The Subaru SVX World Network   SVX Network Forums
Live Chat!
SVX or Subaru Links
Old Lockers
Photo Post
How-To Documents
Message Archive
SVX Shop Search
IRC users:

Go Back   The Subaru SVX World Network > SVX Main Forums > General SVX Babble

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-04-2014, 09:29 PM
svxcess's Avatar
svxcess svxcess is offline
Super Moderator
Alcyone Gold Contributor
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Westminster, MD
Posts: 6,747
Significant Technical Input Registered SVX Classic SVX
Did you ever wonder why...?

They flattened the shape of the rear wheel arch for production cars?

The original prototype had round arches, which looked better with the wheels.





A last minute design change by Giugiaro? Subaru?

.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Tokyo Auto Show 1989 Prototype.jpg (380.3 KB, 3483 views)
__________________
.
Subaru Ambassador

1996 Polo Green LSi #216..138,100 miles...SOLD

JFICX8659TH100216.....Date of Manufacture: November 16, 1995.....
Fuji Heavy Industries..Ōta North Plant....Ōta City,. Gunma Prefecture, Japan

In-Service Date: January 2, 1997



"The Pristine Green Polo Machine”
First Polo Green on the Network
First Clear front turn signals, JDM Alcyone hood emblem, rear panel, and BOXER engine cover on the Network (US) (2000)
First 5000K HID factory fog lights (2007)
First SVX JDM BBS wheels on a USDM SVX (2013)

HID lighting (5000K) for headlight and H3 fog lights, PIAA SuperExtreme 120W high beams, rebuilt EG33 longblock, Cometic head gaskets, Phase II flexplate, AMR aluminum radiator with custom silicone hoses, 160A high-output alternator in aluminum-ceramic coated case, new design alternator wiring upgrade v.4, rare factory headlight protectors, refinished JDM BBS mesh aluminum wheels and custom, polished billet aluminum new hex center caps, LED grille mod, R1 Concepts high-carbon cryo slotted rotors, Akebono ceramic pads, Goodridge S/S braided brake lines, Smallcar Stage 1 shift kit, ThermalTech aluminum/ceramic-coated valve covers, Energy Suspension urethane front & rear swaybar bushings, Bontrager22 rear swaybar with QS Components Chromoly Teflon/Kevlar endlinks, "$15.00/5 minute" suspension mod. Hella Supertone horns, Custom stainless steel exhaust system with 2" headpipes, Magnaflow cats, AeroTurbine AR25 resonator /AWD "Bullet" muffler.


R.I.P. 2010 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5 CVT...338,000 miles. Totaled by a 1,300 lb. COW March 4, 2016

2014 Hyundai Avante Limited ...178,000 miles. Actually quieter and smoother than the Outback

2007 Mazda Miata MX-5 PRHT...102,000 miles.
Plenty of parts, service and windshields.


4th Registered Network member —2/21/2001

My NEW locker..I...My Email..I..Wikipedia/SVX .

.

Last edited by svxcess; 05-04-2014 at 09:37 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-04-2014, 11:53 PM
Alex-svx's Avatar
Alex-svx Alex-svx is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Norway
Posts: 630
Registered SVX
Re: Did you ever wonder why...?

I really like the proto type.
__________________
Alexander (Norway)

My subarus:
1992 Svx LSI 5-MT(3.54)
1998 Legacy BG 2.5L GX
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-05-2014, 12:13 AM
B 4 You's Avatar
B 4 You B 4 You is offline
#lolsvx
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Indiana, PA
Posts: 749
Registered SVX
Re: Did you ever wonder why...?

I was JUST thinking about this. It would make our cars look a lot less like they had a saggy rear end, too.
__________________
1992 Pearl White LS
Owned since 2009
175k Miles
STi Airlift Performance air suspension
2005 WRX manual swap
Rear wheel drive
K-Staff front bumper
Delta Speed side skirts
JDM clear corners
Smallcar grille
Subaru XT steering wheel
Subaru XT shift knob

First bagged SVX in the world
Worlds first SVX on air suspension.
Custom made (by myself) spare tire subwoofer.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-05-2014, 03:02 AM
'E''s Avatar
'E' 'E' is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 430
Re: Did you ever wonder why...?

after looking at the prototype and the real car i think the reason is that the production car is shorter then the prototype hence the flattening of the arch, if it was round it would have eaten into the body line of the flare. if you look at the front you'll notice there is a lot more guard then the production model
__________________
92 pearl SVX about to revive
92 Black 4ws (Jap spec) SVX
93 black SVX
93 Liquid Silver SVX - sti 6 speed with R180 diff, my05 sti steering wheel, sti alloy lateral links, 19x8.5 275/30 42mm offset front and 19x8.5 275/30 22mm offset on the rear, 6 pot brembo caliper with 355 rotors front, 2 pot brembos rear
95 bright red SVX
96 emerald pearl SVX about to revive
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-05-2014, 03:28 PM
dbarnblatt's Avatar
dbarnblatt dbarnblatt is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Venice, CA
Posts: 401
Registered SVX
Re: Did you ever wonder why...?

Quote:
Originally Posted by svxcess View Post
They flattened the shape of the rear wheel arch for production cars?

The original prototype had round arches, which looked better with the wheels.

A last minute design change by Giugiaro? Subaru?
Seems to be a change by Subaru for the show/concept car. Earlier style models by Guigiaro shows a car that is very close to what the production car ended up looking like. Plus I think Guigiaro preferred the simpler look with no wing and more integrated flares.





Attached Images
File Type: jpg svxstyle1.jpg (92.0 KB, 1075 views)
File Type: png svxstyle3.png (529.9 KB, 1071 views)
File Type: png svxstyle2.png (554.6 KB, 1174 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-05-2014, 04:40 PM
bwb3's Avatar
bwb3 bwb3 is offline
Cruisin' in Gator Country
Alcyone Gold Contributor
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Posts: 1,894
Registered SVX Classic SVX
Re: Did you ever wonder why...?

An opportunity missed IMHO. The equal cutouts look so much more balanced.
Gene
__________________
Gene and Ben
1992 SVX LS AWD 110K - Liquid Silver
1994 SVX LSi AWD 128K - White Pearl (daily driver)
1994 SVX LSi AWD 95K - Emerald Pearl (sold)
1992 SVX LS-L AWD 115K - Dark Teal 4.44 swap (sold)
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-06-2014, 06:17 AM
Crazy_pilot's Avatar
Crazy_pilot Crazy_pilot is offline
Moar shifty!
Subaru Gold Contributor
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada. Eh?
Posts: 4,560
Send a message via MSN to Crazy_pilot
Registered SVX
Re: Did you ever wonder why...?

The squared off arch is a very dated design cue and something I'm not a big fan of. I suspect though that it may contribute to the car's aerodynamics. From what I've been able to puzzle my way through the upper rear area of a wheel tub is a high pressure zone, and having a larger opening in that corner while squaring off the top to minimize the overall open area might give the best ventilating effect and reduce drag.

*disclaimer: I'm no aerodynamicist, this is just my suspicion from eyeball and some research.

Still, I think it looks like junk, particularly on a lowered car.

Here's one of the sketches I've done up for the restoration of my car. I intend to raise the top of the arch slightly and fill in the flattened area to create a round profile that resembles the front wheel. This will also entail modifying the bumper and skirts to help fill in the open space:



Once I complete my 3D model of the SVX I'm hoping to use it to perform some CFD analysis and comparisons to the body modifications I want to do. I'm not worried if I don't match the .29 cd of the real car, just looking for comparative analysis. It would be interesting to see if that sheds any light on the design of the SVX.
__________________
Chris

92 Ebony Mica LS-L "A Rolling Restoration": 223,250 KM - Sleeping
2007 STi 6MT, Stance GR+ coilovers, PWR Rad, JDM hood badge, svxfiles 6000K HIDs, JDM Clear Corners, $15/15 min mod, $20/20 min mod, Energy Swaybar Bushings, Hella Supertones horns, Gold STi BBS rims, Group A lightweight crank pulley, A/C system removed, Custom header-back exhaust, Hybrid carbon/metal rear sway bar, restored headlights with CCFL halos
2008 Subaru Legacy Spec B - Diamond Grey Metallic - Sold
2020 Ram 1500 Longhorn - Red Pearl


Last edited by Crazy_pilot; 05-06-2014 at 06:22 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-06-2014, 08:18 AM
huck369's Avatar
huck369 huck369 is offline
Inventor of the 5-speed swap
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Somerset, KY
Posts: 5,604
Significant Technical Input Registered SVX
Re: Did you ever wonder why...?

I actually Like the flatter Arch on the SVX, it goes better with the body lines, but to each their own.
__________________
Huck
Subaru Ambassador
92 SVX LS-Tour Magnaflow Exhaust, 5-Spd-AWD
88 XT6 AWD 5-Speed "Bride of FrankenWedge"
15 Impreza Premium Sedan
15 Crosstrek XV 5-Speed
My 5-Speed "How-To" Write-up
1976 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Current Count of Subaru's Owned.... "70"
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2001-2015 SVX World Network
(208)-906-1122