Has anyone used Flow Visualization Paint
 

With the new F1 season testing underway, there are pictures of the cars decorated in flow visualization paint:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Ga8wgCoLE.html (video on this page)

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...bda969b6e2.jpg

The recipe is apparently florescent tempura paint (https://www.shopbecker.com/arts-and-...orescent-paint), mineral oil (to make it flow then evaporate preserving the streaks), and drops of oleic acid (to prevent the paint from coagulating). The fluorescent makes it show under a UV light).

Since there quite a few drivers here using splitters, wings, different endplates, rear diffusers, different ducts, etc. and not many or any have access to a wind tunnel, CFD with complete model, or flowing test water tank with model, maybe the "flo-viz" is an alternative? Unlike wool tuffs, the flo-viz can be examined when the car pits.

I've used it in the wind tunnel, but not on my personal S2000. It's cool for pictures, but not a useful approach to what you're thinking of. It's an iterative method, which you can't really do without multiple configurations ready.

They are an alternative to tuffs of wool, except easier to apply and hold their image after the car stops. It can identify the direction of flow, the points of separation, and from the pictures...the relative magnitude of the flows. But again...I don't have any hands on. It would seem useful on front splitters, air inlets, wheel exits, rear diffusers, the roof and rear deck, and maybe the endplates. But again, I can't speak from personal experience.

Note I got the recipe from a formula/sports racer forum. Folks that were interested to know but not really making any significant modifications. Their cars seem to be more and more like vintage racing if not outright vintage racing (e.g. Formula Fords from the 1970s, cars I was familiar with when they were new.)

I know what it's for.. I've actually used it. But what can you actually do with the data? Clean the car up, swap parts, and redo/compare. It's just too messy and time consuming for what it's worth.

Streamlines are great at marketing and pretty pictures, but not all that useful. Teams that can actually benefit, they need to pressure tap the car.

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David just do half the things you inquire about and report back :thumbup:

Wish I had the time. On top of that, I don't fit an S2000 in race trim, Spec Miata, or SRF. In the Spec Miata my shoulder joint is outside the door. Makes it hard to close the window net. In the S2000, my shoulder rubs the OEM door and couldn't mount a race seat wide enough at the shoulders. In the SRF my shoulders are tight against the frame and the forward stays block my forearms. That pretty much leaves me in late model stock cars, but the tracks around here have closed or have very small schedules with the small fields to match. On a road course they are just too fast to be safe (500+hp, <3000#. 13" wide tires) and the fields are tiny (SCCA GTA) or it is uncompetitive by a lot (NASA ST).

LOL

How well do you fit in a Corvette or newer Camaro? They really are fantastic track cars. Same with the Mustang really.

The Corvette is a very hard car to fit safety equipment in. Haven't actually tried it but did have a call with Phoenixville about prepping one. Not inexpensive.

The Camaro 1LE and the Mustang PP2 come out of the box with a setup that seems trackable. Both have kits available for a roll bar and seat; for the Mustang the roll bar mounts with existing bolt holes in the frame. That is still near $60k by the time it reaches the track and while the Camaro has trans and diff coolers from the factory, the Mustang doesn't. On the other hand, limited visibility from the Camaros high window sills could make seeing other cars...err...interesting. That was something I really didn't like about Formula Fords (40+ years ago), the two little mirrors didn't provide a really clear view of traffic behind you. And in FF, not seeing someone diving inside for a pass could have consequences.

But yes, I should fit if it has a rollbar but not a cage.

I have a safety concern running around a race track with a car that can hit 160+ on some straights. I've had a few wrecks myself and was at Lime Rock on a test day when Paul Newman ran into some trees off the main straight in a Ford Escort BDA. Full cage, but the left side door was up against the console. If it had been a left-hand drive car, that would have at least been the end of his movie career.

Running a perimeter stock car, if allowed for track days, would probably be the least expensive. If just using a regular street engine and manual trans (vs. a prepped engine and dog-gear trans) it would probably be the safest and least expensive, although it would have to be towed. Some fairly inexpensive used ones show up on Racing Junk and eBay.

Note that we still have an offset super late model in our garage and a 26' enclosed trailer on the side of the house (although a lot of lawn equipment is parked inside).

Whats your dimensions? I'm 6'3" 220# athletic build, Long legs, short torso and wide shoulders and a 6'5"-6'6" reach. It was a bitch to build a seat rail to fit the car for me but with my Sparco Evo 2 with the fiberglass on the floor pan and against the rear bulkhead I fit wonderfully. Fine enough for a handful of 2-3 hour drives on the street while I've had the car.