SLC 001 Build
- Thread starter Mesa
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Let's look at some pictures shall we? I made up some radiator shrouds that still need the one way vents/trap doors cut in them, but you get the idea. Also started on the wheel tubs, fixed up a temporary mold because I don't need more molds lying around. Still learning, still making mistakes. All the parts will need painting, the upper portion of the tubs will get bonded to the rear lid. Waiting for the wing mount to come back from the CAD guy.
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Your fiberglass fab skills are impressive Mesa!
Dave - Although they look neat, I don't think putting those vents in my car would benefit cooling as they would be in a high pressure zone. This is true due to the upswept nature of the top of the bodywork on my SLC in front of the rear wheels. On the Mazda (and possibly the stock SLC) the body is flatter in that same area giving the air a better chance at exiting.
Roberto - Thanks! Although my skills pale compared to some on this forum, it has been an adventure thinking things through and attempting to make my notion of what I wanted in a car into a real automobile. Many more hurdles to come.
Roberto - Thanks! Although my skills pale compared to some on this forum, it has been an adventure thinking things through and attempting to make my notion of what I wanted in a car into a real automobile. Many more hurdles to come.
Rob...your car sure is cool though....
Fran,
I like the notion of improved rear visibility. Will be interesting to see how these look in production. My initial impression is this design introduces sharp hard lines to an area that was dominated by roundish curves. I'm only one voice, but I think a rounder styled housing might look better.
In any case, I appreciate what you're trying to do. Will the older design still be available?
The original mirrors are in stock too...
Mesa wouldn't louvers of some kind where you were planning or others have suggested placing vents take care of that issue. I mean you should (in theory) wind up creating a venturi effect and thus "pull" air out. I am just going of the crude design that was used on the BMW GTR hood vents (which I had removed from my car) or the current offering for the SL-C front fenders. Again this would only be of a real world advantage if the veins had the proper angles. It would seem like a ton of work for minimal gains but a solution non the less.
If there was enough pressure on the face of the rads then I would say you would not need the venturi effect as you so aptly described. I like the look of the Mazda vents but I'm not sure they would do any good and actually may hamper flow if I added them on without a considerable leading edge lip. As we have all seen on many racecars there is often a lip on the leading edge of exit vents such as this to create a low pressure zone in the duct itself. The Mazda probably had enough front side pressure to avoid this need and I am counting on the vacuum effect out the rear of the car to pull the air through. As there is considerable vacuum off the back. If there are any aero experts listening in please feel free to join in.
cheers
cheers
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Here is a web page that I think, will give you good input. It concerns mainly aircraft cooling, but it is applicable to us, because the page is talking about going 200 mph with the least drag and the most efficient cooling.
The page is here: Radiators
The page also has equations, and math and people arguing.
Don't even worry about the page's bias toward Wankel rotary engines. A radiator is a radiator is a radiator. The best cooling of hot engines in small spaces with the least drag while going fast is what we and they are all about.In fact, I think the book they offer on cooling (Cooling the Wankel) could help us all quite a lot. No, I am not selling the book, and I receive nothing for mentioning it. I am trying to help us, that is all.
Of course, with real math, that will slow us down building our cars, but the end product (cooler, more reliable, more efficient, smaller and faster SL-C's) is what really counts.
Bassanio et Portia
It had two large tunnels extend from the cab rearward, but other than that, it was completely a flat bottom (except for small recesses in the front splitter in front of each tire). How does that assist with the intakes and airflow on the side for the radiators?
I have that "book"
Howard Jones
Supporter
I think if you seal the bottom of the radiator area and the bottom of the engine room then it will greatly aid hot air extraction out the back of the car. If you don't seal the bottom then I would worry aboyt the pumping action of the tires creating a high pressure areain the radiator area behind the radiator. On the bottom air will tend to be drawn up from the road and into the engine romm. This might hinder air extraction from the radiator compartments. What you are going for is a low presure area behind the radiator and in the engine room continuing out to the wake of low pressure directly behind the car.
I think this side radiator system will work if you can get good air flow through the rear of the car. Good work Rob.
I think this side radiator system will work if you can get good air flow through the rear of the car. Good work Rob.
Do you have the part # you used for the 60mm lights? I've been hunting around the hella catalogue and can't find them (either by description of visually based on your pics)
Thanks.
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