Sauber-Mercedes C9

[Nick F40]

I have a question, I am building this kit and was wondering about the front wheel well, the kit has the openings, but of course, the box art, instructions, build up, internet buildups and pictures, have the covering. I have seen a couple cars, http://leslie.co.nz/models/images/gallery/C9/c9m_5.jpg http://www.pit-stop-distribution.co.uk/ima...ars/SICA07a.jpg this is HPI's 1/43 replica of the "unpainted" car http://www.hpi.lt/shop/images/993.jpg that have open slots, now these are on the earlier versions of these cars so did they go to the coverings later, as with the '89 24 hour winner? But what is the point of this, better aero? did it help with the making it faster then the rest? I always thought vents were for cooling and letting hot air escape, so this kind of seems weird to cover, anyone have full info? I like the BBS wheels on the earlier cars.

The Tamiya kit has nice aluminum stickers but to slightly bend them and apply they would just come off and wouldn't stick right and I'd have to make them out of styrene but I like the look of the vents so I'm doing the vents, I was just wondering about them though.

Any input is welcome and appreciated.

[CAL]

I have a question, I am building this kit and was wondering about the front wheel well, the kit has the openings, but of course, the box art, instructions, build up, internet buildups and pictures, have the covering. I have seen a couple cars, http://leslie.co.nz/models/images/gallery/C9/c9m_5.jpg http://www.pit-stop-distribution.co.uk/ima...ars/SICA07a.jpg this is HPI's 1/43 replica of the "unpainted" car http://www.hpi.lt/shop/images/993.jpg that have open slots, now these are on the earlier versions of these cars so did they go to the coverings later, as with the '89 24 hour winner? But what is the point of this, better aero? did it help with the making it faster then the rest? I always thought vents were for cooling and letting hot air escape, so this kind of seems weird to cover, anyone have full info? I like the BBS wheels on the earlier cars.

The Tamiya kit has nice aluminum stickers but to slightly bend them and apply they would just come off and wouldn't stick right and I'd have to make them out of styrene but I like the look of the vents so I'm doing the vents, I was just wondering about them though.

Any input is welcome and appreciated.

I am not sure what you are talking about.

The louvers over the front tires?

Those were an aero device to change frontal down force by add or subtracting.

[Nick F40]

Yes I'm talking about the louvers over the front wheels and the cover that's supposed to go over that.

So they used them to add downforce and take away? how'd they do that?

[CAL]

Yes I'm talking about the louvers over the front wheels and the cover that's supposed to go over that.

So they used them to add downforce and take away? how'd they do that?

I think back then they just change the whole nose.

Now days they can replace just that louvered panel with more or less louvers.

It works like a chimney. The more agressive the louvers the more downforce. The less agressive the less frontal downforce.

This can be done by the number of louvers and how tall they were.

Covers would take away frontal downforce. Of course, this also change the rear grip of the car.

Le Mans is considered by a large a low downforce track. Lots of long straights some sweeping corners and few high downforce corners.

Weather is always another consideration.

Edited February 16, 2009 by CAL

[Nick F40]

Ohhhh, so since this car didn't really run more than LeMans, the covers were the only one saw, because of the low downforce of LeMans. I always had a general idea of fender louvers and effects with cooling/air direction and downforce but never really knew fully.

[CAL]

Ohhhh, so since this car didn't really run more than LeMans, the covers were the only one saw, because of the low downforce of LeMans. I always had a general idea of fender louvers and effects with cooling/air direction and downforce but never really knew fully.

No usually you have car special built specifically for Le Mans, or at least major body work. Other tracks would typically have much different set ups and aero work.

And no those louvers really had nothing to do with cooling, it was all aero.

Edited February 16, 2009 by CAL

[Brendan]

The C9 ran more races than just Le Mans. For low downforce tracks, they ran with the vents covered. For high downforce tracks, they ran with them open. You're trying to get rid of of high and low pressure coming off the tires when they spin at high and low speed. And they were also used to help draw heat from the tires, especially under breaking. Back in the day they didn't use argon or neon gas for the air for the tires. So when the break rotors got hot under breaking, it would actually affect the pressure. The vents were used as a way of drawing heat off the tires. Hope this helps.

[Nick F40]

That very much helps, as know I got a full understanding. I was just wondering about them becasue I love the body so much with the vents and was wondering why they had these covers on, the aluminum tape rectangles, in the kit. I'm still building the LeMans version but going to have open vents.

Thanks Brendan and Chris.