The Phoenix - The GP Roadster Project

OK. I'll just coil an extra 100 feet of hose under the deck. That should do it.

 

So far, so good on the diffuser. I have some air gap everywhere, no contact with hot stuff. I added a layer of thermal barrier on the top of the diffuser, just in case.

 

OK, my homies. I'm back from purgatory.

First, I'll answer the obvious questions.
"Paul, Where in the actual f!@# have you been? And what the h377 happened to you?"

Well, back in August, things were going swimmingly well. I had done several track days in 2016, car was well sorted (I thought), I was getting more confident and faster. That's how one always feels, I hear, right before the bottom drops out.





Happened about 5 laps into the first session of the first day of a two-day track weekend. Oof. Car was feeling squirrelly and I was trying to figure it out. I felt like I was driving well off my normal pace, but back end of the car came around when I turned in on a high speed sweeper... and before I could correct or even go two feet in, the car had assumed a new trajectory and I was just along for the ride, into the Armco.

Sadly, I my video recording didn't start properly that session, so I didn't have much to analyze. I KNOW I had the car set up VERY loose... but I had the same settings for two days at CMP a month earlier, with no issues. When I was rebuilding the car, I found that one of my inner CV joints had failed... either in the crash, or before. I'm thinking before, and perhaps that was what I was feeling with the car, prior to the crash. And that would explain why my usual car control skills didn't do what they usually do...

So, broke my car. And bought VIR $1200 worth of new guard rail. But I was able to spot my newly painted guardrail on the TV the next weekend when the pros raced at VIR. So that was cool, I guess.

Anyway, I let the car sit for about 5 months, because I just couldn't get in the right frame of mind to work on it. Then, I did.

Left engine/bumper frame rail was mushed. So I replaced it.






Gave me an opportunity to learn some new skills, and improve my welding technique.

Now, back to normal programming.

Got things pretty well patched up. Straightened out the mushed bonnet to "good enough" and re-used my spare partially screwed up bumper cover. I decided to switch to an Aero grille instead of spending $$$ on buying and painting a new slatted grille and related trim. I like the way it looks. Kept a little Armco Green paint for street cred.




Been driving, and rebuilding my confidence in myself and the car. I had been testing much stiffer springs. While it would actually work on the track (and did at CMP last summer), it's too stiff for bumpy roads. Every bump is a car control event waiting to happen. So I've backed way off on the sway rate, and I'm backing off a bit on the spring rate. I think the new setup will be about perfect.

Hood latches had been wonky since I helped my wife ripe the nose off the car a year ago... and remained wonky after the recent fix. So I replaced them with something better... Aerocatches.





Today, fabricated a spoiler.

I'm trying to figure out how to make the backend just a bit more stable at speed. The front sticks well with the RMW splitter. The rear got a bit better (I think) with the GP2 diffuser. But I want a little less lift back there... I really want the car to sit down at speed. Since my car has more in common aerodynamically with NASCAR trucks than other MINIs, I decided to try a variation of the NASCAR type spoiler.

Ordered some 3/16" smoked Lexan, and mocked up a spoiler in cardboard to get the shape and profile right. Originally I was going to mount this with stainless hinges and turnbuckles, but then had a brainstorm on bending tabs in the Lexan and trying that. Turns out that worked well, so it simplified the whole project.

Marked and cut Lexan using the cardboard mock-up as a template.



Started off 5" high, plus 2" for the tabs.

Marked the size/shape of the tabs. Drilled holes for stress relief. Cut the tabs with the jigsaw.



Bent the tabs, using a simple jig, flat pliers, and heat gun. You have to get this stuff HOT to bend it, about 300F. Took a few tries and test fitting to get the tab angles close enough.





Then drilled holes for hardware, removed the film, and screwed it into place.




I love it. It seems plenty stiff, I can add turnbuckles later if needed. Need to sand the edge a bit to smooth it out, but it's pretty much done.