Can anyone suggest a good book on Aero and its use on our cars.
Thanks,
Cliff
Can anyone suggest a good book on Aero and its use on our cars.
Thanks,
Cliff
Racecar Aerodynamics by Katz.
Any time you solve one problem you invariably create another. Hopefully this one is easier to live with.
The Katz book is very good and was the first decent book I read on Aero but the best to date, with the calculations to enable fact based analysis - I would recommend "Competition Car Downforce A Practical Handbook" by Simon McBeath which is available through Amazon.com and similar. Most of the book can be practically transferred to FC or CFC directly. I used the calculations to model my CFC Crossle 63F in Excel includings front wing downforce, rear wing downfoce, Drag v Power and aerodynamic balance. Was a lot of fun
David Keep
Thank you! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
x2 on the competition downforce book....I used it during my time at uni for my final year project on aerodynamics as a source of practicle info............
If you are ready for engineering-level content, there are two books on aerodynamics that are pure gold: Fluid Dynamic Drag and Fluid Dynamic Lift, both by S. F. Hoerner.
The really good news is that pdf versions of both are available for a whopping five bucks here. You will need to create an account, and the web site is very slow, but it's worth the wait.
If ready for engineering books, get a basic undergrad fluid mechanics book for fundamentals. I just got done taking fluid mechanics and we used Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics by Munson. It was a decent book. Then for aero for vehicles, Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles would be perfect. These would be for someone ready for engineering books though.
Katz's book is pretty good also.
Cliff, sometimes the intent of the reading is needed. For me, sometimes I find technical documentation a great way to induce sleep...if the intent is to gather a basic understanding of aerodynamics, then you should (actually, regardless of intent) pick up the Carroll Smith books. They are college-level introductory books related to the care and feeding of race cars.
there are also a large number of aero books related to home-built aircraft design and fabrication. Where some of the data will be limited in its applicability (ie we operate in ground effect; aircraft only do so taking off and landing), there is still a lot of information available there.
For me, the Carroll Smith books (while dated) are still a good place to start. A vote for the Katz book as well. A decent read.
For me the best "reading" I do is to look at water streams (the dirty lines left on the bodywork after a race car has been on the track). A simple method of creating these tell-tale lines is to spray the leading edges of wings, rad openings, ducts, etc with WD-40 before taking to the track. The dirty little rivulets will tell you a lot.
YMMV
Tom Owen
Owner - Browns Lane and Racelaminates.com
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