New carbon front splitter & full undertray

K

Kip Olson

Contributing Member
Joined
13 July 2003
Messages
207
I just tried out a prototype version of this part and it not only fits perfectly but it truly works. By turn two at Thunderhill in CA. I could already tell the difference. It was sustantial. It was enough of a difference that I need to consider doing something to the rear end? If any of you track guys are looking for more downforce in the front end, e-mail Shad here. [email protected]
Thanks, Kip Olson
 
Last edited:
AK, email Shad for more info. He can send you pictures.

Hi Ken, Not yet, I need to do something about the rear end. This undertray made the back end really light. I guess I need to look into a WING. Any Ideas? You know the tracks I drive ? Let me know, Kip
 
Kip Olson said:
Hi Ken, Not yet, I need to do something about the rear end. This undertray made the back end really light. I guess I need to look into a WING. Any Ideas? You know the tracks I drive ? Let me know, Kip
Click to expand...

Hey Kip,

You are more than welcomed to test the RouteKS or the Phase/Marga Hills wings that I have, just let me know when and I can drive up with the wings on my MDX.

Hmm.. That might be a good excuse for me to take the MDX on the track for a couple of laps, hehe. I've always wanted to see how well the MDX handles at the track :D. I've been to a couple of events where I've seen Porsche Cayennes on the track and they seem to do pretty well.

BTW: You can also send a PM to Tom (TC) and see if you can borrow the RTR wing that he has on his car.

Ken
 
DrivingAmbition said:
Here are some pictures.
Click to expand...

Cool stuff! How do you tighten the bolts that hold this on?
 
Titanium Dave, This part is actually two pieces so you can easily remove the front piece to tie down the car in a trailer and for cost effective shipping purposes. The front piece that is easily remove with two flush mount screws and some cam lock fittings. The bottom surface has no exposed hardware to catch on anything. Two remove the font piece literally takes about 2-3 minutes max including jacking the car up and with two small hand tools. This is a really nice clean design that works.Kip


Pirana, You would have to ask Shad about that but I am not sure why you would'nt want the undertray? Kip
 
The part looks great, are there any more pics.? How far does the tray go back? Seems like a panel that goes all the way back to the engine bay would be nice, covering the gas tank area too.
 
Hi Dave, The tray goes back just behind the firewall and has a spacing for exhausting of air from the radiator air flow. A cover for the tank area would be nice, maybe next??? I am told that a full undertray under the engine just tends to cook all the drivetrain parts that need the air. On a full race car with a huge budget this is really great, but for recreational track use for guys like us it's not to cost effective especially given the cost of NSX replacement engines,trannies exhaust sytems etc. I will be looking to a rear wing for track days to help out in the rear. Thanks, Kip
 
Kip,
I hear you on the engine compartment being open. My thought is to cover everything back to the engine compartment(cover the gas tank opening). Then attach a diffusor to the rear beam, to cover the rest of the way back to help clean up the air flow out the back and help with down force by creating some negative pressure under the car.
 
Dave,

I'm not an aerodynamicist, so please take it for whatever its worth.

It is my understanding that you don't want a flat panel throughout. The main reason is while it is great under ideal condition, at certain condition it can create a significant lift. Remember the 2 SLK GTR that got pulled out from a race because it summersaulted in the air of aerodynamic issue? I believe Mark Webber was the driver at that time.
 
Andrie Hartanto said:
Dave,

I'm not an aerodynamicist, so please take it for whatever its worth.

It is my understanding that you don't want a flat panel throughout. The main reason is while it is great under ideal condition, at certain condition it can create a significant lift. Remember the 2 SLK GTR that got pulled out from a race because it summersaulted in the air of aerodynamic issue? I believe Mark Webber was the driver at that time.
Click to expand...


While Andrie is like 100 times better driver and maybe 1000 times more expeienced than me, I would like to point out two things though..

1. it's CLK GTR :biggrin:
2. seriously... are you talking about the incidents they had the whole car air lifted and flipping outside the track at 24 hrs. Le Man race?? I thought that was the case when they hit closed to 220mph and also with it's small bump of the track... Before they reached that speed, the car did stick to the ground due to the aerodynamics...(as countless hrs of the Leman Mercedes team had spent in R&D).

Now for a modified nsx which properbly won't see upwards of 180mph at tracks in US. It might still work... I mean with so much down force, I doubt there's many modified nsx can push towards that speed on the straightaway of any road course, but then the downforce keeping the car on track everywhere else...
 
Thanks for the correction. I knew I'm getting older and my memory failing me. Was I right about Mark Webber as one of the drivers though?

IIRC, it was mainly because of the topography of the track. They tested in wind tunnel to way over the speed they race. Just because the way the track is, air get underneath and push it up.

ICBW, again, I'm not an aerodynamicist.
 
Andrie Hartanto said:
IIRC, it was mainly because of the topography of the track. They tested in wind tunnel to way over the speed they race. Just because the way the track is, air get underneath and push it up.

ICBW, again, I'm not an aerodynamicist.
Click to expand...
The issue with down force is not about air getting under and pushing the car up, it is about the air being blocked from flowing under the car, like a rise where the car touches the pavement. In this situation, the down force is instantaneously stopped because there is no air flow to create it. Of all the down force a car has only a portion of it is created by the air flow under the car, but it would be easy for this to equal the weight of the car if you figure a Le Mans car makes 4000 lb. of down force at MPH, weighs 1500 lb at the most. The total 'pressure' the car exerts on the pavement is then 4000+1500=5500 lb. If there is only 35% of the down force created by the air flowing under the car(I believe it is greater, over 60%) that = 1400 lb. of down force being removed and it is pretty easy to see how a car could lift right off the track if it happened at the same time the car was bounced up with a bump.

My goal is just to clean up the air flow, make it so the air can be pulled more efficiently out the back of the car. Should increase down force a little and maybe even reduce air drag if done correctly.
 
FYI - It's unlikely that the rear undertray is causing the rear end to get light. More likely is the front splitter adds much more down force than the rear undertray, thus upsetting the balance. Rear diffusers have to be run really close to the ground to be effective. You are correct to look at adding a wing to balance the downforce at both ends.

Happy driving,
 
DrivingAmbition said:
Here are some pictures.
Click to expand...

For your reference:

Green NSX Phase Wing (Marga Hills Decklid)
Yellow NSX Route KS Tomcat 1700mm Wing (Marga Hills Decklid)

4656IMG_4164a-med.jpg


Send me a PM if you have any questions regarding the installation of the wings, for the most part it should be pretty straightforward.

Ken
 
Ken, Thank You very much!!! bringing them to Comptech for me was an incredible convienience and I will find some way to thank you. I will let you know how it goes. Thank You again, Kip
 

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