![[Car Image]](./GRAPHICS/SmallImage.gif)
Location: Perth, WA, Australia
Car: 1988, MkI, Super Red
Mileage: 130000 km
Hi, my name is Travis Morien and I am a 21 year old Chemistry and Materials Engineering student at the University of Western Australia.
My car at this stage doesn't have any "real" mods to it, just a Momo Shuttle steering wheel and Phantom style Momo gearstick, and projector style driving lights, which are excellent. I am testing out a product called Mecacyl (see www.mecacyl.com) and am reporting on its effects to the mr2-digest. So far the product seems to be good, but testing isn't complete, wait for an artical in mr2.com some day when my trials are finished!
When I have saved some money, I want to install Koni Adjustable Shocks and Eibach Progressive Rate Springs, a swaybar (possibly Whiteline) and lower profile tyres on bigger rims.
I am also looking at trying to improve the aerodynamic and thermodynamic efficiency of my car: as has been discussed in depth lately on the digest.
First I will wrap the exhaust componants with insulating exhaust tape, and make a cold air box assembly for the intake. I am thinking of making up a scoop to go on the left side of the car, and having the air filter directly feeding out of this scoop, setup to get a ram effect at speed. In addition I would modify the vents on top of the engine lid, perhaps cutting them out and replacing them with mesh, and placing powerful fans on the lid, setup to suck air out of the engine bay. Beneath the car air fences and ducting would direct air from under the car up through the engine bay, thus lowering the pressure beneath the car that causes lift, and depositing it above the engine in the vacuum that forms behind the cockpit. This might even smooth air flow and reduce the coefficient of drag. I am seeking all info I can find on automotive aerodynamics and studying the textbooks, it is interesting stuff, but if anyone has or knows of any good books on the subject, drop me a line and I'll check it out!
Ground effects kits for sports cars supposedly don't work, but nonetheless I would be interested in trying to construct one. Ground effects are when air gets compressed under the car in specially shaped tunnels, and is then allowed a sudden expansion at the end of the car, creating a good vaccum which pushes down the end of the car. The Maclaren F1 has a series of diffusers to facilitate this expansion, as well as uses fans to assist the expansion. I am not sure if such an effect could be made on the underside of a humble MK1, but if it can be done, hopefully I would like to do it!! I may waste a bit of fibreglass, but I'll do the kit myself, it should be fun.....
Another interesting possibility is making bonnet ducts like on an F50. These ducts are specially shaped to draw air from underneath the front of the car, preventing front end lift. Patrick Roberts has done just this, and has written up his project on mr2.com, look it up under the information articals.
Travis
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