I thought fastbacks could be dodgy (911!), but I really didn´t know the angles. You´d most likely be better off with a more raked screen, but you kind of lose the look a bit. Still, what do I know? Maybe its optimal. You always have the option of chopping and sectioning more, and the tail could also be made longer and perhaps more tapered. Flush windows and losing the gutters would doubtless all help. Probably simply getting the front wheels to fill the arches nice and flush, would be an easier way to smooth things out. Otherwise, what? Narrowed front end and limited lock? Liking that ecomodders forum.
Hmm?? Interesting. It looks a bit like the love child from an illicit union between a Henry J and a Plymouth Superbird....with a bit of AMC Marlin DNA thrown into the mix for good measure!!! Mart3406 ===========
I reckon the back looks like a 64/66 Barracuda, with a touch of Citroen in there. Funny how a little chop makes the car look a whole lot bigger.
It was built by the owner after long talks with Frank Costin, so well spotted! It is all wood and uses Citreon 2CV mechanicals. Reported to get over 100mpg.
It reminds me of something too. Some old racing Panhard maybe? Who knows! Something designed to go fast with a small motor at any rate. It´s sectioned as well as chopped BTW. And i was looking at more pics of Bonds last night. Really does lend itself to this treatment.
Something like the "Thunderbowl Comet" from 1936? Reportedly it was later driven on the street. http://reservatory6.blogspot.com/2011/05/ha-ha.html
The third of your pictures shows a Lotus 11 with a full bubble over the driver's compartment. This car was prepared for some record attempt at Monza, but the driver (Moss?) absolutely hated the bubble (heat, noise), and it was removed before resuming the runs. Too bad, because it was an incredibly beautiful car. I know that a profile view of it exists, but I can't find it.
This might not be the pic you are thinking off, but Ill post it anyway. If I remember right, the rear sheetmetal fell off at some point during the record attempts. Because the banked high speed corner at Monza was so rough...
i have one i started about 2 years ago and hit a brick wall. i started with a wing tank large enough to fully enclose 2 passengers comfortably without distorting the lines of the tank in any way, tank capacity is about 700 gal i think. currently stuck on an engineering problem
Think this is the Fageol Supersonic - the car was originally a land speed racer but turned into a road car. Doesn't often happen that way round does it.
I know I am about to get thumped on by the gods of HAMB, but if you are looking for something cool, but fuel effecient, I have always been tempted to do the following Take a 32 Ford plastic body and repro chassis, mate it with the running gear of an MX5 (stick a bonnet on it to hide the abomination). Make it look like a cool rod, but with the running costs of an MX5. I just think it would be a cool commuter rod for those that have to submit themselves to proper traffic
Has anyone considered the Jim Hall Chaparrals of the 60's? Hall was all about getting the slickest car he could. Sorry I don't have a pic, wouldn't know how to scan and load if I did.
There was a car called the "Streetliner" in a book I used to have on Salt Flats racing. Lost the book in one move or another.. I seem to remember it ran an injected Hemi, and went 158 (ish). in the late 50s or early 60s... Anybody remember it or have any photos?
And in original racing trim: This is probably the closest thing to what I was thinking of - I don't think the modifications for making it a practical(ish - too big for me) street machine have hurt its looks. I'd probably try and lose them bumpers though.
The Russians getting in on it - the GAZ M-20 Pobeda Sport. One of those cars that 'would-be-beautiful-if-there-wasn't-somthing-a-bit-off'. Would be a sweet looking car if it was lowered, had a little body sectioning and the bottom flattened out a little. And maybe do somthing about the grille so it looks less like a cross between a basking shark and a walrus.
Do a search for Peninfarina CNR. I wont post a pic of it... ( super ugly, and too new for the HAMB, but with a drag coefficient of 0.19) I've read that they kept the ride height on that one high, to get better airflow and less drag on the underside of the car.
Nope. The one I'm remembering was a coupe. Kind of a big body, and more square; but a good looking car. Looked a lot like a Cunningham. The only pic I've seen showed it at a motel in Wendover with the hood off.
Ahhh - I've got a picture on my pc of that gull wing machine - I've always wondered what it was! Metalshapes- I see what you mean about ugly. I'm happy to admit that a new car doesn't necessarily mean it has to be ugly but God, there's a limit! I prefer the Mercedes approach to aerodynamically efficient cars: Again, not HAMB friendly but much more attractive. Well I think so anyway. I've been asked back to my old University for a bit of work, I'm going to see if I can blag some wind tunnel time to test my body design and see if I can tweak it a little more, or if there are any inherent problems with the shape. I'm still wondering if a roadster version is possible, with twin head fairings. If I want a convertible top, that can 'join' the two head fairings together to give a flattish roof that extends to the top of the windshield, but the shape may not be so aerodynamic with the top on. There's two schools of thought on ride height - keep it low enough to stop the air going underneath the car, or raise it high enough so that the air that does go beneath the car has less effect. A few LSR motorcycles show similar contrasts, but I suspect that aerodynamics isn't the only reason they're shaped like this (isn't there a minimum lean angle or somthing that prevents the 'flat' bikes from competing anymore?). My biggest issue with high ride height in a car is that it's ugly, especially on full bodied closed fender cars. My drawing has a ride height of about 5.5" so I can mount kerbs/crest speed bumps without hurting the bodywork. I may fair in the wheels on the bottom a little bit more but again, practicality is an issue. Zombies - I've always had a thing for those two machines. I think the scarab is a bit like the first economy minivan, but waaaay better looking than anything we got to show for it today (I appreciate art deco machines). mtcicon - I agree with Kennyrayanderson, what's the block?
OT I know, but when we were heavy into the soap box derby, the thinking was keep it high off the ground so there would be no drag since it was a gravity race and you needed every advantage. Ever see a ground scraping soap box derby car? Back to the regular programming. Good thread!
The Jalopy Journal
