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Discussion starter · #61 ·
Dave, the front end is looking good. I like that lower valence. I am in the process of building a splitter for mine as well as adding the rear spoiler. I will add the photos here and continue in this thread.

New nose with splitter template:



Rear spoiler panel in place.





I pick up the material for the splitter Friday morning and hope to have it cut over the weekend.

The hardware for mounting it is supposed to arrive Friday as well.

Hey Zak, how much did you have to trim the fenders to fit the big wheels/tires? I have new wheels coming next week.
 
That is a LONG distance oil filter relocation. Do you have an inline cooler or are you planning on routing air from the turn signal to the filter as your "cooler". It's an interesting idea, and just spitballing, with the braided lines you won't see too much of a pressure drop like you might a finned cooler, but any idea on the overall cooling efficiency?
I had a chance to go into 3R Racings shop and I am copying what the Porsche race cars do (that is oil cooler in the front with lines running back to the motor in the rear--it might not be such a good idea) don?t know about the efficiency.

I have a big Perma-Cool oil cooler behind the radiator. (I had to get a pretty expensive cooler to get the size oil fittings I wanted)



I also added an Accusump and a HKS oil pressure kit.



The oil filter at the front solves several things I was wanting to do---
1) To allow ease of access
2) Use a bigger oil filter
3) Get the oil filter as low as possible
4) Still have it protected by the frame of the car.
5) Allow an easy drain


Davegt27
 
XHead said:
Hey Zak, how much did you have to trim the fenders to fit the big wheels/tires? I have new wheels coming next week.
In the front, I removed the entire OEM fender flare and went a little higher, so they ended up ~20mm below the "crease" in the fender, leaving only a small amount above the fender flare:

Rough cut:
http://www.pbase.com/mtb_zack/image/135762373

Finished product:
http://www.pbase.com/mtb_zack/image/135762380

I think some of my front end will change with some of the changes I'm making for 2012, minimally the car will be lower by 10mm and the front flare will be larger.

The rears were a little more material than the front, but more difficult to do over all: there is an inner bracket between the C-pillar and the wheel well that holds the inner metal wheel well liner. It snagged/destroyed two of my sawzall blades.

Are you using Alumalite for the front splitter or the Kevlar wrapped balsa/foam?
 
Discussion starter · #64 ·
mtbmr2 said:
In the front, I removed the entire OEM fender flare and went a little higher, so they ended up ~20mm below the "crease" in the fender, leaving only a small amount above the fender flare:

Rough cut:
http://www.pbase.com/mtb_zack/image/135762373

Finished product:
http://www.pbase.com/mtb_zack/image/135762380

I think some of my front end will change with some of the changes I'm making for 2012, minimally the car will be lower by 10mm and the front flare will be larger.

The rears were a little more material than the front, but more difficult to do over all: there is an inner bracket between the C-pillar and the wheel well that holds the inner metal wheel well liner. It snagged/destroyed two of my sawzall blades.

Are you using Alumalite for the front splitter or the Kevlar wrapped balsa/foam?
Cool. What is the OD of the Avons? I have new wheels arriving soon and need to figure out the fender opening and flares. I will likely use the same flare you did until I have an opportunity to do the whole front fender in fiberglass the way I want them. I will likely box the rears.

I had intended to do the splitter in alumacore/alumalite as I did the rear spoiler. But when I went this morning to pickup the additional material, I found some really cool stuff called DiBond. Its an aluminum, composite material, like Alumacore. But its two sheets of aluminum sandwiching a solid polyethylene core. Its really strong. I bought enough to use for other purposes where I would normally use aluminum but would like the additional strength without having to use thicker aluminum.

http://www.graphicdisplayusa.com/prod_dibond

Its thinner, stronger and cheaper than Alumacore and because its not corrugated it doesn't hold water or debris. I will have pics soon.
 
mtbmr2 said:
21.8" for the 15X10 Kevlar Bias Ply.
I tried a 20x10x13 on some 13x9s and was very happy with he results. So for next year I'm gonna be going wider. Do you know if the 21.5s are available on the used market yet?

Also, my new struts may be here by next week. I can't wait to get started on that project. I have a new front brake setup in the works too.
 
Discussion starter · #67 ·
Christmas weekend update:

Lots done the last few days. I picked up my splitter material, noted above. This stuff (DiBond) is really cool and easy to work with. The 6x2 section before cutting:



DiBond compared to Alumacore:



A jig saw with a metal blade cuts it like butter.

 
Discussion starter · #68 · (Edited)
I marked the splitter to mount the location of the panel that goes between the splitter and the nose.



Marked and ready to locate the mounting flange.



Splitter with mounting flange attached.



I just need some additional material for the air dam that will sit atop the splitter and the spoiler supports so I can mount it. I had ordered spoiler supports but they are too short.


I also picked up my new wheels Friday:

 
mtbmr2 said:
At least for the time being, I'm modifiying a MKII front strut to fit my car as it holds the Koni "RACE" SA/DA (8610/8611) inserts. Pics/report to follow once I've completed that.
I am about to start something like this also. Keep us updated.


Steve that splitter option looks fantastic. You pick it up at a sign store?
 
XHead said:
Yep. The trick is finding a shop that builds outdoor signs, not a simple vinyl shop that does indoor signs and banners.
yeah i have a few here that I picked up some vinyl from. When my S/C car is running I might see what they have. I don't think STS allows this anymore :(
 
zipty842 said:
I tried a 20x10x13 on some 13x9s and was very happy with he results. So for next year I'm gonna be going wider. Do you know if the 21.5s are available on the used market yet?
No, nor do I really expect they will be - due to a number of factors, they're really not popular in the US: most GT2/3 and Formula cars seem to run a ~23" tall tire here. The 21.5 are targeted to ex-Formula cars used for hillclimbs.

XHead said:
I also picked up my new wheels Friday
The 6UL's are 6.4" BS, are you running a spacer?
 
XHead said:
Well, not yet anyway.

I knew the wheels would require a spacer and planned to use one. I will be changing the track widths anyway and that's more easily done with spacers.
The bigger wheels allowed me to narrow my track as I didn't have 1.5" of flexy sidewall near the bumpsteer pins.

Are you sticking with the McStrut/Colin Chapman theory or going SLA upfront?
 
Discussion starter · #77 ·
Keeping the track as narrow as practical is important. I like the very deep wheels as it makes varying track easy.

Struts can work reasonably well, so I am sticking with struts for now. I have other plans in the works for the car. Stay tuned.
 
Discussion starter · #78 ·
More progress today. I finished fabbing the basic splitter and valance. Forming and fabbing the valance I had always thought would be the toughest part of the job.

I had considered a number of different materials for the valance but ultimately decided on the DiBond as it is easy to work and form. I think the DiBond will work out very well and am glad I decided to use it. With this step done, its all pretty simple from here.

The basic splitter and valance:





Set in place:







Next is to fab the mounts and cut and duct the air inlet to the radiator.

The mounts will use quick release pins for quick and easy removal.
 
Discussion starter · #80 · (Edited)
Have now gone as far as I can without the splitter mounts. They should be in this week. I got the air intake cut and the floor of the duct in place. I ran out of pop rivets and damned it nobody locally has 1/8 x 1/4 aluminum pop rivets.

Splitter with air intake cut and lower duct panel in place. The duct is also made of DiBond.



In place awaiting mounts. The lip under the bumper will be trimmed to allow adequate airflow to the radiator.



Since I am still waiting for mounts and because the half of my new hood pins are in (for some reason Amazon shipped the other half of my order for Florida) I mounted and adjusted the new hood pins.

Decklid pinned in place with the new Sparco captive pins. Its amazing how light the decklid is.



Next I have to mount the rear spoiler and the decklid is ready for paint.
 
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