Would you need engine tin on a track car? Or is that something that is only really needed on a street vehicle?

cooling tin creates pockets to force the air into or across certain parts of the engine to cool it.

Besides what Chris said, the other major function is to keep the "warm" and "cold" sides of the engine separate from each other. The sheet metal, together with good engine compartment seals, is designed to keep the intake air cool by keeping the warm air from the cylinders under the car where it can be removed by the fan. Without it you warm the intake air and hasten the death of your engine by running it too warm. Engine tin is essential.

I am sure you could argue either way but most race 914's I have seen here on the east coast have no shroud on the motor. I am sure they use the smaller tin to direct flow on the motor itself but otherwise you can see asphalt under most of them.

Alot has to do with being able to access the motor real quick when you need to. I still run mine but will probably get rid of it soon.

One downside is the compartment gets real dirty real fast.

It's so the car can take advantage of it's VW/Thing/Schwimmvagen heritage, and go amphibious.

i remember one old time 914 racer who happens to be on this BBS telling me about putting in a additional aluminium sheet just below the air intake but above the top of the rest of the engine to fully separate the intake air from the hot engine air.

i don't know if it made a big difference, but you clearly don't wanna suck in pre-heated air.
Andy

Andy,
I've seen that done and have a picture of one. It's a "tray" that fits tight around the base of the air cleaners and keeps the hot air out of the intakes.

Does it work?
Don't know for sure but I would think the advantage would be minimal.

Paul

I don't think the cold air warm air separation issue matters much in a dedicated race car.

Other than idling on and up to the grid, the car is running at speed 99% of the time. The air passing thru the motor compartment must be several hundred cubic feet per minute.

The 914's that I have seen dominate in PCA and PBOC run no motor shroud and win races with good reliability.

dr

synthesis, 3 of the 4 pics you posted, show the engines with 911 style cooling "tin" or ducting. they ditched the stock and went hi-perf.

Actually, two of the pics are 911 engines!

I am thinking in terms of the motor shroud that seals the area between the engine and the chassis.

911 or 914, both cars have it.

The shroud that directs air from the fan over the cylinders and oil cooler of course has to remain. Sorry for not being clear.

I think the parts with the arrows are what I am refering to.

dr

oh. roger that. i thought you were talking about cooling tin