new idea, maybe?

[boofighter]

ok i was up late last night, someone smashed into my sisters car, and today i am work and got to thinking about stuff.
do any of you think that this would work. i got idea from lotus 7's who have exposed wheels and many of them have small fenders that are fastened to the suspension.



this is my drawing. the wheel would be covered by a part that can be removed. this way the cover can move with the wheel and if sized properly should not bind on the fender but still fill in more of the fender gap.

[SL8Brick]

The only thing that would concern me is that you'd be installing a large, flat surface to a movable part of the car, which could essentially act like a rudder on an aircraft and possibly cause stability problems @ speed.

Anyone see the movie "Tucker"?

[Matt Timion]

I think viable front fender covers would make a big difference. It's been a hurdle for designers for a while.

[CO ZX2]

I admire the thought you have put into this problem.

A full-bodied car, for best results, needs the whole wheel opening sealed to prevent turbulence, the enemy of good aerodynamics. Steering becomes the bugaboo.

The Ford Probe V concept car used a steered cage to contact a flexible urethane body panel to facilitate steering. Probe V had a CD of .137. There are pics in the below thread. But we don't all have the unlimited budget they have.

I studied quite a while trying to come up with something and here it is:
http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=2173

These have been on Old Reliable since November 2006, and lasted thru a full winter of snow, ice and mud. Didn't spend very much and they did the job. I am sure they are a large part of my success with this car.

[brucepick]

basjoos has a 'skirt' over front and rear wheel openings. The front ones are hinged with springs to hold them down when not turning. When turning the tire presses on a roller inside the skirt that pushes it up.

I'm pretty sure his front skirts have one or two cuts so only the forward or rear part has to swing up for turning, as needed. I saw pics somewhere... if not in the garage, we should ask him to repost into this thread?