So I know the rear diffusers most likely help less than the wing and splitter, but I just like the look as well as potential benefit. However, which of these would be the more effective design? Any thoughts?

APR/Downforce


Js


Spoon


Voltex

 

I dont believe the rear diffuser has any real benefit on an S2000, especially a lowered one, unless you had a full under tray. Sure it looks good but everyone Ive talked to says they are basically a consumable because they will get ripped off the car or damaged by going off track, driving up too steep of a driveway, running over something on the freeway, etc.

Since most of the lift is created by the shape of the soft top and short stubby rear end I would put my money towards a Mugen or Spoon replica hard top. The smother air going over the hardtop should also make a wing more effective.

 

If you've managed to average 1,000 miles per year for the last 2 years of "track only" miles, congrats! I've managed to run about 800 miles on the track during the past year and professionals do that in a weekend.

Neither do I, but I wish I did.

Really? Have you maximized your seat time on a track?

So, who’s really driving????

If I could afford one? No. Did I do that to my S? No.

And how do you think he “proved” them??? Probably something along the lines of, “ add a mod and analyze the f@#k out of what one mod did and how it cut (his) time down by .03 sec on such and such a track”.

It may make the car bad!!! But I’d like a reference and familiarity with my current setup to know the difference the mod made. I never meant to imply that modding a car is bad and shouldn’t be done. That’s just crazy. I believe modifications are necessary to be competitive when racing and competing in a non-spec class, especially with the S2000.

It’s 100% “want” for me and this car.

Agreed, that is ridiculous. Hell, I changed my pads and fluid BEFORE my first track day.
Yes! Extremely different handling cars with extremely different levels of performance. I think it’s about the baseline of your car when you start learning how to drive on the track. I embrace the “run whatcha brung” mantra (so long as it’s safe) so I’m no one to tell the guy with the McLaren that he needs to start off in a car with less performance.

This ^ This is exactly what I’m trying to express by sharing my personal situation. Thanks for summing it up davidc1!
At this time, I don’t think the wing is required for me to further develop my skills and improve as a driver.
Can it make me faster? Probably.
Will it make me faster? Probably.
Can I be faster than I currently am without it? Definitely.

Nomex suit going on. In respect to the community and in order to get back on topic in a thread devoted to the aerodynamics of the S2000 in a racing and competition forum, I’ll shut up.

 

Good conversation and in the end I think I agree with you. My baseline was to do it all first and then learn to drive. Your baseline is learn to drive first and then mod. Guess in the end we would met up down the road somewhere. No idea who will get there first, but best of luck and yes I will shut up too

 

Thanks for the engaging conversation... see you down the road!

 

davidc1, you don't know what you're talking about, and I know because it took you over 8 months to install a stupid oil pressure valve

I think the blanket statement would apply in the sense that your first track car shouldn't be a GT-3!

With all the examples you gave (except the GT-3), the base car is a perfect care to start learning to DRIVE first (with proper brake pads & fluid). Make sure you know what the car does, and how to tell it what to do, before changing anything so that you know what the change did, but even more importantly you'll know what was 'less good' about the previous part (like going out on snow tires).

What at all will you gain as a driver by modding an S2k to a CR level before tracking it? You'll have to go faster, incurring more risk, to get to the limits (and mistakes) which teach you what is wrong with your driving instead of the car.

I'm absolutely exstatic I tracked my '01 for 2 years before changing a thing. I've waited far too long to add aero, but a few things got in the way and delayed that (see the yellow car in the Hard Dog add in GRM for more context).

 

Found this, from Spoon :

 

Thats great, I've never seen that one before.

 

IMO all rear wings on the S I've seen are mounted too far forward. The rear diffuser wake and wake from the rear wing should combine and this will give you far more downforce than any single system in isolation. And having aero working in a straight line is good for braking but what happens to the aero while you're turning a corner? Inconsistent downforce in the corners hurts more than having less outright downforce, because it makes trail braking and corner transitions harder. On any road course it's the middle speed sections where aero is most important, all time is gained or lost, as this determines who can corner harder, and get on the gas sooner.

A lot of wings have a neutral center section precisely because of this, by keeping downforce high at the wing tips, and low in the center lowers the tendency for pressure fluctuations across the wing under yaw at the sacrifice of overall downforce.

 

Slowcrash, that makes sense. Though can anyone here answer whether that is due to rules of the various series people race in (e.g. wing mist fit in silhouette from above) or this has just not how it has been executed?