Cool acceleration / gear charts / shift points program!

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 21 Jan 2004, 11:37 am

#131681

Hi everyone,

Unfortunately this program requries Microsoft excel 2000 or better to run, as it is a fancy excel spreadsheet.

I made it because I wanted to see the effects on acceleration of differnt engines, also the effect of different gearing and tyre sizes. So I made this spreadsheet from hell. You can caculate just about anything from tyre sizes - gear ratio charts - best shift points - 1/4 mile times - top speed - plus heaps more.

Check it out, it's hours of fun if your into this sort of thing. It can be downloaded from here.

http://offroadvw.net/exceldyno/

Then if you like it join the new yahoo group I made. The yahoo group will mainly allow me to email the people in the group and tell them when I have released a new version. If enough people join we could share engine / car / gearbox databases.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/exceldyno/

So has anyone tried it, did they like it?

Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

modulus Veteran Volks Folk

2,009 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 21 Jan 2004, 3:39 pm

#131787

Hi Wes,
I've played with it for over a year, and it rocks.

I've just downloaded the 1.0 version and created the Twin-Cab model for it; seems quite reasonable, even for low-performance applications; 1/4 mile in about 23 secs, 0-100 kph in about 25, top at around 130 kph using a CD of 0.45 (guessed...).

Is there a way to edit e.g. the HP at 5000 rpm that I've set up for the engine without creating a new engine model?

Lots of fun and I'm sure very handy for those with less aneamic cars to model!

Peter Hill
1975 Type 2 Double Cab
modulus.com.au

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 21 Jan 2004, 4:52 pm

#131809

the best way is to go to the engine worksheet, and play with the power figures there. once the curve looks right then I suggest adding it to the database for good.

but at the moment you can only delete and add from the database, and not modify. I will look into making that feature.

I've also had suggestions that I be able to save what is on the engine tab, instead of having to retype it on the add engine form. I am currently looking into this feature.

Thanks for the response :thumb

Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

gldgti Learner Dubber

14 posts · joined Nov 2004 · 1 Dec 2004, 7:53 am

#273076

you guys might like http://www.cartestsoftware.com/cartest4.5/ .

i got this years and years ago, and i highly recommend it. you put in car specific data, then run tests such as gear charts, fuel economy (surprisingly accurate) drag racing, optimum shift points, hp/torque curves, and lots of other things.

i can only vouch for the dos program, havnt tried their "windows version".

note - by dos program i mean that it will still run in windows, just in a dos box. also works on XP.

the only thing better than a new VW is an old VW! ;-) :-D

Volkswagenboy Staggers Automotive.

2,437 posts · joined Jul 2005 · 9 Mar 2006, 10:50 pm

#462716

So can I add my own vehicles stats?
-Staggers.

STAGGERS AUTOMOTIVE - Heavy Vehicle Diesel Specialist

JB CUSTOMS & CLASSICS - Car Builders

2/53 Tradelink Drive, Browns Plains

Nigel Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 24 Mar 2006, 12:46 am

#467295

As far as I am aware, the drag coefficient, for a 1968~79 VW Kombi, is about 0·75 to 0·80.

The CD for the split screen Kombi was quoted as 0·75, in one automotive technology book, that I read a few years ago.

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 May 2006, 7:47 pm

#485343

Nigel wrote:As far as I am aware, the drag coefficient, for a 1968~79 VW Kombi, is about 0·75 to 0·80.

The CD for the split screen Kombi was quoted as 0·75, in one automotive technology book, that I read a few years ago.

Those figures sound very high. Are you sure they were giving Cd and not CdxA or something else?

It is always hard to find these figures...

Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

Nigel Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 7 May 2006, 11:26 pm

#485467

Yes Wes.

I am reasonably certain that 0·75~0·80 is a representative drag coefficient for the VW Kombi, bearing in mind that 1·0 is the value for a "bluff body", which one might interpret as a square-edged brick, with no edge curvature. Don't forget, that even aerodynamically efficient, modern saloon cars, have drag coefficients of about 0·29~0·33

If you multiplied the drag coefficient, by the frontal area in metres squared, you would obtain an answer of more than three to four times as large, for the VW Kombi.

Regards.

Nigel A. Skeet, M.Sc. (Applied Energy Engineering), B.Sc. (Applied Physics), B.A. (Applied Mathematics & Statistics), Pg.Dip. (Scientific Applications Software), P.G.C.E. (Physical Sciences & Mathematics Education)

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 May 2006, 10:08 pm

#485873

But a bluff body isn't long. By making something longer you can actually reduce the drag.

I know that in an old Road & Track review of the 1980 VW Vanagon Transporter they quoted "Starting at the front, the shape is more aerodynamically efficient despite its angular appearance, and VW claims a drag coefficient of 0.44 "

I have also heard many times that the kombi has a lower Cd than a beetle. This site agrees with that and states 0.42 for the VW Microbus.
http://www.velocissima.com/tech/drag.htm

The problem with most stuff posted on the net is that it's from text books from the 50's, so the generic "car", "truck" etc values are really bad :o

And to return the courtesy, or if your interested ??? my qualifications are...
BE(Mech)Hons MIEAust CPEng :thumb

Pretty boring to most people :P

Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

Judsons4eva Officially Full-On Dubber

270 posts · joined Oct 2004 · 15 Apr 2007, 12:51 am

#585204

Jeez Nigel - i think you've been trumped! But don't worry I've seen many Phd's that have been wrong

550 Porsche Spyder
56 Oval mit Judson
96 Porsche 993 C2

Golde60 Fahrvergnugen

858 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 13 Apr 2008, 1:28 am

#640878

hey wes

just wanted to say thanks for such and awesome program, I have been spending way too much time on it and am learning a fair bit about gear boxes, ratios and combinations at the same time.

Great program, I hope you dont mind, I have sent it to a few guys who are interested for them to have a play too.

...................( O \ l / O ).....................

adlbeetle66 Under the car.........again!

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 15 Apr 2015, 9:28 am

#1011520

BLAST FROM THE PAST!

This is mad Wes!

One thing i'll say, i used to consider myself as knowing how to use a computer fairly well, until i saw this!

How'd ya do it?

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 15 Apr 2015, 10:15 am

#1011523

And look at that pic.. another blast from the past...

Reub