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FINALLY!! Production 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona in a wind tunnel

Started by odcics2, February 28, 2014, 04:32:32 PM

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odcics2

This is the car from the WPC Museum, so the scoops do not have openings, since the car has 70 Charger fenders on it.
Nevertheless, here's a photo to accompany the words below:

(this was probably the first test ever for a production Daytona [according to Romberg, they were focused on the race vehicle]; the 0.37 CD was also exceptional for its period, and also the vehicle came in at -0.14 rear lift thanks to the 23 inch rear wing).

So - THIS production Daytona measured at .37   

The .29 figure we have all learned to quote is for the much lower RACE version with side glass. 
The .29 appeared on the Daytona drag study graph prepared by Gary Romberg and found in the "F" body aero study booklet.
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Aero426

That's very cool to see.    Was this done in Auburn Hills?

Look how nicely the air flows over the rear window area.     

Ford tested a street Daytona in their tunnel in 1969.    Most likely a car they "borrowed".   Here is the link to the report.

http://www.superbirdclub.com/FordAero.html

JB400


tan top

 wonder what difference door mirrors & handles make  if you took them off , the street / production  version


interesting stuff ,  thanks for sharing  :cheers: :cheers:
Feel free to post any relevant picture you think we all might like to see in the threads below!

Charger Stuff 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,86777.0.html
Chargers in the background where you least expect them 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,97261.0.html
C500 & Daytonas & Superbirds
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,95432.0.html
Interesting pictures & Stuff 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,109484.925.html
Old Dodge dealer photos wanted
 http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,120850.0.html

Mopar Nut

"Dear God, my prayer for 2024 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did the last ten years."

Ghoste


pettybird


Redbird

Very cool pictures and information on the cd.

For its time it sounds like an excellent cd. It also gives real numbers to compare to, say for instance next to a street 1982 Trans Am.

Does the red laser line represent the center of aerodynamic mass? With the small bump in the airstream above the windshield/roof line, does that indicate a drag area?

odcics2

I got this email with the photo from the Chrysler tunnel. I have no further info on details
other than the posted quote and that it happened in June, 2012!   What's a few years waiting for info like this?   

The Ford information from August 6, 1969 indicate a race car comparison, not production, IMO.
I say that because the 88 had a 585 HP engine, according to Larry Rathgeb, when it ran 200.447.
On a plain straight, I'd think a few more MPHs would be possible, getting close to the Ford "600 hp =204" number.

Certainly, a production car would not get there, considering the extra drag of mirrors, door handles and distance from the ground.
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Ghoste

Could the Ford engineers have not extrapolated that info from a street version by removing the obvious street items such as that?  Even comparing the improvement between a street Daytona and regular Charger?

Aero426

We don't know exactly how they did it. The Ford tunnel was low speed and data was extrapolated to a theoretical top speed based on 600 hp.  Charlie Gray's answer was that they used a street car, probably obtained locally.
Mr. Gray was in charge of the Ford stock car program. Based on the .37 hard numbers of the street car, and the known numbers of the 88, the calculated potential of the street car may be optimistic.

odcics2

They could have removed the obvious and lowered the car in front easily enough.
Too bad there aren't any photos that surfaced...    :shruggy:
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Ghoste

Which makes more sense to me.  To get their hands on one of the race versions that early in the program would they not have had to purchase it from one of the Chrysler racers?  And wasn't Nichols primarily building all of them for the Chrysler teams?

Aero426

I think it would be tough to get hands on a race Daytona.  Not impossible, but who would do it?

hemi68charger

Quote from: Aero426 on February 28, 2014, 04:42:39 PM
That's very cool to see.    Was this done in Auburn Hills?

Look how nicely the air flows over the rear window area.      

Ford tested a street Daytona in their tunnel in 1969.    Most likely a car they "borrowed".   Here is the link to the report.

http://www.superbirdclub.com/FordAero.html

Guess that explains why there wasn't a Superbird in the comparisons although they had a '70 Ford and Mercury there........

Wonder if there were any '69 Daytonas "stolen" back then in Dearborn........   :2thumbs:
Troy
'69 Charger Daytona 440 auto 4.10 Dana ( now 426 HEMI )
'70 Superbird 426 Hemi auto: Lindsley Bonneville Salt Flat world record holder (220.2mph)
Houston Mopar Club Connection

Ghoste

No need really, they just went out and bought what they needed.  Chrysler did the same thing.

Aero426

Quote from: hemi68charger on March 01, 2014, 03:24:29 PM

Guess that explains why there wasn't a Superbird in the comparisons although they had a '70 Ford and Mercury there........

At the time of the test, the Superbird did not exist.  Or at least it was not yet roaming the street.

odcics2

Quote from: Aero426 on March 01, 2014, 12:27:28 PM
I think it would be tough to get hands on a race Daytona.  Not impossible, but who would do it?

James Hylton was disgruntled...       :shruggy:
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Mike DC

 
Is there known wind tunnel data for the stock production (non-aero) 2nd-gens?


Aero426

Don't see a plain old CD number.  But the old paperwork references CdA (Drag coefficient x frontal area) for comparitive purposes from a 1971 performance estimation memo:

Wing Cars  7.0
1971 race cars 9.5 (Street Road Runner 10.2, Dodge 11.2 - both with windows up)
1970 standard body cars 10.3

The G-series tunnel tests say the standard 1971 cars had roughly 300 hundred pounds more rear lift compared to a Daytona.

Mikesmoparperformance

MOPAR OR NO CAR

1966 Dodge Charger 383 CI


TUFCAT


nascarxx29

1969 R4 Daytona XX29L9B410772
1970 EV2 Superbird RM23UOA174597
1970 FY1 Superbird RM23UOA166242
1970 EV2 Superbird RM23VOA179697
1968 426 Road Runner RM21J8A134509
1970 Coronet RT WS23UOA224126
1970 Daytona Clone XP29GOG178701

maxwellwedge

And mine has the holes under the fender scoops .....let's see if it matters.  :coolgleamA:

oldcarnut

Maybe I just don't see it but is there a chin spoiler on it?

Mytur Binsdirti

Quote from: oldcarnut on September 02, 2015, 02:08:32 PM
Maybe I just don't see it but is there a chin spoiler on it?

The chin spoiler was left in Chinatown.

wingcar builder


odcics2

I bet the guy on the other side of the car with the mutton chops is Ron Killen, the electronics guru.
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?