Air Dams

[SN-60]

LOL, how many people live in that head of yours. <G>

Well, let Me turn the lights on and look!.......hello...HELLO!!!!!!

[PlainBrownR2]

Well, let Me turn the lights on and look!.......hello...HELLO!!!!!!

WIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait, sorry, wrong place for that, and er person.........

[8E45E]

IMHO this is the best post of the entire thread.

So you're saying a '53's poor panel gap CAN be an advantage??!?

Craig

[petercalaguiro]

If you are having an issue with cooling on the highway and not idling around town, then your problem is not moving air out from under the hood. Sounds like you are moving your coolant to quickly or too slowly. IMHO

[Studedude]

My own thoughts is that ear-like mirrors are but-ugly... but as I once said to a guy who stated that I HAD TO re-chrome the bumpers on my -53 New Yorker & otherwise I shouldn't be allowed to own such a car: "You can actually buy my car & then do whatever you want with it but until you're the owner of it it's still my car & I'll keep on having it the way I want it!"
Right?

Right.

I made a mental note of this insult to my (and other members' cars) when it was made, but chose not to respond at the time.

Tonight, while prepping my Stude for IDYSD, and pondering the modifications I have made to it, this comment came back to mind.

Mirrors, to me, are first, and foremost, safety items, and only secondly, appearance items.

IMHO, Studebaker made some mistakes in designing some of their most beautiful cars. I say this, because wind vents and mirror placement often conflict. In other words, if you design wind wing vents into your car, you must also consider mirror placement.

If you don't, outside rear view mirrors and wing vent windows have a tendency to conflict with one another. If placed in the most "attractive" location, rear view mirrors conflict with wind vent operation, and wind vents conflict with mirror functionality... you can effectively use one, or the other, but not both.

The first thing I noticed while driving my car home the first time was that the right hand outside mirror was totally useless, unless I leaned to my right, (dangerously) as far as possible, because it was mounted in such a manner as to not inhibit the use of the wind wing vent. The driver's rear view mirror was almost as useless. I guess if you never change lanes, this would not be an issue. I, from time to time change lanes... maybe you don't.

This "beauty over function" design flaw of some of Studebaker's most eye appealing designs resulted in safety-minded owners mounting their mirrors half way between the front of the doors and the front bumper, or silly little mirrors being screwed onto the tops of the front of the doors (on coupes.)

Mirrors mounted in that fashion are not only not functional, but are... well... butt ugly!

Don't get me wrong. I personally like the retro look of mirrors mounted on the top of the doors, such as the '58 wagon I recently parted with. They were really cute, but completely ineffective for their intended purpose.

Since my car was going to have AC, and the fender vents, door windows, and rear side coupe vent windows were to remain functional, I did decide to eliminate the wind vent windows, and add modern, electrically controlled "ear" mirrors to my car.

As a result, when AC is not needed, I still have more than adequate air flow through my car. And... I can see, and adjust the mirrors, as needed.

As with any modification, I was aware that some would like it, and some wouldn't. I went to considerable effort to find mirrors that, to my eye, "picked up" the natural lines of the car. If you stand in front of my car, the Dodge Dynasty mirrors blend with the contour of the hood... more so than a couple of chrome nubbins sticking out here and there on the car, serving no purpose, other than to appear to be rear view mirrors.

As stated earlier, most of the body modifications to my car reflected my effort to improve safety, as well as do what Studebaker might have done if they had some of the materials and modern design improvements available to them.

You don't have to like what I have done... I don't care!

To you, my car is ugly. To me, safety comes first, and risking life and limb for the sake of what you find attractive is ignorant.

Personally, I'd rather be ugly than ignorant!

And... Before you say it... I've already been accused of being both!

[Corvanti]

right on, Dave!!!

i moved both door mounted mirrors all over the place on the '40 with no luck as to seeing anything on either side. i finally picked up a couple of convex mirror stick-ons for both sides the same size, just to be able to see anything.

on the '51, the driver's side mirror is ok but did the same on right side. all CASO fixes.

the only problem now is with the 51's mirrors is the rear view. it's on the dash and mainly sees the trunk or the rear headliner. i'm thinking about fabricating something to raise the base about a half to 3/4's inch or so.

many other safety items on the ever growing "list", but just spent the day getting her ready for IDYSD with fresh oil, other fluids, a quick clean - and don't forget to check your tires - mine were at least 5psi low...

and all - find your camera and put in fresh batteries!!!

[DEEPNHOCK]

Couple of thoughts..
It's all about getting air to flow 'through' the radiator core.
If the flow path is blocked for some reason, then the air 'flow' through the radiator will be reduces and heat exchange will suffer.
When this happens at low speed, we often create the airflow with a fan.
When a mechanical fan cannot create enough airflow/heat exchange, we add a supplemental electric fan.
If neither of those suffices, then other 'tricks' can be used.
For example is the oft touted 'air dam'
The 'air dam' does not scoop air into the radiator.
It does create a pressure differential on each side of the radiator core.
This causes air to flow through the radiator and allow better heat exchange.
All the talk of louvers, and hood rear lip raising...are just another way of altering the pressure differential between the front of the radiator core and the back of the radiator core.
The hood rear lip raising is interesting, because it 'could' backfire on you at speed.
The base of the windshield is typically a higher pressure area (hence cowl induction carb air inlet setups).
This 'could' actually cause a stagnation of airflow at the radiator core at speed.
But that would only be learned by trial and error.
Studebaker engineering was often dictated by 'trial and error', and it was often dictated by financial pressures.
A thin piece of plastic was a cheaper alternative than a wind tunnel engineering re-design exercise.
Since Ol' Dave's original post was about cooling issues, I would suggest a black rubber strip running crosswise under the car about even with the radiator core, or even with the rear edge of the radiator fan shroud.
A Vee shaped wedge would work too.
Anything that would change the air pressure behind the radiator core.
If that means easing the airflow out from under the engine compartment, so be it.
Just thinkin' out loud...
Jeff

[Noxnabaker]

Hey Dave, I did NOT mean it as a insult & I do NOT think your car is ugly.
I just said what I thought 'bout the loox of big mirrors, I'm NOT the one to tell you what to do with your car, & that's why I gave you (& who ever is/was reading) the example of one of my own experiences.
Right? So: I do NOT mean to insult you, or anyone else for that matter. Seriously!
& the thing with them painted in the car-color so they blend in for sure make it less disturbing anyway.
I'm no enemy to you, & sorry to say I'm not in the States so I can't come over for a chat but take my word for it!
& I'm sure there's a lot of folx who think I ought to stop my sedan-project or at least do it in some other order & so on but...

& by the way; I think your car is easily one of the most attractive cars I know.

[Studedude]

Thanks, Nox! If we ever do get to meet, the first refreshment is on me!

I have a warped sense of humor. That's why I placed the wink and laugh icons at the end of my post... all is well!

[Corley]

First, Dave, I love your car. I think it looks WAY better than stock, and I'm sure it runs/drives/handles/goes way better too! But I also love stock '53s and '54s too, so . . .

Now for the rediculous: How about elimninate the firewall, then control the engine temp by opening or closing the windows. Oh well, probably a bad idea for creature comfort, huh? And for the idiots in doubt, I'M ONLY KIDDING!!!

And now for something completely different, the serious responses: 1) Have you blocked that little 3" square radiator air bypass on the passenger side of the radiator? You know, the one with the little sheet metal fanout on it beside the radiator... I suppose it was originally to cool the generator, but it's a stupid idea that Studebaker should never have put there in the first place. It only serves to increase air pressure under the hood, lessoning the flow through the radiator. 2) Have you considerred some sort of seal above the radiator up to the hood? This would also keep air from escaping around the radiator, and further pressurizing the engine bay. My thinking is that if not so much air can get into the engine bay, bypassing the radiator, then not so much has to be expelled...

Air Dams: I've always thought that air dams were more for keeping the car glued to the road at speed than to help with cooling. You NEVER see them on slow cars, right? You almost ALWAYS see them on really fast race cars, right? I may be stupid, but... (The kid down the street with the primer grey/dropped Honda civic with the big loud exhaust pipe being the exception.)

And, with (or without) your permission, I will continue to use your car's picture as my computers wall paper! It gives me something to aspire to.

As usual, anything that I post is JMHO, and nothing more.

[Noxnabaker]

Agree indeed, the extra air that comes in the engine-bay just fills it but ofcourse it has to get out & when I think about it I just get pictures in my head from unit-bodied cars & they're usually more closed in the front & the only opening is through the radiator.
By geting the air out you will BOTH get the better cooling + less lift in higher speeds.
& even thou I haven't done that awfully much track-racing I still have gone (a lot through the years) quite fast on highways & noticed that letting some air out by open extra outlets for sure is a plus for the road-holding/tire-grip.
Real easy!

[Studeous]

How bout, use the blower motor hole and route it out around the bottom of the passenger kick pannel or at the floor. Some probably already have those optional holes in the floor pans lol