New front splitter..

[CHANGES]

 

 

[ramjet]

Does it follow the bumper outline and where did you get it?

[CHANGES]

To work effectively it has to protrude forward from the bumper,

but the contour is very similar.

As this is a road version it only protrudes by 30mm. 

It was manufactured in house by me. 

[neill1607]

What have you made it from?

 

Looks ace.

What are the end fences designed to do? direct air in or out?

Edited March 31, 2013 by Neill1607

[molemot]

Very pertinent...looks like an excellent snowplough!!

Seriously, a nice piece of work..can you tell any difference resulting from fitting it?

[CHANGES]

Its fabricated from 3mm ally with body wrap covering to stop corrosion.

The end plates are designed push down and draw air away from tyre

forming a vortex down the side.

The overall design is to enhance the  Bernoullis principal, and is

complimented by the rest of the floor...

 

Hi John, 

Thanks,  and yes i can defiantly feel the difference, With all the rear end aero

improvements I started to loose a bit of feel on the front in high speed corners.

This has got the feel back and then some, especially at speeds we can not publish.

It feels much more planted now,

[Bibs]

Where does the heat from the radiators go now?

[CHANGES]

Hi Bibs, same as before , there is a slot between the back of the splitter

and the start of the floor section. They are also on a slightly different plain 

which is not clear in that picture. The splitter being lower .The result of  all

this is a venturi effect which draws air off the rad more efficiently. some is

also directed through the wheel wells to aid brake cooling..

 

Ps. Have you got the long wheel bolts yet.

[Günter]

do you simply 'feel' it ..or is it measured & confirmed in a rolling-road wind tunnel ? ..as with your 'vortex' aims, how does it act for real with the factory front-valance design and outlets still in place ..anny interferences there measured ?? ..are there any road-clearance legislations in UK that would be a problem for the next MOT for you ..and what is with the vehicle dimensions in the documents, any influences there on legal aspects with manufacturer certifications ?

[CHANGES]

Gunter, I will try to answer without splitting hairs.!!!

do you simply 'feel' it .   ​Oh yes it is quite evident...

 as with your 'vortex' aims,  The factory outlet should compliment the flow

                                             off the curved end plate, with the added updraught to

                                             facilitate vortex, In theory it should work but no wind tunnel

                                             facility to prove. However It will definitely reduce drag off the

                                             front of the tyre.  

  are there any road-clearance legislations, The road clearance is 3mm lower than std. 

                                                                      Chassis ride height and Geo is unchanged to std.

                                                                      Uk speed bumps are Max 100mm , it will clear

                                                                      this easily.   

​   would be a problem for the next MOT for you,  don't see why there should be..   

 

   any influences there on legal aspects with manufacturer certifications  do you mean by making

                                                                         any 'changes' to standard manufactured factory spec.?

                                                                        Its an 89 SE so a bit late to worry about that now chap...   

Happy Easter                                                         

[Günter]

it's not about splitting hairs,  it is about the point 'no reason to hail someone or something, always remain sceptical in life' especially if nothing is measurred so far, apart from your engine output  of course     ..know what I mean ?

 

..right there, it is an '89 car ..but that does not mean that you are allowed to change its outside dimension, further than the vehicle documents and COC or V5 or what ever you need over there to register say about it -?

 

that is what I mean ..as the question was there "how  much toes it prodrute over the original shape of the bumper"  ..and such things above

Dave -see it this way:  I don't say that it does not look good ..right

[CHANGES]

Hi Gunter,

Splitting air's--- air splitter---- sorry maybe bit deep. yam yam humour.. 

I do know what you mean but it does not stick out enough to really alter 

dimensions dramatically. just enough to be effective.   Visually, it looks more...

 

 

The only area which it may offend would be the front radius on an IVA test, but

as the car is already registered it is not subject to such a test, just the annual

m.o.t.  requirement.  I can not see an issue there but if one pops up it will be on

that radius which can be changed if required.

Aerodynamic principals are well documented for there design attributes from 

wind tunnel results in various applications.  what i have done is carefully use these

to gain certain ground effects on my Esprit. Unfortunately data logging the results in

this case is not financially practical. But i would cherish the opportunity to do so..

As far as results from driving feed back feel, Yes things are noticeable.. 

There were many reasons why It was all done initially but reduced under-body drag

the primary.. During this winter using the car left salt stain traces on the underside

which gave me feed back on what the air flow was doing.. It looked good but even 

with the sill splitters to reduce side ingress there was pollution in the flow from the

front wheel area.. To combat this I installed a pair of inboard side skirts to control this

turbulent air. . This is when the driving feel first changed to the negative . The under

body staining proved the flow was significantly improved as did the rooster tail of spray

in the rain (quite dramatic) . The down side was a loss of feel at speed on the steering.

This felt vague and did not install confidence particularly in the wet , Hence the front

splitter was installed.. This has had a major effect on feel.. very positive in the steering

at speed, in fact it is the best it has felt yet... If it had not made a difference it would not

of remained fitted and no one would known about it..If it is not functional i don't

fit it. All changes have an effect getting a positive balance is key...

Ohh and i do things that don't work too,  but i don't tell you about those..! unless informative.

sorry if i offended your initial reply it was not intentional   

Dave

 

[dodge1979]

I think here in the UK were quite lucky in that we only have to pass an MOT test... Wr dont have restrictions as to keeping our vehicles Manufacturer approved...once type approved by the Ministry we are free to do most things, within safety guidelines...hence the upsidr of a great kit car industry and the not so great rude boy bodge and ruin industry..within certain limits we have to record certain changes on our V5...engine change, colour change, use of vehicle change...but anythin else were pretty free. This enables us..or more specific in this case Dave to push beyond production limits to test theories and limits far beyond what would be considered by the,manufacturer to be viable and suitable for the average owner.. And as a result we have a road going car kicking out power equivalent to the factory race cars but achieving what they never did...road drivability for the public..a one off product that if say ten years ago had been financed by the factory, could well have secured the future production of the Esprit as a ground breaking serious contender against todays modern eurobox performance cars..

Appologies if that was a bit off topic! Its a bit hard to appreciate Daves Esprit over pictures, text and imagination...the devil truely is in the detail...

[60N4.7]

wow.. seriously have to deal in some cases (cars) where government says you cannot make any changes beyond OEM.. wow.. I think I will stay in Texas!

 

[Dave Freeman]

Dave, I notice for your pictures that there appears to be side skirts on your car, do you have any pictures. Also I put a thread up some time back looking at a rear diffuser, do you have such a item fitted to yours.

Dave