Custom Splitter on a CDC Classic Chin Spoiler

[zquez]

So where did you acquire the ABS plastic sheets?


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Check out Sintra. Lighter and easier to work with.

I got the ABS from Piedmont Plastics in Charlotte. They also sell Sintra. I'll probably do Sintra and fiberglass for Mk II. But its just more work than straight cutting ABS and mounting it.

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[Department Of Boost]

I got the ABS from Piedmont Plastics in Charlotte. They also sell Sintra. I'll probably do Sintra and fiberglass for Mk II. But its just more work than straight cutting ABS and mounting it.

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You think so? The Sintra cuts like wood (doesn't melt) and the edges can be finished up like wood too with a little sanding.

I haven't worked with ABS in a long time but I remember it being a PITA because of the melting/boogers that need to be cleaned up.

 

[zquez]

You think so? The Sintra cuts like wood (doesn't melt) and the edges can be finished up like wood too with a little sanding.

I haven't worked with ABS in a long time but I remember it being a PITA because of the melting/boogers that need to be cleaned up.

Well you have more experience with Sintra than me so... lol. The abs doesn't melt if you use a blade that doesn't turn as fast. I used a circular saw for another project and it didn't melt and cut like wood. Does Sintra need reinforcing or is it able to stand on its own? The boogers that come with melted abs are easily cleaned up using wood working tools as well.

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[steveespo]

Router would give you nice edges with either material.
Steve

 

[Department Of Boost]

Well you have more experience with Sintra than me so... lol. The abs doesn't melt if you use a blade that doesn't turn as fast. I used a circular saw for another project and it didn't melt and cut like wood. Does Sintra need reinforcing or is it able to stand on its own? The boogers that come with melted abs are easily cleaned up using wood working tools as well.

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I'm not sure how sintra compares to ABS when it comes to stiffness.

It's probably a wash between the two as far as weight, stiffness and ease of use. I think the sintra has an advantage in that it is less likely to crack/shatter???

Router would give you nice edges with either material.
Steve

I may have to try that. I need to cut a gen 2 splitter shortly. Thanks.

 

[zquez]

A quick search shows a 6mm 4' X 8' piece of Sintra weighs 28 lbs while ABS weighs 44. Sintra has a lower melting point which makes it easier to mold. ABS is pretty rigid as far as plastics go it seems and its stress crack and impact resistant. I still think I'd rather start with something less rigid but lighter and reinforce it with fiberglass or carbon fiber. Alumalite was my first choice but it was pricey. Alumalite weighs as much as a .040 piece of sheet metal aluminum but is 50 times stronger.

 

[Department Of Boost]

A quick search shows a 6mm 4' X 8' piece of Sintra weighs 28 lbs while ABS weighs 44.

I used a 12mm piece for my splitter (probably overkill) so it weighs more than whatever thickness 44lb ABS is.

At 12mm there is no need to reinforce it though.

Sintra has a lower melting point which makes it easier to mold.

Good thing too. I don't think Alex would have bent me up/made me a diffuser if it was a nightmare to bend.

ABS is pretty rigid as far as plastics go it seems and its stress crack and impact resistant.

I have to think if you stick a ABS splitter in a gravel trap it is more likely to crack than sintra. The sintra has a bit of flex to it. Just a guess though.

I still think I'd rather start with something less rigid but lighter and reinforce it with fiberglass or carbon fiber.

Me too, but I'm too lazy! I'm all for cutting it out, drilling some holes, sanding the edges, hitting it with a spray bomb and shipping it! I just got tired typing that!

Alumalite was my first choice but it was pricey. Alumalite weighs as much as a .040 piece of sheet metal aluminum but is 50 times stronger.

I used something similar for my belly pan. It has an aluminum core though. It's CRAZY rigid and light. $175/sheet. The only real PITA in dealing with it is you have to "finish/seal" all the edges because the core is exposed. After we cut everything we trimmed all the edges with aluminum tape or heat shielding (if it was near the exhaust) and then painted it with bed liner. It was a LOT of work!

I'm not sure if I would want to use it as a splitter. I don't know how you would finish the front edge so it would stand up to road/track debris.

 

[mot250]

Cool thread!

I picked up a CDC Classic Spoiler but didn't like how it left a huge empty space behind it to create a lot of turbulance, especially after comparing it to the 2009 Challenger R/T I hadn't usefully and and the later Mustang GTs.

I also noticed how flexible I was.

I need to try to find the pictures I took during and after and post them later.

Rather than going the spitter route (more street than track) I decided to just "box in" the area behind the spoiler. I used some aluminum square tubing and some lengths of aluminum angle to serve as a support structure, most of which went behind/above the stock bumper cover. To those I added a few lengths of aluminum 1 inch flat stock that I ran into the back of the and on top of the lip of the CDC spoiler. I tapped threads into as much of the aluminum as possible so that it could all be removable with a screwdriver (rather than trying to get to the top side for nut/bolt combos) from underneath. Sandwiched between the spoiler lip and the fore-aft aluminum flat stock I used fiberglass wall board (from Home Depot - one 4x8 sheet makes 3 full structures). I cut the section in half so that I could maneuver the two pieces above the spoiler lip without bending it and possibly breaking it during installation/removal.

It runs from the spoiler to the front of the wheel opening. It certainly stiffened up the chin spoiler.

But I'm interested in the rest of your aero discussions as I'm still thinking of possibly adding more to it to serve as a belly pan under the engine in combination with hood venting to both reduce underhood heat and serve as air extraction from under-hood an reduce front end lift.

 

[zquez]

I used a 12mm piece for my splitter (probably overkill) so it weighs more than whatever thickness 44lb ABS is.

At 12mm there is no need to reinforce it though.

Me too, but I'm too lazy! I'm all for cutting it out, drilling some holes, sanding the edges, hitting it with a spray bomb and shipping it! I just got tired typing that!

A 4' X 8' piece 13mm Sintra is 53.6 lbs so only marginally heavier than 6mm ABS but probably stronger. Maybe I'll do that instead. I really don't want to mess with fiberglass if I don't have to.

Good thing too. I don't think Alex would have bent me up/made me a diffuser if it was a nightmare to bend.

I made the fender flaps out of ABS and had to heat them up to mold them. From what I can tell, the ABS just takes longer to heat up and also tends to stay rigid right up until it just becomes rubber.

I have to think if you stick a ABS splitter in a gravel trap it is more likely to crack than sintra. The sintra has a bit of flex to it. Just a guess though.

Maybe, maybe not. ABS has some flex to it as well. It has to bend every time I pull into my driveway and it scrapes. lol

I used something similar for my belly pan. It has an aluminum core though. It's CRAZY rigid and light. $175/sheet. The only real PITA in dealing with it is you have to "finish/seal" all the edges because the core is exposed. After we cut everything we trimmed all the edges with aluminum tape or heat shielding (if it was near the exhaust) and then painted it with bed liner. It was a LOT of work!

I'm not sure if I would want to use it as a splitter. I don't know how you would finish the front edge so it would stand up to road/track debris.

I think I've seen some people use alumalite type stuff and just put weather stripping around the edge. lol




Maybe we're just grasping at straws. Maybe I should just have a couple laser cut out of Tegris like NASCAR and be ready to replace it if I go off track and mow the grass.

 

[zquez]

Cool thread!

It runs from the spoiler to the front of the wheel opening. It certainly stiffened up the chin spoiler.

But I'm interested in the rest of your aero discussions as I'm still thinking of possibly adding more to it to serve as a belly pan under the engine in combination with hood venting to both reduce underhood heat and serve as air extraction from under-hood an reduce front end lift.

Thanks!

I too thought of doing what you did as a basis for mounting a splitter as well as a good upgrade for if I made the splitter a track only piece.

I was inspired by this racecar.

That guy's diffuser also got the gears turning in my head. I have no idea how he bent up those strakes.

What kind of ideas do you have for the rest of your aero package?

 

[dontlifttoshift]

Those strakes would have to be 2 pieces welded together at the peak. I don't know how else you could make them. They sure are bitchin.

 

[PLee]

I was inspired by this racecar.

That guy's diffuser also got the gears turning in my head. I have no idea how he bent up those strakes.

^^AWSM.

 

[Department Of Boost]

I think I've seen some people use alumalite type stuff and just put weather stripping around the edge. lol

We thought of that but couldn't find any that would look good.

Maybe we're just grasping at straws. Maybe I should just have a couple laser cut out of Tegris like NASCAR and be ready to replace it if I go off track and mow the grass.

That sounds inexpensive!

 

[Department Of Boost]

That is pretty sweet right there!

 

[Philostang]

Love those strakes. I was also thinking they were a 2-pc welded design. Really nice work.

Aside from the work involved in fabricating the splitter out of a fiberglass composite, is there any other aversion? You can do one up with a balsa core to be very rigid and the material cost shouldn't be super high (depending on how thick you want it). Just a thought.

Best,
-j

 

[zquez]

Those strakes would have to be 2 pieces welded together at the peak. I don't know how else you could make them. They sure are bitchin.

Those are some pretty inconspicuous welds then because I can't see them. lol The only other way I can think is that he made a mold and stamped them out. Which is not exactly the easiest or cheapest way to do things most likely. But he does have a full griggs and cortex suspension so maybe money was of no issue.. haha

 

[Department Of Boost]

Aside from the work involved in fabricating the splitter out of a fiberglass composite, is there any other aversion? You can do one up with a balsa core to be very rigid and the material cost shouldn't be super high (depending on how thick you want it). Just a thought.

Best,
-j

Fiberglass would get a bit heavy, but that process is doable.

908SSP did his a similar way. Foam core with a carbon fiber shell. It turned out real nice.

Doing it out of Sintra/ABS is about 1000000000 times easier though.

 

[Department Of Boost]

But he does have a full griggs and cortex suspension so maybe money was of no issue.. haha

Must be nice!

 

[leviathon]

that is a sick nasty car, whose is it?

Thanks!

I too thought of doing what you did as a basis for mounting a splitter as well as a good upgrade for if I made the splitter a track only piece.

I was inspired by this racecar.

That guy's diffuser also got the gears turning in my head. I have no idea how he bent up those strakes.

What kind of ideas do you have for the rest of your aero package?

 

[zquez]

that is a sick nasty car, whose is it?

Jack Mauer. But I think he sold it.