Prawn and BigAls A3 Track Car

haha, sorry mate, It was out of my text window so I forgot I ment to reply :p

I did see an S4 that had the letters of his number plate cut out, that looked amazing. From a distance it looked like a standard plate, but up close, the characters were infact holes! how much air flow you'd get through that I'm not sure though.

For your car, I'd probably think a few decent sized holes under the plate, along with corresponding holes in the crash bar would be the best you can do, then remove the plate for trackdays.

Like you say though, if you're getting enough air flow into the core anyway, is it needed?
 
Westy said:
Nick are there any other options to get more air to the core?
Click to expand...

Intercooler ducting / air dams. Its the most efficient way of getting air to pass through the core as it creates a higher pressure of air infront of intercooler.

Something like...
gsducts-11.jpg

IMG_0895_001.sized.jpg


alloyshroud.jpg


You want to seal off the intercooler to the front of the bumper so all the air gets directed through the core and doesn't take the easy route of going round it.
 
Also to note, the image of the Saab - the intercooler could extend up behind the bumper, but so long as its completely sealed on all 4 sides, air WILL flow though the very top of the core, utilising the whole frontal area. No holes required.
 
What about drilling holes behind the plate and in the crash bar and using brackets to space the plate a little way out from the bumper so it wasnt covering the holes completely and the air could get behind the plate through the holes?
 
For a road car with massive cooler yeah. Plus does an S3 bumper have sliightly bigger grilles/openings than a normal A3 bumper?
 
Is that awesome huge core cooler :D Plus you have one of the better gaskets from Bill dont you?
 
Andy P said:
Intercooler ducting / air dams. Its the most efficient way of getting air to pass through the core as it creates a higher pressure of air infront of intercooler.

Something like...
gsducts-11.jpg

IMG_0895_001.sized.jpg


alloyshroud.jpg


You want to seal off the intercooler to the front of the bumper so all the air gets directed through the core and doesn't take the easy route of going round it.
Click to expand...

Bill and I have chatted about this before... might have a look at this in the new year... like the idea of it chaneling up the cooler behind the bumper too

<tuffty/>
 
my boss had a coarbon splitter on his race car, took it off because it was flexing at high speed and slowing him down, he then made one out of ply wood. think he's stuck with that since.
 
Plywood is remarkably good for things like that, it's light, stiff, and most importantly, cheap and easily replaced!

Will be mounted on a proper frame though, after a chat with Andy today, something that will generate actual downforce, should not be mounted to a plastic bumper
 
Marine sp* plywood seems to be the choice of many... A friend races in time attack and alot of them seem to use it with alloy bracing/ mounts
 
yeh mounted as rigid as possible.
will be interesting to know the differences you get from functional aero mods like a splitter and diffuser. its overlooked
people just think 'il fit a big *** wing lad'
 
Well, seemingly, well thought out, properly built home made aero can be VERY good if you follow all the principles correctly.

THis is a golf that belongs to a northloop member, it has a 2.0 16v engine with around 180bhp, and weighs just over 1000kg.

d9a5dd2f.jpg


4c76facd.jpg


As you can see, it's got a front splitter, full alloy flat floor with drop down side skirts, and alloy rear diffuser, and it's ALL home made in his garage.

he goes around the Ring in 08:20 btg!

It seems to stick to the road like no other golf in history, and all the bikers out at the ring say that the turbulence comming off the back of the golf is similar to that of a radical rather than a small hatch back.

Proof if ever it was needed that home made aero can definitely work
 
Prawn said:
You're dead right Jase, the rear bumper basically acts as an air brake the way it come down and curves forward, air from under the car gets in there, and causes much turbulence.

Holes in the rear valance would indeed help this, but the better solution, for smoother air flow, is to close the void up completely by adding in some form of flat floor., or a diffuser.

I found this browsing ebay earlier:

Fibreglass VARIS style universal diffuser diffusor | eBay

Looks about perfect size for the A3. Might require trimming the spare wheel well down, but I could probably remove that all together if needs be. Thats something for the future though, once the new turbo is finally on!

Was also looking at the possibility of making up my own front splitter, you can buy stabiliser bars for a splitter fairly cheaply, and make make the splitters from something simple like 6mm ply wood, as it's strong, stiff, and very light. Could be a cheap project to try over winter!
Click to expand...

Do you reckon that diffuser would fit under a s3? would look the nuts.
 
im of the impression that anything can be made to fit just about anything if you want it to Dani, so yea, I reckon it could be made to fit!
 
i like your thinking nick :). Think ill see how you get on first though as at over £100 i have other stuff to be buying first lol.
 
Does he trailer the golf? or is the aero removable as it looks like it would catch on speed bumps and not be easy to drive on uk roads
 
the golf IS road legal, but I think it only ever goes on the road for it's MOT and things like that, it's only kept road legal for use at the Ring I believe.

Nige's aero is pretty cool though, the side skirts you can see are actually rubber strip, the alloy part is only about 50mm deep, then the rest is made in 10mm thick rubber clamped to the alloy, which hangs down almost to the floor to create the ground effect, this wears out as it rubs along the floor, and every few trackdays he has to replace the rubber! Very clever idea I thought.

He's also got little steel blocks under the corners of his splitter to act as skids after he kept grinding away the splitter.

i don't think I'll go that far, but a home made splitter is definitely going to happen, coupled with a small diffuser I think
 
Just read half of his thread. Thats some serious reading and some serious work gone into that car. I love the pit in his garage floor!! I want!
 
really interested in the aero design for the A3. can't wait to see it put into plan :)
 
Noooooooooooo, the new splitter will sit flush with the bottom of the LCR splitter, which, lets me honest, is more of a 'lip' than a splitter.

The A3 bumper slopes up loads as it comes forwards, so attaching a splitter at the lowest point would leave a wedge to trap air. Leaving the LCR splitter in place fills this wedge nicely.

The splitter will be solid mounted to the chassis via the subframe and crash bar, and the bumper will be removable leaving the splitter in place :)
 
Not that I know of Karl, Nige has been developing the golf for years now, hence why it's so extreme!

Hullavington trackday booked for Andy and I, so the A3 / S40 show down we've been after will go ahead next Friday! can't wait.

Also, in other news, I'm going to rig up some brake cooling ducts this weekend to ensure the brakes stay cool, I've not had any trouble with overheating yet, but it can't hurt to add some cooling in, especially if we're planning on doing some extended track sessions.

It's even colour coded too!

681a26cf.jpg
 
Well, I've been looking into brake cooling a bit, and it's not the sufrace that you need to cool, it's getting air to the centre of the bell so it can come out through the disc that really helps cool it down.Apparently the vanes in a vented disc are shaped so that they draw air from the inside of the disc and it passes through between the two plates, and out on the outter edge.

I'll run these ducts, 60mm diameter, from the front bumper to the wishbones, then out along the lower wishbone and point them at the centre of the disc. I'll also remove the splash guards too.
 
A few pics taken by Warren_cox at ADI, thanks for these mate!

DSC_0285.jpg


DSC_0318.jpg


Will be getting the car ready for Hullavington this weekend, I'm making up a DIY camera mount for the cage, oil and filter change, and fitting some brake cooling ducts to help keep temps down.
 
When they're home dude, they're currently here, as seen on this handy webcam!:

webcam8.jpg


Those of you who know the location will likely be very jealous
 
Prawn said:
A few pics taken by Warren_cox at ADI, thanks for these mate!

DSC_0285.jpg


DSC_0318.jpg


Will be getting the car ready for Hullavington this weekend, I'm making up a DIY camera mount for the cage, oil and filter change, and fitting some brake cooling ducts to help keep temps down.
Click to expand...

Pleasure mate; maybe get some better ones next year if I remember to take tripod!
 
Can't wait for the video of the trackday prawn.

What's the octane level at that petrol station?
 
Eds only does 97 Super I believe, although Aral in Adenau does 102, which is basically BP ultimate 102.

Amazingly, the 102 in adenau is the same price as Eds 97! Well worth the drive
 
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