Interesting stuff on ALMS...and the future Sebring (??) and Le  Mans
project for
DeltaWing.

http://gordonkirby.com/categories/columns/theway/2011/the_way_it_is_no294.ht
ml

Ron  G

These guys are clueless  :)

http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-deltawing-to-build-lmp1-
car-for-20 12-24-hour-race/

Lateral  weight transfer on the front would be ludicrous just for
one of many  problems. No down force. My prediction it will never
get past testing if  hardware is ever built.

Don Fuller and Csaba should be able to tell you  that... both being
graduates of my race car engineering school  :)

http://www.rotaryeng.net/who.html

http://www.rotaryeng.net/AIAA-Paper.pdf

http://www.rotaryeng.net/Road-and-Track-69a.pdf

On  and on :)

Paul Lamar

There are several aspects of this Delta thing that bring on much
eye-rolling but just one of them is this: It should be fairly easy
to take some   old race car -- wouldn't much matter what -- and cut
off the conventional nose and fabricate some narrow front end, knock
off some approximate body work and do  a little quick and dirty
testing, just to sort of investigate the fundamental  concept.  But,
with all the big bucks being thrown at this, as far as I  know
nobody has done that.  This thing violates every principle of
downforce and weight transfer, so far as I know, in existence.  I can't
imagine being a driver and trying to outbrake somebody on corner
entry and having this thing darting all over the place.

All the "half the drag" arguments sound just like all the "twice the
downforce, half the drag" claims we used to hear in the '70s about
the latest aerodynamic wonder and none of it ever proved true.  Even
when Trevor  Harris did the original Shadow he was aiming at taking
a big leap in projected development down a predictable path -- lower
the center of gravity  and reduce the frontal area -- and there were
huge developmental issues on  details just to make the concept
drivable, let alone competitive.

As I remember, just a couple of issues with that car meant that the
realities of engine intake, exhaust, cooling and lubrication
resulted in the frontal area going back to just about where everyone
else was anyway, and the little tires and tight bodywork severely
limited the size of the brakes. And that was done by a guy who knew
what he was talking about.

If this Delta is the greatest thing since sliced bread then I say  build
the sumbitch, put a fast guy in the seat and see what he does with
it.  So far, all I think they have are lots of pictures and a roll-
around  mock-up. And a bunch of wild-eyed amazement from people who
don't know  anything about race cars.

I do understand why other people are getting involved, though.
There  is probably some money from somewhere that's being thrown around.

Just my opinion.

Love and kisses --

Uncle Don


There is a good reason not to race trikes. Remember Arte Johnson and the old
man on the trike on Laugh In. Any one who tries this is demonstrating the
possibility we evolved from Chimps. Only trouble is, the chimps are the smart
side of that family!

Dale Davies

Good point :) There is a Reliant Robin three wheel car in England that rolls over anytime an attempt is made to corner at anything over a fast trot according to BBC Top Gear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8


Paul Lamar

Thanks for that bit. I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time.
C. Smith