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!
A few . . . I believe this is a guy called Steve Thomas' downhill racer. He's a composite specialist who used to work for Aston Martin and tested this machine in my Uni's wind tunnel. He's had this thing up to 70mph. It's really slender though, the fact that it's so low to the ground probably doesn't mean anything, I think the air predominantly goeas around it than over the top and under the bottom. I like the wheel pants at the back - my 'other' concept is a reverse trike three wheeler that would have these pants on the front. Kinda like one of my favourite land speed racers: Glad you like the thread - I thought it might be a bit outside the HAMB's territory but it's getting some interest at least.
Two I like: I like the general shape of the latter and the cobbled-together rivettiness of the former. I've been playing with an idea that combines pretty much those qualities for some time. The idea is more to reach unheard-of speeds on public roads than any consideration of fuel economy.
Those images of the little white car worked fine when I first posted them - only since I got back have they been talking nonsense. I love the 1000hp Sunbeam, but I'm not sure if it works aesthetically at the size I'm working on. I think I like it because of its monolithic purity - it's essentially a block with streamlining stuck to the front and back. I've played with some drawings that I've done and by the time I've got the passenger cabin/doghouse stuck on top I think it looks a little odd. I also think to set the shape off properly it needs to be pumped full of louvres, otherwise it looks a little amorphous to me. Another problem (well for me) is that massive bulbous sheet metal at the front is a big chunk of aluminium to screw up when panel beating. With the more modern machines (30s MG EX135, Mercedes Rekordwagen etc) the shape can be broken up a fair bit into smaller components. I suppose I could build the front end like an airstream trailer - I intend the body to be made of riveted sheet aluminium anyway. Not sure what it'd look like though. If I were going to go down the Blackhawk route it would be in three wheeler form, but it would be more akin to a Morgan/Sandford with spats and maybe a track nose. But that's for another thread. Here's what the current front end treatment resembles: I quite like the slight bumps over the front wheels, they give a little bit of definition to the shape. I like the MGs for the same reason. And it's a fairly simple shape to form.
If you're starting with a Triumph Herald it could even become a sort of fictitious Triumph LSR car. Come to think of it, that suggests Triumph motorcycle power (even if Triumph cars and motorcycles parted ways in 1936) ...
Here's an early 'liner that's completely new to me, the Spalding Brothers built it in '39, one of the first streamlined hot rods. It looks a lot like an elongated Bugatti Tank. I thought its 'rivetiness' might appeal to you Dawie. I'd like to see more of this one but there aren't many images around, it was donated to the war effort (info from http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149631&page=8 - courtesy of JimmyB) I like the simple shape, looks like something I could do fairly easily. There was another one built in 1939 by Jack Harvey but I haven't any pictures of it - anybody got one?
some of Paul Jaray work http://www.flickr.com/photos/27862259@N02/sets/72157629116127561/with/5842903838/ Adler LeMans racer BMW 328 Kamm coupe
I have never seen those Lancias before, they're gorgeous. The BMW Kamm coupe has a drag coefficient that'd give a modern ecobox a run for its money (0.27 I believe). It's also stunningly beautiful. Paul Jaray cut his teeth as an aerodynamicist on Zeppelins before turning his attention to cars. Some of his designs were better looking than others . . .
I think the Nash bathtubs had a lot of aerodynamic features (closed fenders etc) but not necessarily low drag by overall design (I seem to recall the Cds up in the region of 0.4-0.5ish). The closed fenders do appeal though. I often thought a lowered, chopped and sectioned Nash/Austin Metropolitan would give me somthing small and economical to compliment my Plymouth but the damned things are so expensive - I could build a body way cheaper than I could buy - and claim that I built it.
A Tatra prototype: http://www.dieselpunks.org/photo/tatra-903-concept-car-3?context=album&albumId=3366493%3AAlbum%3A46500#!/photo/tatra-903-concept-car-3?context=album&albumId=3366493:Album:46500
Dawie's right, these should be in this thread (hope you don't mind me cloning your post Dawie). Never seen that top one before - the utter simplicity of the lines appeals to me, not so much designed on the back of a cigarette packet as carved out of one.
No problem 60Ply you've quite effectively addressed my lack of round tuits. Still saving up to start a thread on specials ...
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