Re: Turret Top Idea -ER- Conning Tower Idea

Design & Construction of anything that's not a teardrop e.g. Grasshoppers or Sunspots

Re: Turret Top Idea -ER- Conning Tower Idea

Postby mezmo » Tue Apr 22, 2014 1:00 am

Right now there is a ~1959 Serro Scotty on ebay with a "roof-well"
instead of a "floor-well or drop-floor". The seller has no idea f it was
original or if it was an owner modification. [Listing runs to ~4/28/14]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1959-SE ... Vs_Campers

So this makes me wonder if doing something like a roof "turret"
would be an alternative way to add headroom for low profile TD/TTTs?
To help some with wind resistance I'd make it actually teardrop shaped
in plan. Have it full of windows and a ventilating fan, or two, and you'd
have plenty of interior light and fresh air. It could be an alternative to
a trolley-top, but admittedly, a bit more of a complicated build though.
But it would at least be unique.

Here's a fast Paint drawing as an example:

Teardrop Shaped Turret For Light and Headroom TnTTT NonTraditional Mezmo 042114
Click on drawing for larger view and "CTL+" to enlarge further,
119331

Just thought I'd put this 'out there' in case it could be of use to anyone.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo
Last edited by mezmo on Sun May 04, 2014 12:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
If you have a house - you have a hobby.
User avatar
mezmo
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1817
Images: 194
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:11 am
Location: Columbia, SC

Re: Turret Top Idea

Postby rowerwet » Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:27 am

really the square edges around the top of the teardrop ruin most of the aero advantages. to really make it aerodynamic it would have to be blister shaped, like half a sunflower seed hull, with the fat part forward.
User avatar
rowerwet
Gold Donating Member
 
Posts: 2075
Images: 521
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:52 am
Location: Merrimack River Valley

Re: Turret Top Idea

Postby mezmo » Thu Apr 24, 2014 12:02 am

This is meant to be a simpler approach, while still utilizing the teardrop
and/or Kammback shape for the turret. It's not an easy detail to see,
unless you " CTRL+ ", a few times, 'the clicked on drawing' to a larger
magnification, but the flat roof of the teardrop shaped turret has a
half round shape/molding all around its edge so that it is 'radiused'
[about 1 - 2 inches, but not explicitly so stated] to help a little with the 'aero' attempt.
That is not as ideal as compound curves, as the half seed example mentioned,
would need and be, but a more basic attempt to achieve extra interior height
using the simpler vertical sidewalls for the turret, while using the teardrop
shape on the horizontal plane to attempt to benefit from the shape's aero
qualities. Of course, all edges of the TD, itself, should be 'radiused',
even if it is only as little as an inch or so radius, as that has been shown
to be of some help [In the things I've read on 'aero - most ideally using both
convex and concave 'radiuses', as the various meeting of component planes would
require.]. Ideally, the TD is within the tow vehicle's cross-section, to blend/"draft"
in with the tow vehicle's airflow as much as can be done at its fixed position
behind it will allow.

This was just a musing on how to achieve more headroom, and to try to
lessen the detrimental effect of sticking an upper projection on the roof into the
airflow by using the actual teardrop shape itself in the design without using any
compound curves. The completeness of all the 'aero' details that one would
include or use here would of course depend on the available time and effort and
cost that can be applied to the build.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo
If you have a house - you have a hobby.
User avatar
mezmo
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1817
Images: 194
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:11 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Top

Re: Turret Top Idea

Postby rowerwet » Thu Apr 24, 2014 4:24 am

I don't think you will gain anything over a trolley top the way most are done here. but without wind tunnel testing it is all opinion. :)
User avatar
rowerwet
Gold Donating Member
 
Posts: 2075
Images: 521
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:52 am
Location: Merrimack River Valley
Top

Re: Turret Top Idea

Postby working on it » Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:52 am

I like this idea: if you could enlarge one of these,
cowl vs thunderbolt afx hood.jpg
cowl vs thunderbolt afx hood.jpg (35.68 KiB) Viewed 3022 times
and make it proportional to the trailer...of course, being a Chevy guy, I have to publicly disavow the bubble shaped one, but on a trailer top, maybe it'd be just right. When I was building my TTT, a hood was placed on top (for safekeeping), and some people that saw it thought it was part of the design.
some thought it should stay there.jpg
some thought it should stay there.jpg (29.33 KiB) Viewed 3022 times
2013 HHRv "squareback/squaredrop", rugged, 4x8 TTT, 2225 lbs
  • *3500 lb Dexter EZ-Lube braked axle, 3000 lb.springs, active-progressive bumpstop suspension
  • *27 x 8.5-14LT AT tires (x 3) *Weight Distribution system for single-beam tongue
  • *100% LED's & GFCI outlets, 3x fans, AM/FM/CD/Aux. *A/C & heat, Optima AGM, inverter & charger(s)
  • *extended-run, on-board, 2500w generator *Coleman dual-fuel stove & lantern, Ikea grill, vintage skillet
  • *zinc/stainless front & side racks *98"L x 6" diameter rod & reel carrier tube on roof
173193172890148599
User avatar
working on it
2000 Club
2000 Club
 
Posts: 2170
Images: 457
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:05 pm
Location: DFW Texas
Top

Re: Turret Top Idea

Postby angib » Sun Apr 27, 2014 9:53 am

If you increase the height of the roof, you are adding to the cross-sectional area and that puts up the drag. Making it part-width does less harm, as would making it a faired shape.

But these are just making the drag only a bit worse, instead of a lot worse - adding cross-section adds drag.
User avatar
angib
5000 Club
5000 Club
 
Posts: 5783
Images: 231
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:04 pm
Location: (Olde) England
Top

Re: Turret Top Idea -ER- Conning Tower Idea

Postby mezmo » Sat May 03, 2014 2:54 am

I saw a pic of a submarine on the move on TV today that
got me to thinking that comparing this to a submarine conning
tower may be a better analogy. It'd just be a shorter one
with windows!

[Click on pic for larger view]
119698
From this website:
http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/vi ... age_id=457

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo
If you have a house - you have a hobby.
User avatar
mezmo
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1817
Images: 194
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:11 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Top


Return to Non-traditional Designs

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests