40 minutes ago, dave2013 said:

The idea of creating a vacuum to push the car down for more traction is pretty ingenious.

 

Yep, not a new idea, actually. It dates back to this guy in the image below, 1970, and yes indeed, that was a combustion engine with an extra engine to power the fans.

And of course, there was the 1978 Brabham F1 car. It won its one and only race but was then banned under the "movable aerodynamic device" rule.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by martin-w

This was the Brabham.

 

 

 

There's also the Automotive T.50 hypercar that uses the same idea, a fan to increase down force. Also designed by Gordan Murray. It will only cost you $2.3 million. 😉 That too is an ICE engine, a normally aspirated 3.9 litre Cosworth. The fan is a 400mm 48 volt job. As a road car, I'm not sure how much dust and debris is kicked out of the back, but it's road legal, so they must have managed to mitigate that issue.

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by martin-w

4 minutes ago, martin-w said:

Early Batmobile.

Hook

Okay, this explains how the dust issue is mitigated for the T.50s, pretty obvious really, I guess, but it obviously reduces efficiency. 

 

 

Quote

 

The T.50s prevents debris from flying out the back of the car by using a sophisticated filtering system within the air ducts that feed its rear fan. Unlike the original fan car from the 1970s, which had a reputation for kicking up stones, the T.50's modern design captures solid debris before it can be accelerated and expelled by the fan. 

 

How the fan and filters work

• Vertical intake ducts: Air is drawn into the fan system through vertical ducts positioned on the underside of the car. This orientation prevents the fan from directly scooping up rocks and other solid objects that are on the road surface.
• Integrated filters: The vertical ducts are equipped with filters that screen out dust and any small solid debris before the air reaches the fan blades. This prevents damage to the fan itself and, crucially, keeps the car from launching projectiles at vehicles following behind.

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by martin-w

 

 

Funny that it looks like he ghetto modded it with two commercial-sized chest freezers.

ha, ha, ha short people plugging small cars the real humans can't fit into, IE someone like me at 6' 2" doesn't stand a hope in hell in getting into these vehicles, just little people and if one did manage to squeeze in getting out would be impossible.  Just saying.

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by 1st fltsimguy

12 minutes ago, 1st fltsimguy said:

ha, ha, ha short people plugging small cars the real humans can't fit into, IE someone like me at 6' 2" doesn't stand a hope in hell in getting into these vehicles, just little people and if one did manage to squeeze in getting out would be impossible.  Just saying.

 

So if I bought you a T.50s you couldn't get in it so would say no thanks? 🤔

1 hour ago, 1st fltsimguy said:

ha, ha, ha short people plugging small cars the real humans can't fit into, IE someone like me at 6' 2" doesn't stand a hope in hell in getting into these vehicles, just little people and if one did manage to squeeze in getting out would be impossible. 

 

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

So if I bought you a T.50s you couldn't get in it so would say no thanks? 🤔

The only reason to accept it would be to sell it to someone else.  Many years ago, one of my cousins had a Pantera:

I’m 6’4”.  I didn’t even try to sit behind the wheel.  I got into the passenger seat but it was extremely difficult getting in and out. I had no interest in going for a ride as it just didn’t feel right, borderline claustrophobic. So to you offering a T50 I would say “Not only no, but h-e-l-l no!” ✋