adding a splitter below the air dam to recover the previous handling, and 
on it goes.... 
Bottom line; testing is key; there are no simple aero changes! If there were, 
pro race teams wouldn't spend millions trying to figure this stuff out. Dare 
I re-suggest that interested parties get off their a... and rent time in the 
east coast wind tunnel as I suggested in '06? Yeah, probably not...   too much 
like work. Sigh... J DeRyke



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