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Here is my contribution. I found this quite randomly, actually, and then was quite excited to see how in-depth it is.


A textbook on aerodynamics(1947 edition)
http://ia331306.us.archive.org/0/items/aerodynamics030680mbp/aerodynamics030680mbp.pdf

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You can build your car:
1. Fast
2. Cheap
3. Reliable
Pick any two.

Cool. Wish I had time to read some of it. Kinda funny that it takes 23pgs before CH1. Thanks for sharing

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"The decision to build a car is not one reached through a rational mindset. It is a decision that is made because we have to do it! It makes no sense, but neither does love, children and taxes" -Sam Buchanan

My Build Log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=3054

It's hard to wade through all 25 pages. Below is what I like:





I think this is very 'doable' and I'd love to give it a go. To me, it seems to be what the next generation of 7 would have been like.

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Barrie, Ontario

"Fahren ohne Lenkrad" - I love it

It seems like a concept that makes "driving without a steeringwheel" possible

but yes, the design is doable


does somebody know about the design of "Acabion" ... I get a pic tomorrow, it's very aero

okay here it is:
http://web1.acabion.ibone.ch/acabion-fl ... n/0-facts/
it is english - cool ... the guy is a dreamer but the vehicle is insane, has not that much in common with a locost but the shape is classical for being "aero"

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The Acabion looks like a 2 wheeled version of the Aptera. http://aptera.com/

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Need to figure out your suspension geometry, what springs to use, or what your turning radius is? Try this free excel worksheet - http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=7339

He may have lifted the profile outline from the same place that Aptera did. In the book, "Race Car Vehicle Dynamics" there's virtually the same outline, proported to be the work of VW's research efforts for low drag.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

Don't like it much but may be worth showing for those seeking body design inspirations:

EDIT: oh sorry, forgot something ... should order my thoughts before posting did somebody already mentioned Mr. Düchting ? He is from germany, a Donkey distributor and has been racing on the Nürnburgring in two versions of his Donkey. One is very impressive, I like it so far and the times it (he) sets are very respectable. Link: http://www.m-duechting.de/index.php/don ... rs-06.html

Mentioned prior here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7004 and here: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1298&start=15

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That thing is bad-ass.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

Since virtually every old thread that was interesting eventually rises from the dead, I figured I'd bring this back. I didn't want to clutter up Jack's Lalo thread with a really off the wall post, and this probably does belong here.

I was browsing ebay and caught an auction for a body for a "1957 MacMinn LeMans coupe". I did a bit of googling and it looks like was a fiberglass shell produced to be a low drag design based on a series of articles from Road and Track in the late 50's. It looks like a few actual body shells were produced starting in 1959(?), and the basic styling is simple enough to be adapted to locost use. It might even be a good shell for a "car 9" variant. It's definitely old school, and it looks like the design could be adjusted to fit a seven based chassis without loosing the general flow.

Anyway, just something that grabbed my eye.

Links:
The ebay ad - which will eventually disappear: 1957 Other Makes Le Mans Coupe
Forgotten Fiberglass - links to articles about the car with some pics: Strother MacMinn’s LeMans Coupe
Google Image search for the car: 1957 MacMinn LeMans coupe

Linked Pics:

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.. in the world

I would also like to update on this thread, I have recorgnized several
similar threads popping up and this one still seems the most general
and sucessfull aero-thread.

Mister Düchting whom I mentioned before came up with a new Design
for his donkervoort, not for taking it to the track but for top speed this
time.

Unfortunately I have no figure for A of the car, but i do have Cw and
Düchtings calculations say hed would be able to reach speed in excess
of 400 km/h utilizing the right gearing and a powertrain capable of 500
hp.
So let's do the math: lets assume the average beefed up donor engine
gives us 150 hp to work with, then top speed utilising this shape
should possibly equal 435x(150/520)^(1/3) , therefore ~290 km/h.
Plenty.

I have attached two images taken from a external ressource, one
showing the rendering for CFD.

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I went to school for aerodynamics and have a aerodynamics program to design and test aero .
I have also designed aero for many race teams and different cars from porsches , bmw's to miatas .
I loaded the 7 into my program and over the last week I have been playing with the car .
there is nothing good about the car for aero .
it has dirty air from the leading edge of the hood all the way to the back of the car .
one front fender adds .002 of drag to the car . I did not even run the old style front fenders that run down the side of the car yet .
the full side windshields are bad not just bad but real bad ! the air raps around the sides of the glass the drag number from that do change a little with the rake of the windshield some but to much rake adds even more drag .
two little half round windshields are the best but the drag numbers around the roll hoop/bar does go up with the small windshields . but still less then a full windshield .
the air moving over and around the suspension is also very bad .
adding a front and rear wing to the car does help with aero some but not much . your still relying on the cars mechanical grip more then any aero grip could ever give you .

the thing is I'm sure you guys are not buying a 7 for the aero of the car . your buying it for the fun of driving a car with very good power to weight ratio .

There's a rumor floating around that removing the windscreen off a stock Seven raises the top speed by about 6 mph.

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

because of all the different designs of the 7's I was only playing around with the lotus 7 .
IF I WERE TO start running different sim's of other 7 designs I would have to 3D scan the hole car 1st .
so the findings I'm getting are only from one body design .
how ever there are things I have done with the lotus design like filling in the openings of the suspension area , deleting the exhaust , rolling to front fenders forward more just to see the effects of the air flow and the numbers .

I do not have over all top speed of the 7 but the 0 to 60 and to 100 MPH times do drop with out a full windshield . I would have to run the sim again as I did not save any of numbers I got . it was just for run !
would you get 6 more MPH of top speed ? I would have to say yes . in fact I would not be surprised to see even more then 6 MPH .

962, did you ever run the aero numbers with the clamshell fenders? Awful I'm sure, but I like the way they look. At times it feels like the amount of lift you'd get from a biplane

I have run many simulations with different designs of the 7's fenders and the clams are bad .
how ever I will not post my finding !
there are many reasons for this the 1st and biggest is debates !
on the aerodynamics engineering forums there is just no BS!
so I tend not to go over finding any were other then that forum .
on this forum like some others as soon as some thing is posted on the finding you get. you end up with some one that has never even seen a aero simulation run done telling you your program is all wrong and your finding are not right because for some reason even though they have never designed any aerodynamic devices they some how know more then every one else who does .