949 Racing project car - Blub

[949 Racing]

Yup, we'll start a new product announcement thread on the steering spacer once we have verified it works 100% on USDM cars.

On a separate note, we removed both bumper beams. The front unfortunately, anchors the front tow hook. So we hacked that portion out of the front beam and left it on the car, just to retain the OEM tow hook location. Can't find the weights but they are listed in the big weight reduction thread elsewhere on the forum. Dropped around 18lbs with our combo IIRC. This weight comes of the ends of the car which contributes to a lower MOI (Moment Of Inertia). That's basically the cars resistance to changing direction.

Final tune on gas was 180whp. About 5-7whp shy of what we hoped for but the AUC (Area Under Curve) gains are huge. Hoping for 190-195whp on E85 tune which we'll start working in this week.

APR bumper is 14.3 lbs bare. Haven't weighed the OEM yet but I'm guessing it's about the same. Don't expect to lose weight but in this pic you can see the additional splitter area that should help aero balance without any drag penalty. APR piece is chopper gun construction. Was hoping for something hand laid or bagged which would have been much lighter and stronger but it is what it is. None of the other noses on the market were as low drag a design nor had as much splitter surface area. 86 Cup rules let us run this nose for minimal points on our build sheet. Well worth the gains.

[ericwudi0830]

nice!

[86_IT]

Originally Posted by 949 Racing

Yup, we'll start a new product announcement thread on the steering spacer once we have verified it works 100% on USDM cars.

On a separate note, we removed both bumper beams. The front unfortunately, anchors the front tow hook. So we hacked that portion out of the front beam and left it on the car, just to retain the OEM tow hook location. Can't find the weights but they are listed in the big weight reduction thread elsewhere on the forum. Dropped around 18lbs with our combo IIRC. This weight comes of the ends of the car which contributes to a lower MOI (Moment Of Inertia). That's basically the cars resistance to changing direction.

Final tune on gas was 180whp. About 5-7whp shy of what we hoped for but the AUC (Area Under Curve) gains are huge. Hoping for 190-195whp on E85 tune which we'll start working in this week.

APR bumper is 14.3 lbs bare. Haven't weighed the OEM yet but I'm guessing it's about the same. Don't expect to lose weight but in this pic you can see the additional splitter area that should help aero balance without any drag penalty. APR piece is chopper gun construction. Was hoping for something hand laid or bagged which would have been much lighter and stronger but it is what it is. None of the other noses on the market were as low drag a design nor had as much splitter surface area. 86 Cup rules let us run this nose for minimal points on our build sheet. Well worth the gains.

Have you seen the Varis front bumper? Very similar in that is has a built-in splitter, but also has aero venting.

[949 Racing]

I'm pretty sure I researched every bumper available, including the Varis. I expected folks to second-guess our choice but I guess we'll see whether it works on track or not

[86_IT]

Originally Posted by 949 Racing

I'm pretty sure I researched every bumper available, including the Varis. I expected folks to second-guess our choice but I guess we'll see whether it works on track or not

Not second guessing at all. I just wanted to know your thoughts vs the APR. What were your concerns with the Varis?

[949 Racing]

Originally Posted by 86_IT

Not second guessing at all. I just wanted to know your thoughts vs the APR. What were your concerns with the Varis?

Any front bumper is .25 points in 86 Cup. So the goal is a one piece bumper with the lowest drag shape and biggest integrated, splitter area

Adding a separate anything that includes a splitter is .750.

The splitter on the Varis is a separate part, which by 86 Cup rules, would make it .750. Beyond that, it's ugly and higher drag than the APR. Rad opening is larger than it needs to be. If you don't need more ducting or surface features in the nose, don't add them.

Its easier to understand our choices for 86 Cup Mod class if you play with te classing calculator https://www.86cup.us/calculator/
___

On a separate note, we were a bit disappointed to find the bare OEM front bumper is only 8.6 lbs, a full 5.7lbs lighter than the APR bumper. We hoped we would lose weight. Not so. The foglights don't work in the APR bumper and are about .6lbs each, light shrouds aren't used with new nose either. So only about 4.3lbs net weight gain up front. Very much worthwhile for the 1.5" lower nose and greatly increased splitter area.

[sw20kosh]

Originally Posted by 949 Racing

Any front bumper is .25 points in 86 Cup. So the goal is a one piece bumper with the lowest drag shape and biggest integrated, splitter area

Adding a separate anything that includes a splitter is .750.

The splitter on the Varis is a separate part, which by 86 Cup rules, would make it .750. Beyond that, it's ugly and higher drag than the APR. Rad opening is larger than it needs to be. If you don't need more ducting or surface features in the nose, don't add them.

Its easier to understand our choices for 86 Cup Mod class if you play with te classing calculator https://www.86cup.us/calculator/
___

On a separate note, we were a bit disappointed to find the bare OEM front bumper is only 8.6 lbs, a full 5.7lbs lighter than the APR bumper. We hoped we would lose weight. Not so. The foglights don't work in the APR bumper and are about .6lbs each, light shrouds aren't used with new nose either. So only about 4.3lbs net weight gain up front. Very much worthwhile for the 1.5" lower nose and greatly increased splitter area.

86_IT is VERY familiar with that calculator

I agree, the Varis bumper is ridiculously ugly

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by RayRay88

I actually got goosebumps reading about the steering wheel spacer. It's probably my only complaint about the cars seating position for my height/build. Any more specs/prices/pictures or comments about install? Perhaps another thread?

Same. I need this!

- Andrew

[86_IT]

Originally Posted by 949 Racing

Any front bumper is .25 points in 86 Cup. So the goal is a one piece bumper with the lowest drag shape and biggest integrated, splitter area

Adding a separate anything that includes a splitter is .750.

The splitter on the Varis is a separate part, which by 86 Cup rules, would make it .750. Beyond that, it's ugly and higher drag than the APR. Rad opening is larger than it needs to be. If you don't need more ducting or surface features in the nose, don't add them.

Its easier to understand our choices for 86 Cup Mod class if you play with te classing calculator https://www.86cup.us/calculator/
___

On a separate note, we were a bit disappointed to find the bare OEM front bumper is only 8.6 lbs, a full 5.7lbs lighter than the APR bumper. We hoped we would lose weight. Not so. The foglights don't work in the APR bumper and are about .6lbs each, light shrouds aren't used with new nose either. So only about 4.3lbs net weight gain up front. Very much worthwhile for the 1.5" lower nose and greatly increased splitter area.

I'm intimately familiar with 86Cup rules as I also participate in 86Cup and 86DRIVE Challenge. Interesting usage of the ruleset to maximize points. Can't wait to see the times continue to drop and the development of the car.

[949 Racing]

Originally Posted by 86_IT

Interesting usage of the ruleset to maximize points

That's what we do Scott

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by 949 Racing

Any front bumper is .25 points in 86 Cup. So the goal is a one piece bumper with the lowest drag shape and biggest integrated, splitter area

Adding a separate anything that includes a splitter is .750.

The splitter on the Varis is a separate part, which by 86 Cup rules, would make it .750. Beyond that, it's ugly and higher drag than the APR. Rad opening is larger than it needs to be. If you don't need more ducting or surface features in the nose, don't add them.

Its easier to understand our choices for 86 Cup Mod class if you play with te classing calculator https://www.86cup.us/calculator/
___

On a separate note, we were a bit disappointed to find the bare OEM front bumper is only 8.6 lbs, a full 5.7lbs lighter than the APR bumper. We hoped we would lose weight. Not so. The foglights don't work in the APR bumper and are about .6lbs each, light shrouds aren't used with new nose either. So only about 4.3lbs net weight gain up front. Very much worthwhile for the 1.5" lower nose and greatly increased splitter area.

As with standard APR practice, their molded bumpers are OEM bumpers with their air dam/lip molted in.

Going with their Air Dam would have resulted in a lighter net setup, albeit, perhaps more expensive and fragile.

The point values would have been identical. If the APR Bumper has been changed where the leading edge of the bumper extends past a reasonable point of the front bumper, it would no longer function as a lip or air dam, and now function as a splitter. Splitters are specifically designated 0.75 points, not 0.25.

@86_IT no creative interpretation here. It's literally just following the rules.

[949 Racing]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

As with standard APR practice, their molded bumpers are OEM bumpers with their air dam/lip molted in.

Going with their Air Dam would have resulted in a lighter net setup, albeit, perhaps more expensive and fragile.

The point values would have been identical. If the APR Bumper has been changed where the leading edge of the bumper extends past a reasonable point of the front bumper, it would no longer function as a lip or air dam, and now function as a splitter. Splitters are specifically designated 0.75 points, not 0.25.

@86_IT no creative interpretation here. It's literally just following the rules.

We specifically got the clarification on points value for the APR GT front bumper with the 86 Cup rules committee in 2018. This is a key part of the process. If one is not sure how to interpret the rules, ask before buying parts or whipping out the sawzall

"2. The APR GT bumper is 0.25 due to the built-in lip."

[86_IT]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

As with standard APR practice, their molded bumpers are OEM bumpers with their air dam/lip molted in.

Going with their Air Dam would have resulted in a lighter net setup, albeit, perhaps more expensive and fragile.

The point values would have been identical. If the APR Bumper has been changed where the leading edge of the bumper extends past a reasonable point of the front bumper, it would no longer function as a lip or air dam, and now function as a splitter. Splitters are specifically designated 0.75 points, not 0.25.

@86_IT no creative interpretation here. It's literally just following the rules.

I was more talking about the overall thought process of the build not specifically the bumper.

[949 Racing]

Originally Posted by 86_IT

I was more talking about the overall thought process of the build not specifically the bumper.

About 12 years ago, we put together what seems to be the first marque based "Challenge" TT series anywhere in the US, Miata Challenge with Speed Ventures. Regular sponsors, points table, year end championship. Street, Mod, Unlimited class. Miata Challenge rules, schedule and format would be familiar to you as it became the template for all marque challenges to come after, including anything with the 86.

MC was an instant hit so the S2000 guys wanted one too. I helped put together that rule set. Then came Corvette Challenge and so on. It eventually migrated across the country so we see many different HPDE promoters running marque based TT "Challenges" based on points for builds with 3 classes.

One of the very first things we did upon building the first Miata Challenge rules was for the rules committee to get together and try to hack them. Brainstorming to build a "cheater" car that would dominate the class. If we found a loophole, we would amend the rules to close it. When none of us could figure out a hack, we published the rules.

Years later we began road racing and doing enduros with NASA in PT class. PT rules were also points based. Team 949 Racing proved quite adept at finding loopholes in the PT rules or more often, simply using our points more wisely. Lexan windows free, huge weight distribution advantage and safer. We would show up an out of 40 PT cars, we would be the only team with all our cars having Lexan windows front and rear. Teams using double adjustable shocks for an extra 3 pts. We would run single adjustable Xidas and use the spare points for a close ration trans and OS Giken. We won everything in sight, set track records everywhere we went and won a bunch of national championships.

So this whole thing about optimizing for the class rules really carefully, we have a bit of practice