Australian Belly Tank

[Dr Goggles]

Heat?

Not here...constant rain and that sort of wind that will blow it right up yer.......

cold too, and I have to go to work.

If they've broken up the band  :| get to work and buy that tank...........

[Elmo Rodge]

Dik, please remember that this is my view only. You might want to ask a "grownup"  :-P Wayno

[Milwaukee Midget]

Dik, please remember that this is my view only. You might want to ask a "grownup"  :-P Wayno

I deal with "grownups" every day - I go to Bonneville to get away from them.

[salt27]

Dik, please remember that this is my view only. You might want to ask a "grownup"  :-P Wayno

I deal with "grownups" every day - I go to Bonneville to get away from them.

With that said will I see you at Speedweek next year?   

[tauruck]

We have a few Canberras here the Limeys haven't found but the scrap dealing thieves have!.

[Dr Goggles]

what I'd do for another one.........

[Milwaukee Midget]

Way too quiet down there . . .

Whassup? 

[Reverend Hedgash]

Well, after discussions with the Dean there is progress here in the UK. Definite keenness to assist with some tools here and the like so step one complete.

Step two is working out which software is best to design it in so it can be easily translated to the dynamic fluid analysis software that we wish to use (think virtual wind tunnel) and  we have done that. It will be Rhino (version 5) using a plug in called T-splines which will allow excellent 3D flowing design capabilities with very elegant editing capabilities. It makes digital models that can be easily exported into the software we wish to use for wind tunnelling the shape.

Step Three is learning this software which I started two weeks ago and am now understanding it well enough to start pushing out some shapes that I wish to pursue so that is happening too. See first test sketches based on our existing structure with a new simple skin below.

I am re-emersing myself now in aerodynamic literature as I have lost the edge I had a few years back when we were first designing the tank. Also there are a lot more opportunities on a new body to think about as we were working with an existing entity last time which already worked well in an aero sense and the main thing was to not stuff it up.

Below is a sketch I have done in the new software as if we were heading in the long tai, Le Mans Porsche direction (which I see a lot of potential with as per the Oldsmobile aero car) but am looking for something more radical and fun as I don't want to build what everyone has built before. I want to experiment and come up with a new car that uses the lessons of the past but also risks some on new ideas. To us that is what hot rodding is about. Not kit cars from speed shops. Playful smart ideas with existing technology. I am sure there will be bizarre errors (our first steering rack on the tank turned left when we turned the steering wheel right!), but we learn more from our mistakes than our successes so I am not worried about that. What I am worried about is something like  Mark Webber's flip on his Le Mans Mercedes and so need to get the safe bit right. We will still be designing with our design mantra, FSB: Fast Safe Beautiful.

I know the trend lately is to be ever more narrow and longer darts but we will not be doing that as we are using the belly tank as a base (like So-Cal did) and I don't want to spoil our current car; I want to keep and race both. With that in mind there are certain disadvantages in having a shorter wider car, but I believe there are certain advantages too which revolve around ground effects. I'll test my ideas under for a while and will start publishing results when we get some good ones for discussion.

I hope that we will get the same level of advice from the streamliner crew as we have had from others in the past as it is a new game we are joining with new rules.

End of update, about to make dinner and watch the US Grand Prix. Last two races for Webber, unluckiest guy in racing.

Reverend H+

[Tman]

Pretty sexy.

[Reverend Hedgash]

Thanks T-man.

Early days yet, I think when the maths kicks in it will look even sexier, like a yacht sailing close to the wind.

d

[SPARKY]

make sure you point the winged keel up instead of down

[Reverend Hedgash]

make sure you point the winged keel up instead of down

Heh heh heh... Australian technology at its best.

Actually looking at keels or tails in this case, I am considering putting one on given that was the addition that Donald Campbell gave to Bluebird after fracturing his skull in the US prior to coming down under. Also Bloodhound has expanded its one. If the big boys are with their big dollar tests it would make some kind of sense to expect we will need to too.

d

[wobblywalrus]

That shape looks a bit like the famous SoCal streamliner.

[Milwaukee Midget]

That shape looks a bit like the famous SoCal streamliner.

Which bears a resemblance to . . .



You're not in uncharted territory - turning existing open wheel LSR cars into streamliners - but you do have an incredible advantage being able to model the drawings before you start stuffing panels into the autoclave.

Rev - are you crossing the ocean this summer?

[SaltPeter]

Hi Rev

That is looking like another stylish bit of Body Work to complement the Belly Tanker.  8-)

It will be very interesting to see what the CFD data looks like with the wide sloping front.

Great methodical work as ever 

Pete