KENWILFY@AOL.COM said this:
> And what was all this "nay" saying based on?  Conjecture, and tests done by
> NASA and Formula one racers.  In case you haven't noticed a Vanagon doesn't
> travel at anywhere near the speed of a Formula one car much less a super
> sonic aircraft.
What an unbelievable stretch to consider a tub of lard 'brick' couldn't take
advantage of SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (ie; nothing to do with "conjecture", by
the way) to become more efficient at moving through the air.
With some carefully applied aerodynamic manipulation the VW bus could become
more fuel efficient, safer to drive in cross winds, and -dare I say- better
looking.

> So can you honestly say that a "scoop" on the side of a Vanagon is going to
> mess up its laminar air flow.  I say "What laminar air flow?  Its a brick for
> Pete's sake not an airfoil!"
Laminar air flow is a thin layer of air moving across a surface (either
while at rest or in motion). This layer is different than the air being
pushed away by the surface (as an object in motion does).
Any thing protruding from the surface disturbs this thin layer. So, Ken,
YES- a scoop will 'mess up it's laminar air flow'.

The scoops you had are great at moving more air into the engine compartment,
at a narrow range of velocity. A duct, on the other hand, is more efficient
at moving air into a cavity across the breadth of speeds one of our 'bricks'
travel in. [I'd say, let the sleeping dog lie.]

I hope this clears the subject up. [Is it really 'technical mumbo jumbo'??]