• Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 23

Topic: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Looking at getting started on my inaugural Lemons effort--no car yet, unless someone drops a barely-running Fiat in my backyard tomorrow my search will begin after I soak up the Capitol Offense weekend; whatever the case I'm thinking I will throw some effort into a cheap-yet-functional aerodynamic aid. I've got two things running around in my head:

1--making actual ground-effect tunnels under the car, Group C-style, with sheetmetal
and/or
2--making one of those variable supermod wings on the back

Would either/both/none of these be a good idea? Would a particular car/bodystyle be better suited for either of these ideas? Not that I'll be married to that bodystyle--if I see a Renault I'm jumping at it!--but at least as a reference point which crazy idea would work with what...

  • From: Baltimore, MD
  • Registered: 2010-05-20
  • Posts: 1,745

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

I don't know what part of Lemons you thought was compatible with the words "Good idea" - but you should DEFINITELY do this. The car you do it to is irrelevant. Group B Windstar?

Driver, Pit Monkey, Rod Buster and Engine Fire Starter
Team FinalGear
  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 23

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Well good idea is a relative term here wink I just wasn't sure if, for example, the tunnel thing wouldn't be as good an idea with an E30 as it would be with an MR2. Honestly I'll probably at least try to do both, but again first I need an actual car to screw around with...

  • Registered: 2009-10-25
  • Posts: 1,993

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

one "slight" problem with aero is it works better the FASTER you go...& Lemons cars by nature are not exactly "fast".....

Another issue is anything under car will get destroyed the 1st time you go off track....  active brake wings have been done before...but thats about it really

Richard Doty
1984 Porsche 928 "Estate"
Porsche- "there is A substitute" Racing
Dirt Poorsche Racing #2
  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Don't let the naysayers talk you out of ground effects!

Forget the Windstar. Go for the Olds Silhouette. Group B Dustbuster!

Murilee Martin aka Judge Phil on Facebook
Murilee Martin on Twitter
Judge Phil's Lemons posts on Car and Driver
MurileeMartin.com

Judge Phil's Website

  • From: Baltimore, MD
  • Registered: 2010-05-20
  • Posts: 1,745

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

E30? MR2? Boooooooring.

Driver, Pit Monkey, Rod Buster and Engine Fire Starter
Team FinalGear

7 Reply by aceface905 (edited by aceface905 2010-06-01 07:52 PM)

  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 23

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

EyeMWing wrote:

E30? MR2? Boooooooring.

I know, the chances that I actually get either of these are slim. My tastes gravitate toward weird and/or shitty cars, so I fully expect to end up with an old French car... or better still a Yugo cool

  • Serj
  • Serj
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,601

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

96+ Chrysler dustbuster FTW

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 297

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Judge Phil wrote:

Don't let the naysayers talk you out of ground effects!

Forget the Windstar. Go for the Olds Silhouette. Group B Dustbuster!

I'm really F'ing pissed this dustbuster van idea has started getting tossed around the forum today. I've had one sketched out on my whiteboard for months, ebay emails me everytime a new one is listed.

Just another crappy BMW and moto-powered MR2: http://www.facebook.com/BlackIronRacing
Gnome money, Gnome problems. (RIP) http://www.facebook.com/MetroGnomeRacing
  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

We've been talking about a Lemons Dustbuster for years now. You can still be the first to make it happen.

Also, a Mercury Villager minivan would be excellent for a Village(r) People theme.

Murilee Martin aka Judge Phil on Facebook
Murilee Martin on Twitter
Judge Phil's Lemons posts on Car and Driver
MurileeMartin.com

Judge Phil's Website

  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 23

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Judge Phil wrote:

We've been talking about a Lemons Dustbuster for years now. You can still be the first to make it happen.

Also, a Mercury Villager minivan would be excellent for a Village(r) People theme.

Given the time between now and when I actually plan on racing (Capitol Offense NEXT year), someone will beat me to the Dustbuster... but I'm going to one-up you on the Village People theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABH_RFeeGAs
THE SODOMOBILE!

  • From: Choctaw, Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2009-11-12
  • Posts: 2,145

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Cut the springs to lower the car as far as you dare, then put an airdam on the front. That's all the aero you really need. But you sure do want a big gas wing on the back!

  • From: Atlanta, GA
  • Registered: 2009-09-01
  • Posts: 561

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

icemang17 wrote:

one "slight" problem with aero is it works better the FASTER you go...& Lemons cars by nature are not exactly "fast".....

Another issue is anything under car will get destroyed the 1st time you go off track....  active brake wings have been done before...but thats about it really

Aerodynamic force is proportional to the square of speed.  That's why you're aero surface area needs to be HUGE!  Tiny cars like an E30 or MR2 just don't have the surface area for underbody aero.  Think Ford LTD.

Our Lady of Perpetual Downforce
http://www.perpetualdownforce.com/

st_rage's Website

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 297

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Judge Phil wrote:

We've been talking about a Lemons Dustbuster for years now. You can still be the first to make it happen.

Also, a Mercury Villager minivan would be excellent for a Village(r) People theme.

Yeah I knew it wasn't an original idea (I don't have those) but I was hoping enough people had forgotten about it by now.

I'm thinking a mid-engined toyota minivan with some camry v6 under the driver's butt could be interesting too.

Just another crappy BMW and moto-powered MR2: http://www.facebook.com/BlackIronRacing
Gnome money, Gnome problems. (RIP) http://www.facebook.com/MetroGnomeRacing
  • From: Santa Margarita, CA
  • Registered: 2009-06-03
  • Posts: 177

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

The real dustbuster is the Lumina APV van.

Team Dai Hard Home Page

1989 Daihatsu Charade

djcommie's Website

  • From: Houston, Tx
  • Registered: 2009-08-24
  • Posts: 490

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Can't forget the TranSport.  It has "sport" in the name which means it's totally track ready!  Probably has aero tunnels already.  Didn't they make a mid engine homologation TranSport for group B minivan races??

El Capitan de Substandard Racing -  Houston, Tx
2009 Yee Haw! It's Lemons Texas: 1973 Gremlin - Gremwow!
2010 Gator-O-Rama: 1973 Gremlin - Gremlin Express, Lassiez le Crapheaps Roulette - Gremlin - Most Heroic Fix
http://substandardracing.blogspot.com/

komododave's Website

17 Reply by aceface905 (edited by aceface905 2010-06-06 05:53 AM)

  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 23

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

komododave wrote:

Can't forget the TranSport.  It has "sport" in the name which means it's totally track ready!  Probably has aero tunnels already.  Didn't they make a mid engine homologation TranSport for group B minivan races??

No, you're thinking the Mitsubishi Van, already so bad ass that it doesn't even need a nickname--it's just THE FUCKING VAN. Add factory 4WD and my hooptieriffic supermod wing and the thing becomes unstoppable.

(no, seriously, a Previa or Mitsu-van is near the top of my wish list. Hey, it's mid-engined, it'll be perfect for the track, right?)

  • From: Houston, Tx
  • Registered: 2009-08-24
  • Posts: 490

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

djcommie wrote:

The real dustbuster is the Lumina APV van.

Lumina APV even sounds like a specific model of Dustbuster, perhaps produced by Ronco.

El Capitan de Substandard Racing -  Houston, Tx
2009 Yee Haw! It's Lemons Texas: 1973 Gremlin - Gremwow!
2010 Gator-O-Rama: 1973 Gremlin - Gremlin Express, Lassiez le Crapheaps Roulette - Gremlin - Most Heroic Fix
http://substandardracing.blogspot.com/

komododave's Website

  • Zach
  • Paddock Rat
  • Offline
  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2010-06-07
  • Posts: 36

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

aceface905 wrote:
komododave wrote:

Can't forget the TranSport.  It has "sport" in the name which means it's totally track ready!  Probably has aero tunnels already.  Didn't they make a mid engine homologation TranSport for group B minivan races??

No, you're thinking the Mitsubishi Van, already so bad ass that it doesn't even need a nickname--it's just THE FUCKING VAN. Add factory 4WD and my hooptieriffic supermod wing and the thing becomes unstoppable.

(no, seriously, a Previa or Mitsu-van is near the top of my wish list. Hey, it's mid-engined, it'll be perfect for the track, right?)

Previa All Trac is by far the best idea yet. Supercharged 4AGZE motor, all-wheel drive, and styled like a tampon.

Amateur Welder, Professional Grinder

No seriously, what could go wrong?

20 Reply by djcommie (edited by djcommie 2010-06-07 09:36 PM)

  • From: Santa Margarita, CA
  • Registered: 2009-06-03
  • Posts: 177

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Its not a 4AG-ZE, its a 2TZ-FZE I think. Pretty cool engines, the accessories reside under the tiny hood with the engine in the middle. It has a driveshaft on the front of the crank to drive them!

Team Dai Hard Home Page

1989 Daihatsu Charade

djcommie's Website

  • Zach
  • Paddock Rat
  • Offline
  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2010-06-07
  • Posts: 36

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Aha, I stand corrected. I like that it's an inline four mounted at 75 degrees, that's just perfect for Lemons maintenance.

http://www.dragtimes.com/images-classifieds-large/90-99-TOYOTA-PREVIA-2.4L-2TZ-FZE-SUPERCHARGE-ENGINE-JDM-for-sale_270491992888.jpg

Upside being you could put an F22 honda motor in the van and nobody would know.

Amateur Welder, Professional Grinder

No seriously, what could go wrong?
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2010-03-27
  • Posts: 605

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Chevy Lumina APV would be pretty awesome.

Also, has anyone done a VW Vanagon yet?  The problem is, you'd need multiple wings on the roof for a van, versus one on the decklid for a car.

Proud supporter of the "Bring A Sterling To Lemons" Foundation

I'll make it to an actual race one of these days.  Until then...

Lemony_Snicket's Website

  • Registered: 2010-06-08
  • Posts: 55

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

get a station wagon and start the ground effects tunnel just aft of the driver's seat. go to the height of the rear window opening. just sayin' wink

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2010-02-11
  • Posts: 156

Re: Ghettofabulous aero trickery

Zach wrote:

Aha, I stand corrected. I like that it's an inline four mounted at 75 degrees, that's just perfect for Lemons maintenance.

http://www.dragtimes.com/images-classif … 992888.jpg

Upside being you could put an F22 honda motor in the van and nobody would know.

I've seen those engines at the Japanese Junkyard importers for YEARS and always wondered WTF they went into.  Thanks!

Swap it into the old-style box minivans for moar speed!