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The Real P5 ?
- Thread starter WilliamH
- Start date
DAVID BROWER
Elio Addict
I do not know why the back of the vehicle and fender skirts are square. For aerodynamic purposes, I would think they would be rounded and more tapered.
THEY CALL IT A KAMMBACK . IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE BEFORE .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback
THEY CALL IT A KAMMBACK . IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE BEFORE .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback
slinches
Elio Addict
A true teardrop fairing design would be better, but that would add weight and cost and really limit the turning radius. Squaring the back end is just the best compromise between aerodynamics and practicality.
WilliamH
Elio Addict
It's double wishbone, not McPherson strut. Doesn't have those shock towers.
Generally that's for McPherson struts which often have a bit of rubber you can replace as well. For the AArms you have to stiffen the chassis around them, usually a bit more work to do that. The most common upgrade to AArms is to replace rubber berings with Teflon or high density poly-Eythlene.
A subframe to stiffen the front end is doable and should be a bolt-in affair.
Honestly the number one sport adaptation for reverse trikes is to unitize the left-right suspension together using one shock. That's best on those 'indy-cycle' vehicles. On the Elio you could only put in a super stiff sway bar. This keeps the autocycle more upright in a turn. Not exactly the same intent compared to a 4wheeler sway bar.
Better than the Aptera with it's doors coming open. lol
This is the big mistake often found in 1950's 'aerodynamic styling', a curved rear surface that goes beyond a certain angle, does two bad things, draws a lot of air in then makes it all turbulent. It's also often unbalanced compared to adjacent air which can generate vortexes in addition to turbulence. These are the reasons that motorcycles aren't much better than cars in MPG and why the right Vetter Racing fairing can bump the well-prepared (gearing) bike as high as 200 - 450mpg.
But you are right about tapering, as long as it doesn't exceed 12 to 20 degrees of angle. The slope of the Elio 'fast-back' is perfect.
Yup, you can see what I think the balance between styling and tear-drop shaping should be, just looking at my avatar image.
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I should say something with respect to the Elio about zone balancing(my term).
Since the air behind the exposed aarms is some what disturbed tapering provides less of a benefit. Once a bit disturbed, tapering can amplify that into big turbulence. What they likely had was a bigger need to make sure the air over the back was not unbalanced compared to the air from the sides.
My covered suspension is more difficult to implement, but it frees the design to focus on tapering and less worry about unbalanced air 'zones'.
Since the air behind the exposed aarms is some what disturbed tapering provides less of a benefit. Once a bit disturbed, tapering can amplify that into big turbulence. What they likely had was a bigger need to make sure the air over the back was not unbalanced compared to the air from the sides.
My covered suspension is more difficult to implement, but it frees the design to focus on tapering and less worry about unbalanced air 'zones'.
Since we know the Elio will ship with a sway bar I have already thought about a nice, and simple ,bolt on suspension upgrade kit with upgraded bushings and a stiff sway bar. Combine that by installing some upgraded coilover shocks and the Elio should have some exceptional handling. These simple improvements should make the Elio a lot of fun on an a nice tight autocross course.
My concern was not function but aesthetics. The skirts look cheap, couldn't they add some structure and eye pleasing ridges in them like they did the back panel? It just looks cheap like it's made out of cardboard.