So, it has been a while since we have had a nice drive together, as Bexgar pointed out. I, on a very personal level, have missed these outings and have been feverishly trying to put one together. Unfortunately, the rainy season is upon us in full swing. I’m looking out my window at gray clouds and failing rain; all of which is supposed to last through this weekend thus spoiling any chance of a scenic tour. Seeing as our machines mostly have summer tires on them (and in Brian’s case slicks), we are finicky about driving 50 miles away from home when rain is possible. So alas, we wait. (continue reading…)

In the conclusion to our month long look at the aerodynamic elements of modern day road and race cars, we will be looking at some of the accompanying elements that help the main aero devices do their jobs. If you haven’t read about these devices, you can take a look at the last three articles in this series: Part 1: the front splitter, Part 2: the rear wing, and Part 3: the rear diffuser. These three devices all work in harmony to achieve the maximum possible downforce with the least amount of drag. Sometimes, however, these elements need help directing air over them in the most efficient way. (continue reading…)

This is the third installment of our look at aerodynamics in cars. Part 1 was about the front splitter, Part 2 was about the rear wing, and today’s article will focus on the rear diffuser. The rear diffuser is used to shape and decelerate airflow from underneath the car. It was the cause of much controversy at the beginning of the 2009 F1 season, with Toyota, Williams, and Brawn GP having a so-called double diffuser that was assumed by the other teams to be outside of the rules. The double diffuser was allowed and made the 2009 spec F1 cars produce significantly more down force than the previous year’s spec. It is used in most forms of racing, on both prototype and GT class Le Mans cars and most formula cars, in addition to high performance sports cars. (continue reading…)

Honda recently demoed a Formula Ford with a Fit 1.5 liter engine at Road America. The Honda package is said to require less maintenance and use less fuel than the current 1.6 liter Ford “Kent” motor. The engine package will cost an estimated $12,000 dollars. This is great news to all the grassroots and beginning racers out there! Go grab a used Van Dieman or Swift chassis for nothing and start racing!

Last week I talked about the front splitter and its effect. The splitter is much more inconspicuous than what is on the plate for today: the rear wing. The rear wing does exactly what a wing on an airplane would do, just upside down. In 1738, a plucky young Dutch/Swiss mathematician published a book the explained the fundamental principle of speed to pressure ratios. Daniel Bernoulli observed that when water in pipes with a large diameter transitioned to pipes with a smaller diameter, the pressure would increase in the smaller pipe. Many years later, Bernoulli’s principle was applied to the airfoil; stating that when air flowed over a wing shape a pressure differential was created causing lift. (continue reading…)

This car is currently being homologated to race in the Super GT series in Japan. It is Honda’s aborted replacement to the NSX. It looks as though we have missed out on an amazing car to drive, but we will have to suffice with watching it race. Members of HPD (Santa Clarita’s Honda Performance Development) division have expressed hope that the car will also be sent stateside to participate in the ALMS. For now, enjoy the sights and sounds of this beast lapping the legendary Suzuka Circuit.

Supercars are fast. That’s a fact that most of us know very well. Why, though, do the faster cars have to have all of the aggressive body work that they do? The answer is aerodynamics, and it’s two pronged approach to tackling the dilemma of making a car produce less friction as it cuts through the air and making the car heavier and more stable. For the next several weeks, check back on Fridays to get a more thorough understanding of all of the elements that car designers use to create these stunning vehicles. Today, we will start at the front of the car. (continue reading…)

So with Christmas officially 5 days away it seems appropriate to post a gift guide for us car guys. If you are having trouble deciding what to get your significant other and he or she is really into cars, I have a list made up just for you. This may be just because I’m a nice guy, or possibly because my own girlfriend doesn’t have any clue as to what I might like. So here is a list the will hopefully help someone out there.

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Under threat of rain, we headed down to the Warner Center to give back by giving gifts to kids that are less fortunate. Many cars came out and several celebrities, including Jay Leno and Carey Hart. Jay brought out his rare Chrysler Turbine. Several friends had new cars, including Adam with a Ferrari 360 and Bruce with a Ferrari California. Richard made an appearance with the F430 and ended up going home with several Lakers tickets. The day ended up turning out very nice as the rain held off. (continue reading…)

Every once in a while, there are incidents involving the rare and exotic cars of the world. Sometimes these are unfortunate accidents; others involve circumstances that should have been otherwise avoided. That is to say, avoided if the drivers had some sense of self preservation that most of us have. However, being the armchair quarterback that I am, I now give you my judgment on these occurrences. Enjoy.

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