TVR "rabbit hole" headlights

[monty_python]

Wouldn't they be better if they were covered? Surely the way they are now can't be very aerodynamic? Just a clear lens flush with the front of the car, they'd look the same.


Do i have a point or am I coming down with a severe case of Numptyitus ?

[Pinkney]

monty_python said:

Do i have a point or am I coming down with a severe case of Numptyitus ?

Not unless it's catching

I do believe Zertec offer an option of a clear lens cover of their conversions - but have yet to see any pics of them on actual cars.

The new chimaera (although not the 'rabbit' style lights) do have what appears to be a more aerodynamic lens cover and if I remember correctly the purple Tuscan R prototype also had a lens cover.

However as you correctly point out - not used on the present Tuscans and yes IMO it would effect the aerodynamics.

[GTA]

It would affect the streamlining quite a bit I'm sure. Try holding a coffee mug out of a passenger car window at 100mph to feel the force against it. Multiply that force by the four lights and it would be a fairly big restrictive force.

[All Terrain]

Hold a piece of metal with the same cross-sectional area as a cofee mug out the window, and you get a similar drag.

[chrisjl]

I'm sure it's not ideal, but I am wondering whether the effect less severe than you might expect. I suspect what probably happens is that the 'rabbit hole' ends up with a fairly static 'bubble' of pressurised air in it, with the actual air flow over the nose of the car continuing pretty much as if there was something solid there. Sure, there'll be some localised turbulance, but maybe not enough to worry about? Anybody wanna compare the mug out the window with a filled in mug? Coz just turning the mug around would mean you'd changed the profile at both ends - not scientific! (Yeh, like holding a mug out the window is even remotely scientific!)

[GTA]

Well it's a pretty quick way to estimate which way round is hardest to hold. Who needs mira wind tunnels, lol.

[chrisjl]

chrisjl said:

Yeh, like holding a mug out the window is even remotely scientific!

GTA - that wasn't meant as a criticism, hope it wasn't taken that way. All I really meant is that if the difference isn't very big (say 10%), your arm isn't sufficiently calibrated to detect it. But if the difference is night and day an industry standard spare limb would suffice!

[monty_python]

Doens't matter anyway, they look great on tuscan and cerbera. I think they look ugly on chimaera's and griff's though. And that black tuscan R at pistonfest looked the absolute pup's nuts.

Must get one.

Tony (wiping drool off his chin)

[TSS]

I’ve often thought the headlights on my Tuscan must slow it down. The new Bristol Fighter has a light similar design with 2 on each side and apparently they reduce the top speed by 1.5mph. So not a very big reduction but it can’t help fuel economy either. I read that the reason Bristol don’t put an aerodynamic piece of perspex or something over the front of them is because it has a negative effect on the lighting performance. Maybe TVR keep their uncovered for the same reason, although other manufacturers with similar lights don’t seem to worry.

[littlegearl]

rather than fitting covers, at massive expense TVR could just re-engineer the lights to be flush with the bodywork and the job will be a good 'un

[margerison]

Does anyone know (roughly) what the headlight conversion cost is for the Chim?
Do they need to replace the whole of both front wings to do it?

Thanks and regards,
Chris.

[IPAddis]

If you look at the Le Mans bit of last months Sprint, the real T400s (on dry land) have perspex covers but the mock up (on the ship) doesn't. Or visa versa, can't really remember. They don't seem to be able to make their mind up.

There's also a couple of other differences. Good for a game of spot the difference.

Ian A.

[mav]

With the exception of chris jl... non of you know your ar$e from your elbow when it comes to aerodynamics.

[roadsweeper]

GTA said:

It would affect the streamlining quite a bit I'm sure. Try holding a coffee mug out of a passenger car window at 100mph to feel the force against it. Multiply that force by the four lights and it would be a fairly big restrictive force.

All Terrain said:

Hold a piece of metal with the same cross-sectional area as a cofee mug out the window, and you get a similar drag.

Actually that's not true. A coffee mug would be fairly streamlined since looking from above it has a circular profile. Therefore the air would tend to flow around it fairly smoothly (although the bottom and top would likely show some turbulence in the air stream. Holding, say, a rectangular plate with the same width as the diameter of the cup and the same height as the cup would cause a completely different (less smooth, i.e. turbulent) fluid flow and substantially more drag.

I believe chris may have a point regarding the probable existence of a 'pocket' of air in the lights, making the resultant drag less than one might otherwise expect. After all, 1.5mph on the top end for the Bristol is not a lot and I suspect below 100mph the effects of the Tuscan headlights are very small indeed.

mav: That was a bit harsh - no-one's claiming to be an expert!

[lateconvert]

The conversion for earlier Chims costs about £1500. Although I like the streamlined look I thought this was too much.

[simon t]

Like this?
Simon

[margerison]

Nah, I was thinking more like this:


With apologies to the chap selling this in the PH classifieds for nicking his picture

BTW is that a standard Griff Simon? - it looks *awesome*. I think that must be my fav colour

Regards,
Chris.

[simon t]

Thanks Chris!

Only mods are the lights - you can see and a set of Nitrons - you cant see but should be able to as they are bloody luverly as well as totally transforming the handling of the car!!!

Simon

[margerison]

Aaah, I was wondering what looked different, couldn't quite put my finger on it - can you tell I'm a newbie here?

So you've got rid of the industrial sized fog-lights, are they in the with the main lights now? And are the indicators still the small ones next to the number plate, but with white lenses?
Is this a fairly easy/inexpensive mod to do?
Did you get it done at a dealer or was it diy?

Thanks and regards,
Chris.

[jigs]

It might be more aerodynamic to have the holes covered but hey how would the wabbits get out to play?