knight rider online

People keep going on about how kitt didn't have ground effects. What are they?

Trim panels that extend the bottom line of the car. They typically run the bottom perimeter of the vehicle and appear to give it a lower clearance.

Hope this example helps:


For the model Kitt was the GFX were pretty simple. Pontiac got more elaborate for the late model 3rd gens. If you check the link in my sig, I've got a pic of mine which has the "aero" ground fx package.

Ive got my own name for the ground affects molding. Extra plastic junk. To me the ground affects molding is meant for the Camaro Z28.

I don't like ground effects on Trans Ams, Firebirds, or Camaros. My Mom's '92 Camaro had ground effects, and the front end kept scraping the ground when entering or exiting parking lots, no matter how careful she was.

Okay, now that I know that, I have a question: What is the ground effects for? It doesn't make any sense as to why they would be there.

So Pontiac and Chevy can get a few hundred more bucks outa you.

Other than that its just for looks. Why do kids these days spends twice as much as their Accura and Honda are worth on body kits. They just for pretty, not a practical application.

Do ground effects include the air scoop at the front of the car? because they do serve a pratical use, but only at high speed. If your just gonna drive it around town then your actualy producing more drag and using more gas.....

Hey there you go...they do serve a purpose....produce more drag and use more gas......hmmmmmmm sound almost like a conspiracy by the oil companies....

Nah, ground effects don't include the air scoop (if we are talking about the same thing), cause it isn't near the ground. The hood with the scoop was standard on the Trans-AMs before they started adding ground effects to them.

Cheers for the explanation

Nah, ground effects don't include the air scoop (if we are talking about the same thing), cause it isn't near the ground. The hood with the scoop was standard on the Trans-AMs before they started adding ground effects to them.

Nah Neps I'm thinking of the front air scoop which hangs down under the car to scoop the air and pull the nose of the car down for traction

but now that you mention it...whats that raised up bit on the hood for??

Is it like a turbo intake or something?

see the (Cowl: what does it do) thread for the answer......

As the front air dam pushes air out of the way, it creates a partial vacuum beneath the car, which helps create downforce at high speeds and aids traction. In theory, the side ground effects help keep a sort of "seal" that helps maintain that vacuum, for maximum effect. At 100, 200 or 300mph, it could be very, very beneficial.

DK

[quote="Rockatteer]
Nah Neps I'm thinking of the front air scoop which hangs down under the car to scoop the air and pull the nose of the car down for traction[/quote]

I believe you are referring to the scoop that directs air up into the radiator, dude. Funilly enough, you often don't see it on a lot of pics. Here you can see most of it in front of the front wheel...

But here it isn't...

, just to show one pic. Maybe it messed with the towing/nose protection bar?

Darknight wrote:As the front air dam pushes air out of the way, it creates a partial vacuum beneath the car, which helps create downforce at high speeds and aids traction. In theory, the side ground effects help keep a sort of "seal" that helps maintain that vacuum, for maximum effect. At 100, 200 or 300mph, it could be very, very beneficial.

DK

The problem was that as the seal was rigid, the ground effect was hopeless on less than perfect unbumpy roads. An F1 team (williams) found a way around this by using ground effected which were suspended on springs allowing for a superior seal quality. The suspension also allowed the ground-effect to be much closer to the ground as variations in the road were compensated by the spring mounted ground effects.

Sarfraz

Cool chunk of info. Of course, with open wheel racing teams, you have many fewer surface irregularies than with the road, but that's still pretty cool. For the road, ground effects with continuous ride height adjustment could be very effective.

DK

I believe you are referring to the scoop that directs air up into the radiator, dude.

Nope! I'm talking about REAL air scopes...of which the car in your picture DOESN't have.

:p

Well what car you talkin' bout, skuzbucket?

Sorry Aussie.. I'll type slower for you. :p

Actually I've just been corrected... what I'm referring to is actually an air dam...not a scoop.

[image]http://escors.racesimcentral.com/inform ... ir_dam.jpg[/image]

apparently an air-scoop is one of these.....

[image]http://www.eskimo.com/~cjessup/jpgs/scscoop.jpg[/image]

ahhhh crap.... I mucked up the image.....

lets try that again....

Actually I've just been corrected... what I'm referring to is actually an air dam...not a scoop.



apparently an air-scoop is one of these.....