Date:         Mon, 18 Oct 2004 23:54:53 +1300
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: aerodynamics, was: 101 MPH Vanagon!
In-Reply-To:  <002001c4b4b4$238f8de0$e1d2ea42@ttower17>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

>One of my first impressions of the my 85 sunroof the day I bought it used in
>97 and drove it home was how effortless it cruised at 70-75 compared to all
>the
>non vanagon busses I have owned and driven over the past 30 years.

My 75 bus cruised effortlessly at 130kmh (~80mph), and would happily
do more. Something was wrong with US-market engines... probably the
smog gear. Though Aussie-market T3 1.9s performed well, and they had
smog gear.

>Interesting.  I wonder if a spoiler on the rear roof that directs
>air down over the rear window and some type of spoiler for the
>luggage rack (or a canvas cover) would make any improvements?

I think a rear spoiler is supposed to create a separation in the
airstream to reduce drag, not to direct air onto the rear window. As
it is, the rear window on my spoilerless bus never developd dust
deposits, so maybe it NEEDS a spoiler... I'm looking into modifying a
factory mazda Bongo bus spoiler to fit (would need widening).
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut