Why was the Dodge Daytona wing so high?

The Reason for the High Wing on the Dodge Daytona
The high wing on the Dodge Daytona was not placed so high simply to allow the trunk to open fully, as is often mistakenly believed. The real reason for the high wing was to get it into clean air and improve aerodynamics. The wing was designed to provide downforce and stability at high speeds, allowing the car to perform better on the racetrack. The wing’s height was necessary to catch the most air and generate the maximum amount of downforce. It was not attached to the trunk but to the rear quarters of the car, which allowed the trunk to open fully. The Dodge Charger Daytona and its wing were subsequently banned from NASCAR due to their aerodynamic advantages.
Historical Context and Significance
The Dodge Charger Daytona was a modified version of the Dodge Charger, designed specifically for NASCAR racing. It was the first NASCAR vehicle to reach 200 miles per hour, which was a significant milestone at the time. The high wing and other aerodynamic modifications on the Daytona were part of Chrysler’s efforts to gain a competitive edge in NASCAR racing. While the Daytona and its sister car, the Plymouth Superbird, were not commercially successful at the time, they have become highly coveted and valuable models among collectors today.
Conclusion
The high wing on the Dodge Daytona was not placed so high to allow the trunk to open fully, but rather to improve aerodynamics and provide downforce at high speeds. The wing’s height was necessary to catch the most air and generate maximum downforce, contributing to the car’s performance on the racetrack. The Daytona and its wing were banned from NASCAR due to their aerodynamic advantages.

How tall are the wings on a Dodge Charger Daytona?

23-inch-tall
One of the two famous aero-cars, the Dodge Daytona had featured special body modifications that included a 23-inch-tall (584 mm) stabilizer wing on the rear deck, a special sheet-metal “nose cone” that replaced the traditional upright front grille, a flush rear backlight (rear window area), a ‘window cap’ to cover the …

Why does the Superbird have a big spoiler?

The wing on the back of a Plymouth Superbird was not a gimmick. It was designed in a wind tunnel specifically for NASCAR where it won a lot of races until NASCAR limited aero-cars to only 305 cubic inches which ended the winged cars. The rear wing produced about 700 lb. of downforce, the pointed nose about 600 lb.

Why was the Daytona wing so tall?

So, the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird wings were not placed absurdly high simply so the trunk would open fully. It was put there to get it into clean air. The fact that the trunk also happened to open at the height is happenstance.

What year did NASCAR ban the Superbird?

1971
Sure, people knew about aerodynamics, but the extreme looks of the big nose cone and that massive wing in the rear was unbelievable. After smoking the competition and setting speed records in NASCAR races, most notably at Talladega, both muscle cars were banned from competition for the 1971 season.

What is faster Daytona or Scatpack?

The Engine Differences
The Scat Pack is no match versus the 707 horsepower with the SRT Hellcat, which goes through a quarter-mile in just 10.96 seconds. The Daytona provides an even better horsepower at 717 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.

Why was Daytona banned?

Apparently, it was too fast for NASCAR’s liking, and the evidence was there. As it turned out, Buddy Baker broke the speed record at the Talladega Superspeedway. Baker was the first driver to ever breach the 200mph barrier, and the Dodge Charger Daytona dominated several races.

Why was the Superbird banned?

This became the first car in NASCAR history to reach 200 mph, and it spawned the Plymouth Superbird, the rival from the Chrysler Corporation. However, despite both cars clearly being successful, the reality is that they ended up being too fast for NASCAR to handle. So fast, in fact, they were quickly banned.

Why doesn t NASCAR use wings?

Wings don’t work as well in turbulent air, and so the trailing car loses downforce and stability. This makes passing more difficult, the cars spread out more over time, and it’s just not as fun. Watch NASCAR, Spec Miata, or really any non-aero series and you’ll see more drafting, with closer and better racing.

Why was the Dodge Charger Daytona banned from NASCAR?

These innovations pushed the Charger Daytona past the 200 mph mark, a feat that was both celebrated and scrutinized. By 1970, NASCAR implemented restrictions on aero cars, effectively banning the Charger Daytona and its counterparts.

Why is the Dodge Daytona so rare?

The production run was designed to satisfy NASCAR’s homologation requirement that at least 500 units be available to the public, and of the 503 produced only 70 cars received the 426ci Hemi V-8. Among them, even fewer—just 22—came with the four-speed A833 manual transmission. They are rare and fast cars indeed.