The Type 64 tribute car is finished and race ready.
The results of the Team Versuchwagen Type 64's A2 Wind Tunnel test were spectacular and verified the aero efficiencies of Kommendas original sketches. And some surprises as well. In the tunnel, the vehicles tires are placed on top of sensitive computer connected electronic scales mounted under the floor which record variations in pressure as air flows over, under and around the body at various wind speeds. The biggest surprise (lesson?) came when improvement was found by removing the Copacetic Metal Shaping fabricated full belly pan along with the rear fender skirts/spats. This combination provided the most stable pressures at higher air flow speeds. It was determined the rear skirts/spats added 50 pounds of lift to the rear! It was also determined that installing a 4 3/4 inch tall perfectly vertical spoiler at the rear deck lid area would actually reduce lift, add stability "and reduce drag" making higher speeds possible without increasing horsepower. There is no front splitter, air dam or spoiler. The wind tunnel engineer running the tests indicated he had never seen such a early example of aerodynamics prove so successful. Kudos to Erwin Kommendas foresight and natural aero expertise.
Photo Copyright Roger Ball /
www.callball.com This car will be raced just once in the Type 64 configuration, in April at the ECTA speed trials in Blytheville, Arkansas,
http://ecta-lsr.com/. After that, Dave will remove the T64 tribute body where it will then be installed on a second VW chassis/floorpan designed strictly for street driving at which point you can expect to see Dave enjoying the car at east coast Volkswagen and Porsche events. Bruce Cooks race based VW Beetle floorpan will then have a stock Volkswagen Type 1 sedan body installed and then delivered to the A2 Wind Tunnel to give us the first actual wind tunnel test of a Beetle air cooled sedan. After the VW Beetle wind tunnel test, the Bug will return to Arkansas for a attempt to capture the 36hp Challenge DSS (vintage dual carb) Bug record.