Whiffs found surfing

[Old Wombat]

Easy! Cut out the driver's cockpit, floor-pan & all; flip the car; fit the driver's cockpit into the space from which it was removed.


Far too much 2-dimensional thinking going on around here!

[TheChronicOne]

You'd need to do something about the shape of the floor of the car's body.

That provides a significant amount of the downforce due to it's reverse airfoil shape. Admittedly, for an aircraft it would have a major effect only when it was accelerating along the runway, as soon as it lifted off the downforce would decrease rapidly, but it might make control a little dicey during take-off and landing.

Oh I had no idea! I knew it was nice and flat(for the most part) on the bottom and all that but I didn't know it played a part in the downforce, thanks for the correction.  I imagine there's a solution to be had somewheres.   

[PR19_Kit]

There's an area of the floor that's got to be flat, defined by the FIA, but the front and rear may be shaped. But many cars run at a massive rake angle these days, with the rear way higher than the front. That combined with the curved rear end makes it a good aerofoil when it's close to the ground.

The Red Bull team are the best exponent of the art.

[kitnut617]

And next years cars will be different again with a new aero package being adopted to give greater down force, plus wider tires (tyres)

[TheChronicOne]

Didn't they make some crazy car with fans that sucked the car to the ground? Banned from participating, etc. 

[kerick]

Some of the older style cars with the nose closer to the ground might be better for what you are thinking.



Then there is old school.

[Hobbes]

As I understand it, ground effect is not so much an aerofoil shape, but a floor that's lower at the front than at the back, so you get a low-pressure area at the back.

[zenrat]

Didn't they make some crazy car with fans that sucked the car to the ground? Banned from participating, etc. 

The Brabham BT-46B Fan Car (AKA Vacuum Cleaner).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brabham_BT46
That big fan at the back sucked it down onto the road.  It also picked up and flung debris at following cars.

[Old Wombat]

The Brabham BT-46B Fan Car (AKA Vacuum Cleaner).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brabham_BT46
That big fan at the back sucked it down onto the road.  It also picked up and flung debris at following cars.

And there's a problem with this?

[TheChronicOne]

Sounds like "Mario Kart."   LOL   

[Captain Canada]

Oh that old school is gorgeous 

[zenrat]

The Brabham BT-46B Fan Car (AKA Vacuum Cleaner).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brabham_BT46
That big fan at the back sucked it down onto the road.  It also picked up and flung debris at following cars.

And there's a problem with this?

Oddly enough - not in the eyes of the FIA.  They surprisingly didn't ban it*.  Brabham stopped using it before they could do that.
I suspect (and i'm guessing here) the way suction would have varied with engine speed (the fan was driven by the V12 Alfa Romeo donk) meant gear selection through corners became even more critical and added a new complication to driving that they didn't need.

*according to the wikipedia page I linked to above - however, other sources say it was banned.

[zenrat]

Oh that old school is gorgeous 

Fujimi do 1/20 kits of both the earlier BT46 and the BT46B Fan Car.

[Snowtrooper]

I suspect (and i'm guessing here) the way suction would have varied with engine speed (the fan was driven by the V12 Alfa Romeo donk) meant gear selection through corners became even more critical and added a new complication to driving that they didn't need.

That "complication" also provided over 1G of downforce, which was enough to maintain traction even in an oil slick (as demonstrated in the race it competed). Gear selection in corners is important anyway so I'm sure a bit more attention to it would have been more than worth it (as it apparently was - I mean the Hoover must have performed well enough in the test track to be even considered to be used in a proper race).

But it is sad that such innovation would be practically banned outright. Formula One would be far more interesting if there would be no dreary limits to the technology used. Safety, schmafety. Say, only minimum and maximum dimensions and at least four wheels, otherwise anything goes. What manner of contraptions would the feverish mind of the designers create? (note to self: do not start hoarding F1 kits too)

[zenrat]

...Formula One would be far more interesting if there would be no dreary limits to the technology used. Safety, schmafety. Say, only minimum and maximum dimensions and at least four wheels, otherwise anything goes. What manner of contraptions would the feverish mind of the designers create? (note to self: do not start hoarding F1 kits too)

Too right.  Check out the anime Future GPX Cyber Formula and the Aoshima kits of the cars.