New book on car aerodynamics

Posted on March 23rd, 2013 in Aerodynamics by Julian Edgar

Well, today is an exciting one for me.

After a gap of quite a few years, today my most recent book was published. It’s called the Amateur Car Aerodynamics Sourcebook. I think it’s got lots to interest people who wonder how air flows over, under and through their road cars.

Specifically:

Section 1 introduces aerodynamic drag and lift. The language is simple and straightforward – but still includes concepts such as drag co-efficients, lift co-efficients and the different types of drag that affect road cars.

Section 2 is devoted to aerodynamic testing – directly measuring aerodynamic pressures, and seeing airflow patterns by the use of on-road wool-tuft testing.

Section 3, the largest part in the book, covers aerodynamic modification. Fitting vortex generators, testing different undertrays, reducing drag, using turning vanes in intercooler ducting – all are covered in detail. In addition, techniques are described for reducing wind noise, building an effective engine intake that breathes high-pressure cold air, siting bonnet vents in the correct location, and testing airflow through intercoolers.

If you have read absolutely everything I have produced on aerodynamics in the last decade you will have seen much of the material before. (That said, even I was surprised with some of the stuff I dug up – I’d forgotten I’d written it!) But I must say, having a copy of the printed book in my hand as I write, the usability of the information is so much higher when you have it all in one place, and can browse at will.

It’s my book so I am sure that you’d expect me to say how great it is, but I genuinely believe that it adds something worthwhile to the (very few) books published on the topic of road car aero modification.

If you are interested, it’s available directly from https://www.createspace.com/4201918

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