Highway8

iTrader: (11)

The closer you are to the engine the hotter the exhaust. Leave the area open until it passes the transmission and you will ok. You can panel under the trasmission and a few louvers and naca ducts will do the trick without hurting airflow too much.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Check this out..................

http://picasaweb.google.com/threewhe...oothingPanels#


Cool pic of a model of a GTU

bse50

True, the fact is that the area you are talking about (bellhousing\catalyzer) is the most troublesome one, flow wise. Going back from there with 2 panels that sit "flush" to the exhaust will work as good as a single panel.

Our transmission really gets too hot, my gauge says so!

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

Not worrying about heat because you plan to do a V8 swap is a bad idea if you plan on selling these to others. It will limit your market because most won't or want to do the swap and the heat will still exist.

R.Buffington

I am worrying about the heat, I can make modifications later when i actually do swap. I have already made modifications to 2 of the panels for increased cooling effects and increased air flow around the high temp components

bse50

You can start a fire down there, just sayin'.

R.Buffington

Finished the section that goes under the diff, the exhaust has an opening to cool it slightly and i need to just add some secondary vents to help cool the diff under high load.

wrightcomputing

iTrader: (5)

The heat problems when racing your car are that you run at max revs for as long as possible the trouble is when the car stops and there is no air flow if you have nowhere for the hot air to go it will just melt lots of expensive parts.

Highway8

iTrader: (11)

Naca ducts before the diff on both sides of the drive shaft and louvers under the diff or leave it open. Heat shield or heat wrap the adjacent exhaust pipe. That's my 2 cents.

R.Buffington

I plan on putting some large ducts in, the sides for the suspension travel are very open so that should help right? Again im not an expert at this just trying something nobody else has for our car

Highway8

iTrader: (11)

Air in doesn't do much good unless you can get it out. If you don't have a direct path out, it will become stagnant/turbulent and now you have an oven. The biggest problem is that exhaust pipe baking the diff. Heat wrap or heat shield and some louvers are cheaper then a diff rebuild.

RXGuh

iTrader: (1)

I think Sifu already mentioned that the diffuser wasn't intentionally made for his track days. It's just an option for us 8 owners for aesthetics and nothing else since there aren't many diffusers offered.

I know Sifu is getting his car ready for some track time since he told me he talked to TeamRX8. I am sure the diffuser/his 19 inch wheels isn't going to be on when he does take the car out of course.

Plus Rotr8 pretty much made his rear diffuser up from scratch. It's nice to see owners go outside the box like the two of them did.

RXGuh

iTrader: (1)

I hope y'all figure out everything and make it work right!

I see that we have a lot of clearance issues in my opinion since I have a carbing bar right under my Mazdaspeed exhaust. Those combined are already low -__-

bse50

We actually have a lot of space, all you have to do is remove the lower part of the bumper or start from a mazdaspeed rear one.
Since chassis braces do nothing and cause clearance issues the decision between them and better undercar airflow is a no brainer, too.

RXGuh

iTrader: (1)

I see what you mean. I guess all the owners with underbody braces have to find another way if they want these underbody panels? That sucks for the guys with the Autoexe braces

bse50

They can always sell them!
The other solution is to have a multiple-piece design.

Highway8

iTrader: (11)

I have the AutoExe Braces, or more specificaly the TC Sportline knock off. I am just going to panel right over it, (or under it?) I am going to cover the braces. The Additional thickness of the paneling wont cause any more clearance issues.

R.Buffington

Templates are completed! Now on to the aluminum fabrication

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

why not just do a side exhaust?

slvrstreak

iTrader: (3)

bump for this thread
anybody ever hear anything else about underbody panels?

and then we never heard from him again

great minds think alike...

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I hope not ....

slvrstreak

iTrader: (3)

why you hating team?
we're in the process of carving the underbody/floor
since we are replacing most of the underbody with sheet metal it will be much smoother and lighter

I'm surprised no one else has done this

Voodoo Factory

wow i like this idea a bunch. Id love to see atleast the rear diffuser, If I had dimensions, I could recreate it in fiberglass or carbon fiber

JamesD31

But the show must go on!

Also, wouldn't allowing air flow both above and below the diffuser be better, as the airflow above will force the diffuser down and create downforce?

slvrstreak

iTrader: (3)

ah well that explains it
I'll share the pics and specs of mine once it's molded up