Date:         Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:35:01 EST
Reply-To:     FrankGRUN@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
Subject:      On the Issue of Drag Coefficient Numbers for the Vanagon
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Gentlemen and Ladies,

About a year ago, when this topic was visited at some length, I posted the
following numbers:


In a message dated 6/10/03 11:50:23 AM, albell@UVIC.CA writes:


<< Drag = 1/2 A * Cd * rho *vsquared


A = frontal area (any one know this for Vanagon/Westy?)
Cd = drag coefficient, I have seen 0.44 stated for Vanagon
rho = density of air
 >>


Alistair,


Greetings from Yungay Station, Antofagasta, Chile with relative humidity of
1.1 to 4.2%!

Some numbers! The drag coefficient (Cd) and frontal area (A) for the regular
Vanagon are 0.45 and 3.06 m2;

for the later Vanagon with front spoiler lip,the values are: 0.44 and 3.08
m2;

for the Westfalia, the numbers are 0.52 and 3.17 m2;

the later Westfalia with spoiler drops the drag coefficient to 0.51.

The European hightop camper (Dehler profile) takes the drag coefficient to
0.40 with a frontal area of 3.61 m2.

So highest drag for the Westfalia and the Euro hightop has essentially the
same drag as the regular passenger version.

BTW, I have info somewhere that the drag coefficient for the syncros is
higher by about 0.03 but I can't place my hands on those notes just now.


Frank (Grunthaner)

This data comes from VW factory wind tunnel tests, conducted as they worked
out the optimal gearing for the various powerplant combinations.

Pleased to see some technical discussion on the list!

Frank Grunthaner