This car does not have any fiberglass. The new race car that I am building
has fiberglass front and rear fenders. I may buy a fiberglass hood and
trunk lid. In the racing class I'm in the car has to meet a minimum weight.
The formula is 1.05 pounds per OEM cc of displacement. With a 1987 cc motor
I have to weigh 2086 pounds. Therefore, I can't just reduce the weight to
go faster. I can, however, replace all the heavy stuff that is mounted up
high with fiberglass. Then I add ballast weight way down low. This serves
a dual purpose. It lowers the center of gravity and allows me to get the
weight distribution perfect. Right now I have less than 5 pounds difference
between the four corner weights which makes the car very predictable. It
turnes to the left the same as to the right and also doesn't understeer or
oversteer. Lowering the center of gravity makes the car lean less during
cornering and pitch less during brakeing and acceleration. This allows the
suspension to work consistantly over a smaller overall range of motion.
When the car leans a lot then one side front tire drops way down and the
other compresses way up. All the components travel through an arch and the
camber, caster, toe, and bumpsteer are all constantly changing. With little
body roll the suspension stays in a very narrow range of motion and the
alignment stays pretty consistant.
I sure wish I could just cut out weight but that is against the rules and
it's not as simple as it seems to get the handling right. Possibly next
year I will have different rules to play by. They are exploring
reclassifying the D Prepared and E Prepared cars. Right now each class has
some sedans and some sportscars. There is also a wide range of engine
displacements. I have to race against Hondas with 1300 cc motors. Sounds
kind of wimpy but they can get 170 or more horsepower and only have to weigh
1365 pounds. The power to weight ratio is similar but their cornering and
brakeing advantage is hard to overcome. Next year they are going to try and
change the weight requirement and also classify sports cars separately from
sedans. This should help a little but I will have to race against Miatas
again. They are really hard to beat.
Later,
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: <ambradley@frontiernet.net>
To: "Andy Cost" <andycost@earthlink.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2004 11:40 PM
Subject: Re: Starters, Chains and Water pump motors
> Have you put on any fiberglass panels? Would that reduce much weight?
> Just curious...
>
> Quoting Andy Cost <andycost@earthlink.net>:
>
> > Keep alert for $200 Roadsters in barns and back yrads. They are out
> > there and
> > are a good source of chains, gears, and starters.
> >
> > I just installed an electric waterpump on my race car. I have
> > mounted a
> > solenoid to cut the alternator circuit. I also have an electric fan.
> > During
> > the race I can cut out the alternator and eliminate all accessory
> > drag on the
> > motor. Now I just need to figure out how to eliminate the oil pump
> > and
> > distributor. I guess I could fab up a dry sump and crank trigger. I
> > estimate
> > the elimination of the water pump, alternator and fan to give me at
> > least 15
> > extra horsepower. With the 12.5 to 1 pistons, 296 degree cam, and
> > other
> > goodies I should be down on the 8 pound per horse range. That is
> > about the
> > same as a new Z06 Vette.
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