Fairings regulate engine temperature and protect riders from burns. Adjustable covers were first used on airplanes, then on motorcycles. Cars use fairings to direct cool air into the carburetor for increased power. Some hoods have open or vacuum-controlled openings for cold air intake.
A fairing is a device used on a vehicle to allow air to escape from an engine. Propeller-driven aircraft use an adjustable cover to regulate engine temperature. Motorcycles use a fairing to cover the engine, not only protecting the rider from heat and burns, but also using the airflow to aid in engine cooling. Many high performance cars use an opening at the rear of the hood or bonnet to direct cool air into the carburetor, increasing engine performance and power.
In the early years of airplane flight, it was discovered that the same engine that needed to run cold on the ground needed to run at a higher temperature at altitude to prevent freezing. The solution to the problem was the adjustable top. When idling on the ground, the pilot could open the hood, allowing air to flow past the engine, thus cooling it. When the aircraft reached its cruising altitude, the hood was able to be closed, retaining heat and preventing freezing.
Motorcycle manufacturers soon realized that the use of a fairing would protect the riders of their machines from getting burned on engine components that protrude from the frame. Design changes soon implemented a cooling benefit for the added component and the protective cover design soon became the design signature on many manufacturer designs. Engine covers soon gave the machines aerodynamic advantages, as well as more surface area for painting and chroming, adding to the bike’s style.
In the quest for performance and power, engine manufacturers realized that allowing an engine to take in cold air equaled an increase in power. By examining the airflow characteristics of cars in wind tunnels, the designers discovered that a pocket of low-pressure cold air was located at the base of the vehicle’s windshield. Soon, performance-oriented cars found new factory-installed fairing induction cowls.
While some of the hoods featured an open hood, many offered opening hoods controlled by the engine’s vacuum system. As the operator pushed the accelerator all the way to the floor, the vacuum drop caused the hood lid to pop open. This allowed the engine to breathe the power-enhancing charge of cold air directly from the vehicle’s hood. While drag racing vehicles can benefit from a forward-mounted air intake to channel cold air as the vehicle charges straight down the track, circle track racers still take their charge of cold air from the rear. rear of the hood through an airbox.
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