Shout Out to VRaptor

[crash]

I was making a new rear window as the last one on the FFR PDG GTM was just getting tired with scratches, heat warpage, chipping paint, etc.

The previous one was made of acrylic and it just was no longer doing the job, so after looking at options, and even fitting a new polycarbonate window, I decided to take a look at what Shane offered for rear window alternatives.

VRaptor offers a carbon fiber and an aluminum rear window alternative. The carbon alternative did not look like it provided enough air evacuation for the race car, and taking a die grinder to such a pretty piece of kit as soon as it arrived to make it fit the FFR PDG GTM air intake just didn't seem right either, so I ordered the aluminum alternative.

All I can say is "wow"!

This thing has worked out very well so far. I had my doubts that a plasma cut product would actually look really finely detailed enough and have tight enough tolerances to come out right, but this thing is impressive. I welded up the supports instead of using the panel bonder suggested in the instructions and the aluminum seems to be very rigid. I may have to add two center supports depending upon what the air does at speed, but I figured I would not try and solve a problem that I don't know that I actually have yet.

First at speed test will be at end of next month.
Rear Window R.jpg

[Shoeless]

Hell yea, that's awesome!!!

[Power Surge]

Sooo.... what does the carbon one look like? Don't see it on the site

[crash]

https://vraptorspeedworks.com/rear-h...acement-panel/

[Shoeless]

Unfortunately, Shane no longer offers the full carbon fiber option, but does offer this in fiberglass version (like the black and white painted one in the pics).

I am actually exploring options if I can onboard a different carbon fiber shop to use the molds to make me one of the full carbon fiber versions. There are obviously a lot of risks in attempting to do this as this particular shop did not make the molds and can only produce on what is provided to them. I'm weighing the risks and $$$ at the moment. Would be killer if I can do this, but I need to stay grounded on expectations.


Shane,

Hope that's ok I shared that.

[VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC]

Thanks, Crash! Much appreciated! Looks like you figured out a solution for the intake. I'll be interested to hear how the speed tests go. I would think about the worst thing that could happen would be if there ends up being significant turbulence in that area at speed, the wide center louvers could start to flutter at the outer corners? I know one of my customers (dark grey car in the top set of photos at the link to the hatch louvers) has tracked that car quite a bit and he never mentioned an issue....but not sure what type of track he was on or what speeds he was seeing? If there is an issue, I'll probably change the design to run 2 equally spaced braces for the center set of louvers instead of just one center brace.

Shoeless.....yes, no problem in sharing that. The original shop that created the mould from the prototype part I originally built went out of business. It's actually a miracle that I got the mould back and the whole thing didn't get lost (like the CF side scoop parts that I used to offer.....same shop). I have no experience with CF layup...and the parts would need to be vacuum bagged...which I also have no experience with.....and with the GTM out of production and very little demand for these parts, it's just not worth me trying to gear up to do this.

[Rigdotcom]

This is my next body mod. Working on a carbon fiber PETG shark fin camera for the rearview and then this thing goes on.

VRaptor has great stuff.