on the effectivity of oversize wings

This is an ice racer.

I teamed up with a friend to run it in a Chump race earlier this year, but did not get to drive as the transmission blew several hours in and we did not have another one. It has road raced before with fairly decent results and apparently goes like hell on the ice. The owner was tired of it and gave it too me. Free race cars are kind of like free herpes but what the heck, I had room in my lean to for it.

It is a 1986 dodge Colt. Fairly ordinary except that it sports a 2 liter mitsubishi Turbo and the power to weight is very fun. But anyway, I am trying to decide what to do with it, although more chumping seems like the best solution. And wondering about the wing. Is it slowing it down, or actually doing some good in the faster turns? I don't know how the top speed is but no doubt it would be more without the wing. What is the critical speed for downforce to take effect with a wing that big?

Twin stick?

That kind of wing is especially useful when sideways. So maybe that is where it was great at ice racing.

Clearly though the big advantage is the overhood cam engine

Knurled wrote: That kind of wing is especially useful when sideways. So maybe that is where it was great at ice racing. Clearly though the big advantage is the overhood cam engine

Lol that's funny right there.

Sweeet! Yeah, I'd venture a guess that it slows you down a lot on any road course with a decent straight. Next chump race, take it out in practice and do some laps with and without, then make the call based on lap times. If you run it at a sallower angle, it might actually be beneficial at most tracks, with that much angle, probably only going to help you overall at autocross/ice racing speeds (say 60 mph), but it depends on the specific track layout. Generally, aerodynamic features have a greatly diminishing impact under 50-60 mph.

Another benefit of a wing like that - with those huge endplates, it'll help keep the car pointed in the right direction if it starts to slide. Might help make it much easier to drive with a loose (oversteering) setup.

Whatever you do, don't let it sit too long. That's usually a death sentence for a cheapo race car.

[URL=http://s117.photobucket.com/user/kevlarcorolla/media/the%20barn%20and%20miata%20wing%20080.jpg.html][/URL]

I'm a fan of BIG wings

I say take the car to a lapping day at the same or similar layout track to where you expect to run and do some testing.Wing with angle changes vs no wing will tell you what's best.

I have talked to the brick -house Mustang guys at some lemons events I have ran. They also run a huge offset wing, and have tested both ways. Consensus, slightly slower bit worth the for the added stability. Car is point and shoot with wing and a little loose without. For track and speed reference, NJMP lightning, foxbody with a na 2.3.

Woody wrote: Twin stick?

That was my first question, too. Are you and I the only ones who get excited about the prospects of a twin stick?

SkinnyG wrote:

Woody wrote: Twin stick?

That was my first question, too. Are you and I the only ones who get excited about the prospects of a twin stick?

I also love twin stick Colts.

Sorry Not really Well versed on old dodge colts, so what's a twin stick?.

bearmtnmartin wrote: Sorry Not really Well versed on old dodge colts, so what's a twin stick?.

Exactly what it sounds like.

So it's a Spicer 5+4?

The super modified guys in our ice racing say that the side plates have more effect than any down force from the wing.

some time ago, one member had a highly modified and very fast Honda CRX. He tried a wing similar to the one pictured. Said that it made the car more stable .

iceracer wrote: The super modified guys in our ice racing say that the side plates have more effect than any down force from the wing. some time ago, one member had a highly modified and very fast Honda CRX. He tried a wing similar to the one pictured. Said that it made the car more stable .

I agree,I built a 3 element rear wing for an AE86 ice racer but used lexan for the end plates that started not far from the windshield and followed the shape of the car and extended a few inches behind the deck lid of the hatch.That thing was unspinnable,down the straight I didn't notice any more forward bite so clearly downforce was less effective than the rudder the end plates created.

Found a pic....I never said it was pretty

[URL=http://s117.photobucket.com/user/kevlarcorolla/media/100_0765.jpg.html][/URL]

Wow. That wing makes this one look small. I think the purpose of the wing on my car was for bite in the turns. Being an ice racer I don't imagine that top speed played a big part.

But I most likely won't find out whether it's faster with or without because I think I'm going to sell it. I already have three race cars. If anyone is interested let me know. I'll put it on Craigslist at some point.