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Discussion Boards => Aero Cars => Topic started by: odcics2 on February 28, 2014, 04:32:32 PM

Title: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: odcics2 on February 28, 2014, 04:32:32 PM
This is the car from the WPC Museum, so the scoops do not have openings, since the car has 70 Charger fenders on it.
Nevertheless, here's a photo to accompany the words below:

(this was probably the first test ever for a production Daytona [according to Romberg, they were focused on the race vehicle]; the 0.37 CD was also exceptional for its period, and also the vehicle came in at -0.14 rear lift thanks to the 23 inch rear wing).

So - THIS production Daytona measured at .37   

The .29 figure we have all learned to quote is for the much lower RACE version with side glass. 
The .29 appeared on the Daytona drag study graph prepared by Gary Romberg and found in the "F" body aero study booklet.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Aero426 on February 28, 2014, 04:42:39 PM
That's very cool to see.    Was this done in Auburn Hills?

Look how nicely the air flows over the rear window area.     

Ford tested a street Daytona in their tunnel in 1969.    Most likely a car they "borrowed".   Here is the link to the report.

http://www.superbirdclub.com/FordAero.html (http://www.superbirdclub.com/FordAero.html)
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: JB400 on February 28, 2014, 04:49:07 PM
Cool pic :2thumbs:  Thanks for sharing :cheers:
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: tan top on February 28, 2014, 04:56:41 PM
 wonder what difference door mirrors & handles make  if you took them off , the street / production  version


interesting stuff ,  thanks for sharing  :cheers: :cheers:
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Mopar Nut on February 28, 2014, 05:03:00 PM
Cool picture, thanks for sharing
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Ghoste on February 28, 2014, 05:06:28 PM
That is cool, how did they get an ok to do it?
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: pettybird on February 28, 2014, 05:30:52 PM
officially the coolest thing on the internet this week.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Redbird on February 28, 2014, 06:36:23 PM
Very cool pictures and information on the cd.

For its time it sounds like an excellent cd. It also gives real numbers to compare to, say for instance next to a street 1982 Trans Am.

Does the red laser line represent the center of aerodynamic mass? With the small bump in the airstream above the windshield/roof line, does that indicate a drag area?
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: odcics2 on March 01, 2014, 08:50:21 AM
I got this email with the photo from the Chrysler tunnel. I have no further info on details
other than the posted quote and that it happened in June, 2012!   What's a few years waiting for info like this?   

The Ford information from August 6, 1969 indicate a race car comparison, not production, IMO.
I say that because the 88 had a 585 HP engine, according to Larry Rathgeb, when it ran 200.447.
On a plain straight, I'd think a few more MPHs would be possible, getting close to the Ford "600 hp =204" number.

Certainly, a production car would not get there, considering the extra drag of mirrors, door handles and distance from the ground.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Ghoste on March 01, 2014, 10:24:28 AM
Could the Ford engineers have not extrapolated that info from a street version by removing the obvious street items such as that?  Even comparing the improvement between a street Daytona and regular Charger?
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Aero426 on March 01, 2014, 12:20:10 PM
We don't know exactly how they did it. The Ford tunnel was low speed and data was extrapolated to a theoretical top speed based on 600 hp.  Charlie Gray's answer was that they used a street car, probably obtained locally.
Mr. Gray was in charge of the Ford stock car program. Based on the .37 hard numbers of the street car, and the known numbers of the 88, the calculated potential of the street car may be optimistic.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: odcics2 on March 01, 2014, 12:24:11 PM
They could have removed the obvious and lowered the car in front easily enough.
Too bad there aren't any photos that surfaced...    :shruggy:
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Ghoste on March 01, 2014, 12:24:50 PM
Which makes more sense to me.  To get their hands on one of the race versions that early in the program would they not have had to purchase it from one of the Chrysler racers?  And wasn't Nichols primarily building all of them for the Chrysler teams?
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Aero426 on March 01, 2014, 12:27:28 PM
I think it would be tough to get hands on a race Daytona.  Not impossible, but who would do it?
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: hemi68charger on March 01, 2014, 03:24:29 PM
Quote from: Aero426 on February 28, 2014, 04:42:39 PM
That's very cool to see.    Was this done in Auburn Hills?

Look how nicely the air flows over the rear window area.      

Ford tested a street Daytona in their tunnel in 1969.    Most likely a car they "borrowed".   Here is the link to the report.

http://www.superbirdclub.com/FordAero.html (http://www.superbirdclub.com/FordAero.html)

Guess that explains why there wasn't a Superbird in the comparisons although they had a '70 Ford and Mercury there........

Wonder if there were any '69 Daytonas "stolen" back then in Dearborn........   :2thumbs:
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Ghoste on March 01, 2014, 03:25:54 PM
No need really, they just went out and bought what they needed.  Chrysler did the same thing.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Aero426 on March 02, 2014, 05:40:50 PM
Quote from: hemi68charger on March 01, 2014, 03:24:29 PM

Guess that explains why there wasn't a Superbird in the comparisons although they had a '70 Ford and Mercury there........

At the time of the test, the Superbird did not exist.  Or at least it was not yet roaming the street.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: odcics2 on March 03, 2014, 07:01:10 PM
Quote from: Aero426 on March 01, 2014, 12:27:28 PM
I think it would be tough to get hands on a race Daytona.  Not impossible, but who would do it?

James Hylton was disgruntled...       :shruggy:
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Mike DC on March 03, 2014, 07:26:29 PM
 
Is there known wind tunnel data for the stock production (non-aero) 2nd-gens?

Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Aero426 on March 03, 2014, 09:04:24 PM
Don't see a plain old CD number.  But the old paperwork references CdA (Drag coefficient x frontal area) for comparitive purposes from a 1971 performance estimation memo:

Wing Cars  7.0
1971 race cars 9.5 (Street Road Runner 10.2, Dodge 11.2 - both with windows up)
1970 standard body cars 10.3

The G-series tunnel tests say the standard 1971 cars had roughly 300 hundred pounds more rear lift compared to a Daytona.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Mikesmoparperformance on March 06, 2014, 07:00:20 PM
Awesome stuff very cool!
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: TUFCAT on March 13, 2014, 07:44:21 PM
Wow!!  Great idea to do that after all these years!
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: nascarxx29 on September 02, 2015, 12:57:10 PM
Another Daytona to be tested in 2015      http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,119798.0.html
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: maxwellwedge on September 02, 2015, 01:09:28 PM
And mine has the holes under the fender scoops .....let's see if it matters.  :coolgleamA:
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: oldcarnut on September 02, 2015, 02:08:32 PM
Maybe I just don't see it but is there a chin spoiler on it?
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: Mytur Binsdirti on September 02, 2015, 04:48:34 PM
Quote from: oldcarnut on September 02, 2015, 02:08:32 PM
Maybe I just don't see it but is there a chin spoiler on it?

The chin spoiler was left in Chinatown.
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: wingcar builder on September 02, 2015, 04:52:03 PM
is there any Data on the Engineering Superbird?

(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j25/wingcar_builder/superbird%20%20chrysler%20engineering%20bird_zpszis4w9cf.jpg) (http://s76.photobucket.com/user/wingcar_builder/media/superbird%20%20chrysler%20engineering%20bird_zpszis4w9cf.jpg.html)
Title: Re: FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel
Post by: odcics2 on September 03, 2015, 02:55:50 PM
I bet the guy on the other side of the car with the mutton chops is Ron Killen, the electronics guru.