Well said.

Trekkor, ....shhhh dont tell anyone about my killer rocker panel.

I'll have to look around at that foam material.


KT

I saw it too Grant. You're going to have to pay both of us off to keep it quiet.

But it is a great example of how the unexpected happens and rocker panels go shooting across the course like javelins. Whooops, did I let the cat out of the bag?

When he dropped a wheel off course and the rocker shot straight up in the air, it looked like he had hit a 2x6 sending it skyward. :helicopter:

I forgot about that day.


KT

I wonder how much flex there would be in a thin Styrofoam sheet covered with fiberglass on both sides.

You’d need to do one side at a time, or use mold release (?) on the table.

Sure wouldn’t weight much and the FG would be strong, but light. My only question is the amount of flex.

If there ended up being more flex than you wanted you could use a thin alumimum sheet (as suggested) but that stuff is expensive.

That Steel place in Redwood City (at Whipple exit) has all kinds of foam sheets or aluminum and such. Lots of surplus aircraft stuff as well. Might we worth a look.

I made a foam core skimboard that is thicker and smaller than my splitter about 17 years ago. I still have it. It weighs just a fraction of the wooden part of my splitter and does not flex at all.

You may be on to something.

I wish I had a wind tunnel.


KT

I also like the way Paul built his.

I don't know how he did it, but you'd think you could use the same fiberglass process as was previously outlined in the front oil cooler post?

Glue a big foam block to the front of your car. Shape it until you're happy with the design, including the lower lip.

Add aluminum reinforcing where ever needed (to the block) and tie these reinforcements to your existing mounting points.

Remove the shaped block from the car.

Glass it and when cured remove the foam.

You'd then need to attach the reinforcing aluminum bits (rivets) to the spoiler and attach the splitter to the car.

There must be an easy way to include the aluminum reinforcing bits as part of the fiberglass splitter....one of the fiberglass experts here will likely know.

Hi Trekkor,

You're a resourceful soul. I'm sure you'll figure a way to make a homemade splitter that is both light and strong, as well as fun to fabricate. And of course....you will document it online!

I'd paint it yellow....yellow is faster...or red...yeah, that's it...red

hmmm....who has a red and yellow car?

Bill P.

If you go to Home Depot they have those big industrial ventilation fans

Go to McMaster Carr's web site (www.mcmaster.com) and type in: Honeycomb, then aluminum.

1/8 sheets

I used cardboard to form it and than just start laying up the f/g cloth. Making the right angle takes some time but it's not too hard. Form, f/g lay up, grind away, f/g lay up, sand, sand, sand, sand, paint, done.

Paul you make all your fiberglass parts? If you did they are very impressive. Been thinking about hoods, for mine, and bumpers, but I am thinking in the long run it might be cheaper to just ship them in. I know it would be easier, but less satisfying.

That is such a nice clean splitter Paul.

What does it take to make a mold?

Don't you just wax the original, spray on gel coat, and then glass the part?

The ones I've seen done didn't even hurt the original.

My front spoiler started life as a "Deep Limited Edition" spoiler by AIR. It has been thru many generations before it ended up as it is today. Being that I started with a pre-manufactured piece it was MUCH easier to work it. I would suggest this to anyone. Making a piece from nothing is a bitch.

I started by cutting away the bottom edge of the origianl spoiler and adding about 4 inches to it. You can't just lap a new section on to f/glass, you need to blend the edge and build it up. Once I got the depth I needed I formed in the right angle and the splinter. There is nothing "behind" my splinter. The f/glass just turns from vertical to horizontal. I'll post some pics later or in my blog.

No, I don't make them all. I have door molds only. The lids and fenders are bought and modifed ALOT. The center section of the targa bar is f/g but I did it w/o a mold, and the tonneu is f/g w/o a mold also.

Here is a shot of the backside of my bumper/spoiler/splinter. The bumper and spoiler are now one piece.

This is what happens when I had a "off". It's better that this happend then ripping the whole thing apart. You can see I use to have air ducts.

Hey, guys, the experimentation's awesome. Keep up the creativity, but sometimes things are done better by others.... and I think this applies to splitters.

Splitters should be attached firmly, strong enough so you could stand on it and compress the springs on the front end of you car. Otherwise, it's not doing what it's supposed to do. Dzus fasteners are great devices, but are not appropriate for a splitter.

For anyone who wants a great 4.6 pound carbon/kevlar piece for a very reasonable $280, let me or Mike Cudahy [mike@prototypecomposites.com] know. He's got a template for the 914 already. No gain for me, but a big gain for you. The price is right, so you can replace it if you get in deep trouble, but that splitter should not be coming off because you bounce it on a curb. Mike tells me that he has Speed World Challenge teams call and need a replacement in a few days and he's able to accomodate.

I built a splitter for an RX7 that used plastic edging and aluminum sheet. Make the front shape with the plastic edging built the undertray with aluminum sheet. I later adapted it to to a splitter by adding 1/4" plywood around the perimeter. You could support at least 300lbs on it. Plus it when it wears you can replace the wood. Next time I will use some thinner plywood.

Kevin is right about the strength vs weight. It needs to be very strong.

If it ain't strong, it's just taking up space.

Kevin:
Surely that whole bumper set up is not only 280 bucks. Did I miss something?

edit:
I did a search & answered my own question.....

Splitter is 280 JP.
Bumper is more... but damn sexy.

2" of clearance is too low for even me. track only.

It is pretty low... but that's good for me. Not for everyone. It's a little over 2" to the bottom of the splitter.

The splitter can be mounted on other front end/air dam combinations higher than 2" for sure.

Update:

After 2 days of track driving, approx 4 hours, I've had only one of the center Dzus fasteners come undone after one session.

The car feels way better "to me".

Even Brad saw it today and he said he liked it.

I've seen several splitters and front ends held on with Dzus.

It's OK...


KT

trek, i checked it out this morning, and it doesn't seem to support much weight. i would guess that it would deflect somewhat at speed because of the way that it's connected?

The laminated plywood will never deflect.

I guess I don't understand the whole, "supporting weight" thing.

Why do I need to stand on it, again?

If it was going to come off the car, it would have by now.


KT

Just because you've seen several front ends and/or splitters held on with Dzus fasteners doesn't make it OK.

The point of it supporting your weight is front downforce and aero effieciency. If it deflects before it compresses your springs, then you're really not seeing the benefit of this part. Once it deflects, where is the air going? Through some crack? If it would never deflect then why doesn't it support weight? It's got to be moving somewhere. Maybe the entire piece is delfecting away from the body?

Like I said before. The innovation is great, but there's been lots of work in this area done by people a lot smarter than I.

Realize also that one other reason for the splinter/air damn is to keep air from under the car and causing lift. It would seem that it is able to do this.

I would agree that in order to have real live downforce the entire body and must act as one unit to compress the front springs. Look at it this way, if I was to install a big huge wing on my fiberglass trunk lid all it would do is crack the lid. It wouldn't transfer the downforce to the ground.

I guess I'm failing to see how I am going to strengthen anything made of fiberglass by the fastener choice I make.

I'm not searching for front downforce as much as I'm limiting air from going under the car and forcing air into my cooling ducts.

I eliminated the rear end float and have a greater confidence driving at speed due to increased car stability.

That was my goal and this is was I achieved.


KT

Honestly, the early Sweeper Dam™ would pop Dzus faseners all the time.

With the brackets and increased rigidity of the whole device, it takes a bit of work to get it on or off the car.


KT

Mission accomplished

Update:

Click to view attachment


Gallery


More shots from David Wong that I am purchasing.


KT

those pics are beautiful. car looks great, trekkor.

Trekkor,

Looking good. What kind of wheels are those? What happened to your widened red steelies?

The wheels in these shots are the ones I got from Nate.

6.5" 3 piece rims. I think he called them "Epsiloms"? Hoosiers mounted.

The red wide steelies ( 7" ) are currently my a/x rims. 710's mounted.

With the the splitter mounted the car feels "planted". Seem more stable to me.

I do know that I found myself with more speed than normal as I approached turn 10 at Sears.
may be due to the ability of the car to carry and build more speed through the esses from turn 7( ? ).

KT

your increased speed probably has more to do with becoming more comfortable with your car at speed and refining your driving lines. Not to mention getting enough seat time to increase your overall abilities..

And besides you are now using a different wheel/tire combo than before...don't you think that might have something to do with your increased speeds?

Trekkor,
Car looks great. Has the splitter affected your engine temps at all? If so, negative or positive?
Randy

yes, I'm sure that is also a factor. it all adds up. your instruction was the turning point for me, you should know.



thanks!! Engines temps on moderste days are staying below 210 after the longest of sessions. I haven't had a chance to run the splitter in the summer yet. It's been on the car for a total of 4 track hours, now.


KT

Thanks Trek,,,,and I don't think the splitter looks like it is unsafe in any way, especially with the turn buckles you have giving it more strength in a verticle dimension.

I like the fact that it is REAL STRONG.

i like bouncing the berms and I feel confident that it will not break in half or worse.

After 1.5 hours of Sears, all i have to show is a few half worn down bolt heads and a little blue and yellow paint.

the steepest slope on that track is the entryway to the pit lane between the two garages.



KT

The car does look good.

Now you need to drop some weight off and get down into the 1:50's; unless you just want to keep it as a driver and stay away from the "Dark Side."

Did you get a ride with Mike?

Somewhere earlier in this thread someone mentioned that reducing airflow under the car may affect engine cooling. I think the last question was inquiring if "with the splitter you are seeing lower, the same, or higher temps under the same conditions?"... i.e. on moderate days did you run under 210 before adding the splitter?

I didn't take any rides that day.
Mike "who"?

As for temps. i do not detect any changes. Seems to be the same.


KT

Thanks Trekkor,

Besides those who asked before, I was curious too.

Mike Ambrozewicz. He was driving his 914 2.7 (multicolored). You have in your video ahead of the boxster.

Entry to 14 at TH.

KT

Seems the front splitter is having an effect on your front suspension. you seem to have lots of forward rake to the car.

I am working on a front splitter also. and already mounted a REAL wing on the rear deck lid.
Just curious about how much of a blade do I really need to have sticking out.