So the side skirts on the S550 and GT350 are just for looks?
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Oh, it's a guessing game. Thanks for reminding me why i mostly stopped visiting forums.
So the side skirts on the S550 and GT350 are just for looks?
Because it doesn't stand out and "look cool" to all those guys who buy the splitters and wings yet have never been to a track. Half the aero items made for our cars wouldn't be available if it wasn't for those people. There wouldn't be any money in it for the manufacturers.I don't understand why there are NOT offer for 550 flat floor and side skirt while we have tons of spoilers wings( more or less functional) and splitter.
So the side skirts on the S550 and GT350 are just for looks?
Keep the air flow moving under without side dispersion and a proper extract has been one of the biggest gain in the formula 1( that is the reason why now is highly regulated) . However, without going too deep , I don't understand why there are NOT offer for 550 flat floor and side skirt while we have tons of spoilers wings( more or less functional) and splitter.
The sub header says:This is the "road racing" section of the site.
The stock skirts are not for downforce. Do the impact aero? Yes, of course- everything does.. Is it optimized for fuel economy? maybe. Is it optimized for aero acoustics? maybe. is it optimized for looks? maybe. It's not designed for DF.
I don't understand why there are NOT offer for 550 flat floor and side skirt
Olaaf, I've batted around the idea of using thin rubber matting I have to "seal off" the sides of the car. It would basically be a free experiment, so there's that, but do you see an actual potential benefit?The stock skirts are not for downforce.
Olaaf, I've batted around the idea of using thin rubber matting I have to "seal off" the sides of the car. It would basically be a free experiment, so there's that, but do you see an actual potential benefit?
Have you ever driving a car with a flat floor? I have. You know how hot it gets? I mean, burn the bottom of your racing shoes hot? That's with a cool suit and a helmet blower, exhaust double wrapped, and reflective tape applied the outside stock floor. Flat floors are for the 98th percentile of production based racing cars out there, and then you need to get creative with the exhaust, you cannot trap the exhaust pipes between the stock floor and the flat floor, which is what i did.
If you do this, do yourself a favor and make sure you have a fire extinguisher and can exit your car in 10 seconds. You'll probably burn every rubber floor grommet and your carpet in your street car. I would suggest a helmet blower so you don't pass out from the smoke and fumes before you can roll your car to a stop and bail.
It's actually a 1/8 inch thick rubber mat from when I used to have a weight bench in the garage. I figured I could cut it up into 4 inch wide strips, so the rubber would almost touch the ground.KIND of the one you put under the house door to fill the gap with a 3M right?
That shouldn't be hard to make...lots of ways to attach to the pinch welds. Just make it safe!
I think the thing to be careful with regarding its design is that you aren't actually trapping air *in* and under body vs. keeping it out. I'd try to coordinate it with an air dam and/or venting the underhood air.
Good luck!
Olaaf, I've batted around the idea of using thin rubber matting I have to "seal off" the sides of the car. It would basically be a free experiment, so there's that, but do you see an actual potential benefit?
I've got a lowered splitter in mind, hood is already vented, and I'm thinking about venting the front fenders behind the wheels.
So if somebody took their GT350 side skirts off, would total down force go up or down?
I don't know.. It's possible pressure drag might be decreased due to a slightly better vented front wheel well, on the other hand skin friction drag might go up with the removal of the plastic sculpted pieces? Could go the other way, though. I'm pretty sure the skirts are held in place with plastic push pins, right? Can't see it making much DF is that's all is required to hold them in place at 150mph.
Yes on fender venting, very good upgrade right there. If you already have a splitter, check out RHR's new tunnels. You can jigsaw out your existing splitter and add these tunnels. It won't give you massive gains of the full crusher spec splitter, but you def. get more front DF.
The other thing you can do is seal the rear of the splitter- that is from the firewall of the engine bay down to the splitter- air under the car will get sucked up into the engine bay, and you want to prevent that if possible.
Wouldn't the fender vents be there to provide an escape path for air passing under the splitter?
As in they make the splitter more effective rather than make down force themselves.
I would think a panel (or splitter) that runs back behind the engine would be more about ensuring the engine compartment air passes through the hood vent.