Atoms (and their drivers) just love trackdays...

[TrackDayBore]

It's such a 'buzz' (chasing-down cars) in an Atom 

Ariel Atom pursuing an Aston and some Ginetta's..wmv

[LimaSierra]

for the driving

Off-topic, I see you do trackdays without the windshield, is that because it's not allowed or something else? And how much time does it take you approx. to swap between windshield and aero-screens?

Pieter

[John Scherrer]

The standard default configuration for the Atom 3 is Aero screens for most people (although the Aero screens themselves are an option).

The windscreen is also an option.

I get justifiable? flack for driving on the road with a windscreen, don't think I'd care for the flaming if I was to track it with it fitted ! (I have a choice of either)

But if I didn't have the  time to do the swap, I'd not be too overcome with other people's opinions - It's not their car 

If you're ready to go, it will take about 20 minutes to swap.

[LimaSierra]

@John, i know, but I noticed the windscreen hood, hence my question.

Also has any1 ever tried to see if there's a difference performance wise, as clearly the aerodynamics are completely different with the windscreen installed... (even though you might look like a granny  with it installed, it still looks like it might be a bit faster, topspeed wise.)

[wattie]

I would have thought the windscreen kinda acts as a big wing...forcing car down for better cornering but lowering top speed.

Cheers Wattie (Prof of Aerodynamics)

[LimaSierra]

Dear professor,

I have to agree that the windscreen may act as a big wing, but I'd imagine the sum of the drag coefficient of the windscreen plus the induced drag of the extra downforce of a wing will be lower then then the drag coefficient of 2 aero-screens with 1 or 2 big heads behind it (mine being a size XL, mostly filled with air, little gray matter). This given the other variables like speed, air-density and viscosity and the frontal area in the Cd formula will off course remain constant.
Or do you think the incease in rolling restistance coefficient outweighs the increase in Cdrag?

Kind regards,

Your humble pupil.

P.s.: sorry guys, lazy day, got up way to early 

[FlyingTrotter]

Russ tracks his 300 with a windscreen - you don't see many on track with screens but it's not unknown

[TrackDayBore]

[quote="LimaSierra"]
for the driving

Off-topic, I see you do trackdays without the windshield, is that because it's not allowed or something else? And how much time does it take you approx. to swap between windshield and aero-screens?

Pieter
[/quote]

Hi Pieter,

I bought the car just for track-use..and it already had a windscreen which quickly got cracked/split/broken within a few trackdays..so i fitted aero-screens.

Interestingly, when the windscreen was fitted, the "airflow" built-up ahead of the windscreen, so that a lot of air was diverted below the windscreen and into the 'groin areas' of the driver and passenger...so paradoxically, the windscreen deflected the air into the car...!

The thought had crossed my mind that the windscreen perhaps acted as a large 'aero foil' to create downforce, but in light of the above observation (a lot of wind in the nuts) I suspect the windscreen generates a disproportionate drag/downforce ratio...otherwise I would have fitted an 'unbreakable' polycarbonate windscreen, to gain an advantage over my mate in his "Aero Atom". 

Usefully, (as you may have noticed in my video) the 'old bonnet' has a remnant "W" shape that now acts as a 'gun-sight'. 

Cheers,
Barry.

[Andy G]

I just live that maniac SC whine!

Nice left footbraking....it's been a while since I last did that.