Most liked posts in thread: DeltaWing in 2012 LeMans

  1. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    While watching Speed's Wind Tunnel last night Dave Dispain was talking to Tommy Kendall. The subject of the Delta Wing came up. Tommy thought it was interesting but thinks that it will get in a few wrecks. Drivers will try to fit the note in a hole to pass and forget how wide the rear is, clipping the wings, so to speak.
     
  2. minimark

    minimark Well-Known Member

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    OK let's just suppose that it finishes the race and does a decent job doing it, where will it race next? If it indeed does have some sort of rear or all wheel steering system, what series would allow it?

    Maybe Panoz can make a class for it in ALMS.....?
     
  3. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Panoz wants to race fields of DeltaWings in American Le Mans Series
     
  4. minimark

    minimark Well-Known Member

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  5. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    I've heard that one before. I had the same thought myself but once the DeltaWing drivers have a little experience with it I think the greater danger is from the slower cars they're overtaking, esp. in corners. Even if the DW driver allows enough space the driver being passed needs to account for the rear of the DW when he decides how/where to cut back toward the racing line. Same problem essentially but relies on every slower driver remembering to account for the wider rear of the car instead of just sighting on the near side of the nose he sees in his rear view.

    I like the look of the black car but they may decide at least the rear half needs to be as bright and visible as possible.
     
  6. Angib

    Angib New Member

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    It's wonderful to see a racing car designed to achieve more with radically less - Colin Chapman would be jealous.

    My concern is over aerodynamics at high speed. I can see the low drag part working fine, but it looks to me like the centre of lateral pressure will be in about the same place as on a conventional race car, but the centre of gravity appears to be much further back than usual.

    This came up when discussing aero stability with my neighbour who has done the popular swap of a Subaru Legacy flat-four into his water-cooled VW Transporter (bus) and found that high speed stability has been compromised. Same issue - side profile unchanged but centre of gravity has moved back.
     
  7. minimark

    minimark Well-Known Member

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    They did say it is very sensitve to exactly where the weight is located....
     
  8. Alan

    Alan Active Member

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    Deltawing only 6.5+ seconds off fastest LMP2 time.

    Test Day Combined Times

    It needs to run with its own to have a chance. And this is at a track that emphasizes it strength - straight line speed.
     
  9. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Some video

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUBwNu_AY8I&hd=1]Nissan DeltaWing debuts on test day at the Le Mans 24 Hour - YouTube[/ame]
     
  10. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    Marino Franchitti says DeltaWing potential still untapped ahead of Le Mans (AutoSport.com)
     
  11. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    Le Mans spotter guides available for download here. Yes, the DeltaWing is included.
     
  12. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    The DeltaWing passed scrutineering today. That's a little confusing to me since it doesn't comply with the criteria for any current class. "Hmmm, which rules shall we attempt to apply? Let's have a few from this class and a few from that class..." I'm sure it's really all about safety standards.
     
  13. Angib

    Angib New Member

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    I thought the DeltaWing was "hors classement" (outside classification) and is not fitting in any set of rules - isn't it running with number '0'? So scrutineering would be about safety issues plus some general rules for the 24 Heures - it must have space (not an actual seat) for a passenger, for example.
     
  14. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    A very small passenger at that!
     
  15. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    #209 Steve, Jun 11, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 12, 2012
  16. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Nought but Red Exxes, lad!
     
  17. rkw

    rkw Well-Known Member

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  18. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    It seems so. They showed in my post when I loaded them but they're broken now.

    FWIW, the pics I was pointing to are at the first link. The interesting one (to me) is the shot of the car up on a scissor lift. Without that full front axle cradle/dolly the front of the car would stay on the ground because the narrow nose fits between the lift rails. :biggrin5:
     
  19. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Turned them into links, the Deltawing folks don't like it when you try to pull their images and place them on other sites.
     
  20. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    Those aren't working now either.

    Anyone still interested just follow the links in rkw's post. :Thumbsup: