Front Wheel Arch Vents - 380 Cup vs 430 Cup

[mark248am]

So yesterday my friend came over with his 430 Cup and we decided to compare the car with my 380 Cup. One difference we noticed was with the front wheel arch vents. The vents on his 430 Cup weren't open, they were completely sealed. On my 380 Cup they're actually open to let airflow through but his were closed all around. We shone a flashlight into the vents and were surprised to see there was no opening for air. just a small drainage hole. So weird. I know a bunch of people have stated that they couldn't find an opening and I was one of the first to correct them and say there was, just not clearly visible. I guess I was wrong.

 

 

 

[stephenwhyte]

What a pair!!👌😎👏

[k20Rob]

I thought it may be a left hand vs right hand drive thing and a UK restriction as the uk cars I have seen (a 380 and a 430) have had them filled in. A lhd car in bell and colvill had them fully open.

But I have spotted this RHD car on pistonheads with them open:

 

 

Very confusing, perhaps it just depends on if the guy fitting the part remebered to cut them open or not lol

[mark248am]

3 hours ago, k20Rob said:

Very confusing, perhaps it just depends on if the guy fitting the part remebered to cut them open or not lol

1

hahaha I think that's probably the most accurate scenario 

[stephenwhyte]

But that’s 2 380 Cup’s you’ve both identified as having open vents - is it maybe a case of some of the 430 Cup’s vents being closed off?

[razad]

Mine are not see-through but with plastic covers under the holes
However I guess that during driving the airflow opens them up as there is dirt in top of the covers after a driving session.

[k20Rob]

17 hours ago, stephenwhyte said:

But that’s 2 380 Cup’s you’ve both identified as having open vents - is it maybe a case of some of the 430 Cup’s vents being closed off?

Ive seen a 380 with closed ones, the burnt orange one at B&C has them closed off.

1 hour ago, razad said:

Mine are not see-through but with plastic covers under the holes
However I guess that during driving the airflow opens them up as there is dirt in top of the covers after a driving session.

Active aero on a lotus lol

I would bet that is a low air pressure pocket being generated sucking the dirt in.

[k20Rob]

For reference, open vents

source: https://www.netcarshow.com/lotus/2017-exige_cup_380/#2

 

[Tex]

Vents electronically open up at 4,300 revs just like the exhaust. You can get a switch to override this though 😂

Seriously though the vents have a very slight gap with a hole on them which seems to catch small stones and debris  

The use of which confounds me!!

[stephenwhyte]

38 minutes ago, Tex said:

Vents electronically open up at 4,300 revs just like the exhaust. You can get a switch to override this though 😂

Seriously though the vents have a very slight gap with a hole on them which seems to catch small stones and debris  

The use of which confounds me!!

Looks to me like the original vent gaps (press pic above) were a hell of a lot more open than the current ones on the latests models. A bit like the original idea with the TVR Sagaris - at least Lotus didn’t close them off altogether 

[k20Rob]

Im sure a stanley knife could get them nicely opened up

[JCERB]

It's embarrassing that Lotus didn't learn from TVR of all people from the first instance! Pretty obvious not to do it, or at the very least add some fine mesh to stop the inevitable. 

[razad]

Yesterday at a track day i looked at two friends Exige 430 and their vents looked closed compared to the 380.
Apparently there are some kind of scoops that brings the air from front of the wheel arches to the opening on top and through. Have to look into that further though. Maybe it is a better solution than the 380.

[k20Rob]

The 430 has talk of the air curtain affect. Im not really sure how it works though. From the lotus site on the 430 cup:

 A new ultra-lightweight front clam with unique carbon fibre ducts has wider radiator apertures and a new mesh pattern grille to provide a more combative aspect and to allow for a new front splitter and air curtain mechanism to reduce drag.

 

The new front splitter with trailing lip helps separate and speed airflow under the car and the inclusion of new air curtain elements into the front clam panel efficiently moves air though to the front wheel cavities to help reduce turbulence and drag generated by the front wheels. The front louvers reduce the pressure within the front wheel arches, increasing downforce. 

[implus]

So do most 430s have “closed” arch vents?

[cuprapw]

If you check the parts on deroure, it should be wide open in both 380 and 430 cup.

That clam vent without the wheel arch hole is useless and 100% cosmetic ...

Another Lotus screw to the list ...

Edited December 2, 2023 by cuprapw

[Brian Braddock]

Later vents might look closed but are not, different design, Cup 380 was first Lotus to have vented arches looks like they had no wheel arch liners at all at least on the early cars. 430s had liners that let air through but not stones.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Brian Braddock
Improved

[cuprapw]

There's no special part for the 430. The reference is exactly the same. If you inspect them and you inspect the wheel arch from below they are closed 

https://parts.bellandcolvill.co.uk/?i=1341063&MAK=1&MDL=42&TBL=11554&SMA=0&SMO=0&ST=b138u4077f&SC=0&PBID=681770

 

[Seriouslylotus]

Despite what the parts book says, the 430 vents may look closed, but there are 100% open, Its just the opening is not inline with the top vents, It allows airflow but not stone/debris to come through the vents. My 430 is exactly like this

[cuprapw]

Can you post a picture of the opening in the wheel arch liner ?

Not sure how something is open when it looks fully closed. In all the cars with vents you see clearly when the air goes through ( on the GT3 RS for example)

Then misteriousky there's pictures of 430 cup where you can see them open. 

[mark248am]

6 hours ago, Seriouslylotus said:

Despite what the parts book says, the 430 vents may look closed, but there are 100% open, Its just the opening is not inline with the top vents, It allows airflow but not stone/debris to come through the vents. My 430 is exactly like this

The vents on my friend's 430 Cup are 100% closed.

[Bibs]

IIRC the early cars were open vents then the issue of stones became apparent and they closed them off?

[cuprapw]

And I guess that Lotus didn't think about adding a mess 🤣. It would be a 100% lotus move 

[Tex]

Mine definitely have an opening and allowing air flow through, but to look at they do appear closed up by the plastic debris covers

You can push your fingers through the gaps 

[Seriouslylotus]

On 04/12/2023 at 21:25, cuprapw said:

Can you post a picture of the opening in the wheel arch liner ?

Not sure how something is open when it looks fully closed. In all the cars with vents you see clearly when the air goes through ( on the GT3 RS for example)

Then misteriousky there's pictures of 430 cup where you can see them open. 

Np sorry am unable to post picture

On 05/12/2023 at 03:46, mark248am said:

The vents on my friend's 430 Cup are 100% closed.

They look closed but are just offset, does allow air flow

 

On 05/12/2023 at 06:58, Bibs said:

IIRC the early cars were open vents then the issue of stones became apparent and they closed them off?

this, sort of