SteveH

I'm in the process of getting my next project sorted, and already have a few strong ideas regarding the direction I want it to go in. The fundamental principal is similar to Mike Rainbirds Escort in that I want it to be extremely capable on track, whilst not being too compromised on the road, and at the same time being well executed and fucking mint!
I also want to do loads of things differently and make it truly unique. One of the ideas is a carbon fibre inlet system, possibly even carbon charge pipes. So I have a few questions, any input would be massivley appreciated....

• Would i be able to make the enitre inlet from carbon? literally from throttle body to head?
• Would it be easier to make just the plenum from carbon and bolt it to a carbon covered trumpet section? if so, why?
• Would it take upwards of 2 bar (assume correct construction and sealing at joints etc) without leaking/cracking?
• I read that Stian Hafgensens Blue WRC escort's carbon inlet actually helped to cool the charge air? (I assume this is because of the thickness of the plenum walls compared to aluminium and the thermal properties of radiated heat etc)
• would carbon charge pipes be feasable?
• would carbon charge pipes cope with the hot charge air from turbo to intercooler, and survive close proximity to heat sources such as turbo's and exhaust manifolds?
• any forseeable problems with it?
• any pictures would be a great help, the more deatailed the better

Also, would it be feasable to make a carbon washer bottle/header tank?

Any discussion would be welcome, and pics of any type of inlet

Steve

Lloyd

this thread is boring, have a look at marias post about the snow covered car.

XRT_si

iTrader: (2)

Jamsports Escort has an update in Perforamcne Ford shows and talks of the carbon boost pipes he's having made up.
Somewhere to start

jacko

corse it can be done did you see how much it cost to have stains made though

there is lotts of development in something like that

gus

iTrader: (1)

would of thought the joints would take a hell of beating from the pressure inside plenum

jacko

stains was quite thick round the join and was through bolted

GARETH T

its a very big project! but its possible!

philram

iTrader: (3)

didn't stain have one snap in half at gatebil one year..

Ollie MK5 Turbo

Some pics from the Turbo F1 era .




Looks like some carbon was used.
Can’t help you on the technical side.

jacko

stains broke when he crashed it and cos it was 3k to make he didnt bother with another

SteveH

Thanks for the suggestions so far

I expected the joints to be tricky, but I will make sure they are nice and beefy! Will do plenty of prototype pics as I get to it to see if anyone can spot potential problems.

anyone got any pics of Stians inlet?

SteveH

wont be as mad as stians, not as complex. I expect to use one large throttle body and have it something akin to this

Similar in execution to swedish type inlets

jacko

i was thinking of doing one me self mate and a rocker cover

foreigneRS

couldn't cool it, but could mean that it would be heated less

SteveH

Same here, carbon inlet, rocker, and plenty of other trick bits

Thank you for that!!

SteveH

added another question to first post, in bold

philram

iTrader: (3)

on his dvd he pulls off the track at one event and lifts the bonnet to find the inlet snapped.. defo wasn't the crash

jacko

oh right i heard it was smashed to bits when it went off roading lol

gus

iTrader: (1)

header tanks shouldnt be a problem really