Body drag

[Jay C]

I have a quick question about what affects/advantages running with no front lip, stock lip, or aftermarket lip with holes is. I would think that running no lip or one with holes would be better as it would decrease drag (minimally) while getting more air to the engine to cool it off. However, this could increase turbulence. So is there any real difference between these options as far as performance or is it just whatever suits the aesthetical preference of the owner?
In the same fashion I am curious about the vented headlight covers. I would think that they would create a little more drag on the car but would have the potential of increasing additional cold air into the engine bay especially the passenger one which would bring cool air in near the intake.

 

[Canuckrz]

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-a-Front-Lip-and-Why-Would-You-Want-One?&id=2626800

^ read that about the lips for an aerodynamic perspective. As for cooling I don't see how you think removing the lip will help, if anything a lip with a slant to it will direct more air through the front grill. Removing it is just going to cause more turbulence and turbulence is drag. The front of the car is a high pressure zone, the air under the car is not so therefore its not going to enter the underside of the car unless a solid object forces it upwards.

Some cars have almost sub lips that catches air passing the underside of the car and directing it upwards, most new cars lacking a lip underneath the bumper have it look underneath the front just before the rad support. Our bumper doesn't go down far enough for that to work practically as removing the lip and adding one of those will cause more drag than it will help cooling from the way I look at it.

You can however gain a lot from proper ducting for the radiator, ic, oil cooler, etc. Its cheap and requires minimal effort and is overlooked rather often. All it does is direct the airflow to what actually needs it, it makes more efficient use of what air enters the front of the car essentially.

As for the vented headlight covers I've heard arguments about how well they work either way I've yet to see someone come up with numbers. However due to its location if you make the vent an NACA styled duct drag caused by it will be just about negligible.

 

[Poodles]

At the speeds where drag would matter, you don't want air going under the car...

 

[supraguru05]

both of the above posts are correct. you definitely want to keep the lip but more importantly you need the undercover that goes underneath the engine. I noticed a major improvement ad mid ohio in turn 1 (high speed turn) when I added a undercover.