Headrest fairing

[Petrus]

also dubbed tonneau cover.

Very rarely seen on cabrio yet very early on in the MR2 Spyder story it pops up on the Zagato in 2000:



Although entirely for appearance in this coachbuilder model, it has very much more of an aero history in racing.
One of the most notable was Sir Malcolm Campbell´s Sunbeam 350hp 1924 record-breaker Blue Bird:



In record breaking for the smaller capacities (250, 350, 500cc etc.) cars it became an essential till the interest for smaller capacity speed record cars disappeared in the sixties.



In ciruit racing though it pertained per example at Lotus.
Grahame Walter had done wind tunnel tests on scale models that showed the efficiency gained from use of a headfairing.  In 1955 Chapman invited Walter to the meeting where Frank Costin first drew the Eleven's shape. The incorporation of a headfairing in the design was one of Walter's suggestions.



Well and Porsche ofcourse with the 550 Le Mans racers:




Because the MR2 Spyder reminds me a lot of the 550, I also immediately thought of the headrest fairing when I bought ´Belle´.
It was high on my wish list but disappeared when I learned that the after market was not exactly crammed with well designed offerings.
I did find a UK manufacturer offering it as part of an extensive body kit but they did not respond to emails so no go appearently.

Untill... forum member Wotugonado pointed me to an ebay listing by the above.
This time they díd respond.

To be continued... I hope 
 

[Ardent]

Jag D type

[Petrus]

Jag D type

Quite.
And lóts more racers, both from the UK and other countries.

Especially the smaller capacity production car based race entries, notably those by Healy and MG at LeMans make you wonder why it found no use on the street!
I mean, just about ánything race looking is replicated on their road cars by enthusiast and thís is actually functional apart from looking the part.

[StuC]

LINKY

[Petrus]

Some more detailed fotos of the speedster panel. The mounting seems simple; at the front it hooks up/slide backwards under the top cover of the cubbies. Then it is bolted down using the hard top bracket bolt.









and mounted with the whole kit:





I like the sleek shape; not the humpy look of most.

Maybe I will change idea with the bits in hand but looking at the pictures I think colour coded, with the vertical front bit satin black matching the interior would look best.

[Petrus]

Case in point.
The Netherlands being largely flat ánd cycling hevaen, the ´ligfiets´ is rather big there. Several rather high tech high speed bikes have been developed, wind tunnel and all.
One of the bets selling high end ones is the Quest. Guess what? Headrest fairing! Well if thát does not proove the aerodynamic point, what would?!



They even produce a tandem:

[m1tch]

Don't think I need one on mine, no soft top fitted.

[shnazzle]

I like that fairing on the white one above. I'd have that

[StuC]

@Petrus it is worth noting that most 'things' that have needed a headrest faring have also not had much of a windscreen either. Something that the MR2 does have (unless you have removed that as part of your weight reduction).

I would argue that with the above considered, that the effects of a headrest faring are at best minimal on a 2.

They do look cool though. LOL

[Carolyn]

They're bloody everywhere!

[Petrus]

They're bloody everywhere!

:-)

I have such a hump in > 20 years old racing leathers.

And that is behind a windscreen StuC!
No, they do not change the car but they do reduce turbulence. Just look at the effect of the flip up perspex behind the seats.

That noted, I am buying them álmost solely for the looks.

[Petrus]

The MX accessory:






Honda S2000:





Hmmmmm.....





and here is how two make a five seater into a two seater; an off factory option for the ´62 Ford Thunderbird:





Rather surpring for me Ford had them as a factory installed option on several model years.