Preliminary Interest Check: Carbon Fiber Side Scoops

[Mechie3]

I'm curious to see who is interested in carbon fiber side scoops for the large side intakes on the 818. The design intent is something similar to the Lotus Exige minus the visible bolt heads. At this piont I'm not sure how far out they will stick as I haven't done any mock ups yet to see what visually looks good.


Fun Story Part:
I met with the composites guy today. I've heard unsavory things about the other shop that quoted me parts before from multiple sources, so I found a new guy. He doesn't advertise, works under the umbrella of a different shop so he doesn't have to take care of paper work or taxes. He just does his thing. When I visited him he had a 94 F1 car he was rebuilding the body on, had stacks of Lamborghini GT3 front and rear bumpers, splitters, and diffusers, an audi lemans car, and some R8 parts all sent to him for work. My wife's boss' husband used to do composites and told me about him but didn't know where he was or how to get ahold of him. I finally found him via an old (yet still working) aol email address. Great guy to talk with and the work he does is phenominal. Even without advertising he gets loads of work sent to him from all over. Apparently, in racing, he is "the" guy for composites repair.

The not a fun story but details you probably are interested in part:
Parts will be wet layup vacuum bagged, but without the bubbles common in some vacuum bagged parts. Anything he makes he makes sure it looks the best it can possibly look. In carbon the parts will likely cost in the $300-$400 range. The carbon parts will be a few layers of woven glass with a top layer(s) of carbon. For all fiberglass parts the cost will be lower. He said he could have better numbers when he's actually made a part and gone through it all.

For comparison the FFR rockers are $450/set, street front diffuser is $420, and the rear diffuser is $499 so I think the pricing he gave is pretty decent.

[wleehendrick]

Definitely interested. A little more than I would want to spend, but I went for the FFR parts, and do want something like this. I'm going to try keep the A2AIC, so hoping with some scoops and ducting it'll be more effective (plus look *****in').

[wleehendrick]

Just a suggestion... it would be nice to have an option for mesh on the front of the scoop, like on the Exige, so we can open up the slot in the fender more air and not bother with the FFR perforated or trim piece.

[Mechie3]

This will take the place of the trim piece. I already ditched that and was going to do simple trim like Aloha did on his hood. On the back side of the scoop the idea is to have these flush with the body. As it gets to the front they will stick out a little bit more. The trim piece wouldn't be visible even if you had it on. The front will have a slight lip/rolled edge so you don't end up with a rough looking end. I hope they come out cheaper as well since, well, I want a pair for myself too.

[Quiny]

Sounds really cool, will there be a prototype to see?

[Stickshift84]

Any thoughts to scoops in the engine cover as well? where the factory vents try to feed the intercooler.

[Mechie3]

At some point. I just talked to the guy today. To save total costs and time he instructed me what materials to use and how to make the foam plug on the body. He even offered (for free) to come to my house one night and give me a little hands on assistance for an hour. After I get one how I want it he can copy it for the other side so they match. If he does the plug work all by himself it's $75/hr! Just ends up being more cost to recoup.

[Mechie3]

Any thoughts to scoops in the engine cover as well? where the factory vents try to feed the intercooler.

Not at this time. It'd have to be a very tall scoop to work on the 818S and likely more expensive than an AWIC setup and with less overall appeal to the general market.

[metros]

I'm in. I think a more aggressive side scoop will drastically improve the looks of the 818 (more so) and make it much more aggressive looking.

If his work is as good as you've stated then the pricing isn't terrible.

[mikeb75]

High interest. Can't wait to see mock-ups/ prototypes on your car

[JeromeS13]

I'm interested, pending how it looks.

[rori]

I'm interested.

[Santiago]

Interested, pending looks and integration with the existing body. I'm planning for flared rear fenders, so regardless of my interest a scoop that's made for the stock body may not work for me. Sounds like a great project though!

Best,
-j

[Ethan818]

I'm also interested

[CanadianYank]

Yes I am...

Frank

[RM1SepEx]

More than interested, I need these for my side mounted IC and brought up the idea...

[metalmaker12]

A cad design or mock up would peak my interest.

[apexanimal]

as long as these are still available in the future for those of us who aren't building yet

[riptide motorsport]

Sounds great.

[Aero STI]

I'm interested.

One of the mechanical engineers at my company races go karts. He's very successful at a national level in the Yamaha laydown classes. I believe he won the series on points this year and last. He designs all of his body work in Solidworks and then optimizes with CFD. He prints things on a plotter at 1:1 scale and uses this as a template to create his fiberglass bodies, starting with foam and shaping to match the model. Just an idea if you have the means and want to be less organic.

[bbjones121]

i missed this earlier today. Awesome! Very interested

[Frank818]

I am interested if they are big and flow a sh*t load volume of air.

[FFR-ADV]

That is a great idea! I am interested. I wonder how it will look with the new removable hardtop? Maybe a roof scoop as well??

Thanks!

[suttonb3]

Definitely interested!

[bbjones121]

Dont want them too big. I like them more as accent pieces, functionality is important, but second to looks.

[Mechie3]

I'm thinking 10" wide openings.

Glad there's lots of interest. It'll help amortize the tooling costs. I could design them in CAD and do CFD except I'd really need CAD of the car itself. I have a CAD model of the car, but it's an estimation. As for CFD, mechanical engineers split into two main groups halfway through school. There's the solids/vibrations/controls guys and then there's the fluids/thermo guys. I have access to CFD software, but it's garbage in garbage out. I could probably get some data, but without a full car model it's pointless. The computing power required to do that would be quite intensive too.

[oldguy668]

A cad design or mock up would peak my interest.

Ditto that

[Santiago]

I'm not sure that a CFD analysis on this is all that necessary. The only folks who would really need it are those who already really need the whole car analyzed anyway...you know...because their putting together a complete aero package from scratch...*ahem*...

However, a basic CAD sketch would help folks just visualize the scoops and judge from that if it suits their needs.

Best,
-j

[DMC7492]

With the carbon scoop it will appear as it was added, on a track car no big deal. With a basic fiberglass unit that only protruded out wards an inch or so and blended in and painted would. Appear as if the body came from the factory with larger scoops, I would be in on this as long as they did not need to be retro fitted. Other wise we could simply form our own.

[Mechie3]

The idea is a simple bolt on piece, but with the bolts hidden inside instead of outside like the exige. I wouldn't say the CF would necessarily look tacked on. The exige and Audi R8 do well. The carbon would mostly be for those who already have the other carbon aero bits. Fiberglass would be for those that want to paint.

[CanadianYank]

epcp-1209-05+2012-lamborghini-aventador-lp760-2+vent.jpg

For a Lambo... is this something like your thinking? I think it would really nice if it seemed to protrude from the same body opening. Bolt on would be preferred...

Frank

[indiana818]

i would love to see what they look like not impreseed with current screens
kerry

[Mechie3]

Frank, similar but less angular as to match the curves of the 818.

[nkw8181]

I look forward to seeing how they look!

[Kurk818]

Definitely interested. Would love to see a design

[pwnoz]

I would definitely be interested as well.

[matteo92065]

interested.

[drdracing]

Interested. Looking forward to seeing them.

[Sgt.Gator]

++1

[Doowop]

interested too!
thanks