DBA/Zytek Question

[jhansen]

I was reading the Zytek write up on Mulsanne's Corner and noticed something interesting.

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/rey02s.html

Mike notes that the car was successfully crash tested for both LMP675 and LMP900 spec and could be run in either configuration.

My question is has anyone looked into this, or has this car ever been run as an LMP900?

I wonder if this would be worth while. Perhaps as an LMP900 it could be "beefed" up a bit and made more reliable and maybe run a larger engine. If you look at the car's specs it is definitely big for a LMP675. In fact last year at Le Mans it weighed in at 763kgs. So it's not even making use of its full weight advantage in LMP675 spec! Your thoughts?

[Tim Northcutt]

It ran in the SR1 Class in the FIA-SCC last year, and will be an LMP1 this year.....

[Dauntless]

Zytek's website notes that the chassis was developed to meet the specs for both classes. Also, doesn't the 675 kg minimum weight go up to 750 kg next year? In which case the car is nearly there.

In any case, it is good to see a "new" car on the grid.

[19dodge]

no, the old P675 cars can be run in LMP1 this year, under the P675 Banner. so the cars are the same spec (except for some restrictor and rear wing changes)

now, if Zytek were to run a LMP1 Spec car, that could be a diffrent case. not to sure what powerplant they would run though..

[paul-collins]

It's a reasonable question - go for the higher weight (which wasn't all that much higher, anyway, since the DBA was over 800 already I believe) and get a larger engine in there. Heck, the engine might put them over the 900 minimum all by itself!

[jhansen]

Well yes it is running as an LMP1, but that's not my point. My point was it would seem this car could be made heavier, run the larger engine, and perhaps gain some reliability due to the increase strength that the 900 cars have. That's what I was getting at.

Sorry, posted after you Paul. Yes, you're getting what I was looking at.

[bernard b]

Originally posted by paul-collins
... since the DBA was over 800 already I believe...

it was 763 at scrutineering last year (from the annual)

[JAG]

The new EVO II car that the works and Jota teams are running is significantly lighter than the Creation car. The Creation car has however, apparently, fitted a lot of the mods, including aero mods that the EVO II cars have.

Creation did look at running their car as a 900KG car this year but decided to stick with the 675KG configeration.

Next year Creation, and the other Zytek teams, have a number of options. They can stick with their current spec., with all of the extra 2005 restrictions. They could run as a hybrid car, which would require the car to run at 900KG, or they could run a totally new LMP1 spec Zytek.

The fact that NASAMAX designed and built their hybrid cars in such a short space of time means teams can wait until the end of the season before commiting to any project.

[GT1]

What woudl have to be replaced aside from the engine between classes? Ie making a suspension stronger to carry the weight?

[jhansen]

Exactly, it would be an opportunity to just strengthen the car in general, which after Monza, appears to be what is needed.

[JAG]

Surely they could run a 5 or 6 lite Zytek engine. No need to get a significanlty bigger, heavier engine.

[weeks]

You could also bolt on a couple of turbos to the current engine.

[KA]

Originally posted by JAG
The new EVO II car that the works and Jota teams are running is significantly lighter than the Creation car. The Creation car has however, apparently, fitted a lot of the mods, including aero mods that the EVO II cars have.

I've read somewhere that the new cars are possibly as much as 60 kilos lighter than the original DBA

[marcush.]

The Zytek car is definitively lighter than the Creation DBA ,but I would be very surürised if it is as much as 60 Kilos...more like 25-30 ,but let´s wait and see..
the whole cocept of the car centres on it´s light and nimble nature ,so adding weight is what you definitively want to avoid
Zyteks engine might be some lighter,and you might get a bit thru advanced materials ,but to me the car looks fairly the same sfe Michelin vs dunlop and the shift system.Aero wise and dampers ,Creation is running their own ship and the cars differ significantly in that area and where I would assume Creation has an edge on Zytek in the run up to LeMansI will not be the only one to watch out ther for a special habit of the zytek somethingh the Creation has got rid off already.what a shame we won´t see the Blue car in the big race..

[jhansen]

I don't see how adding weight would be bad. Especially if it meant strengthening weak parts of the car. The reason adding weight isn't bad IMO is if it was run as a 900 car it could run more horsepower. It's overall dimensions are quite similar to the 900 cars.

[bernard b]

the strengh of the car is it's lightweight
as a 900, it'll need a MUCH powerful engine

[Fieldgate]

Looking at the ex-DBA car before acquiring the Dallaras, it needed beefing up at the uprights/wishbone and problem resolving around gearbox/starter/mating etc.

It was a featherweight then, so intrigued as to wear they have lost the weight from.

Also unsure at the time if Zytek could produce a 4ltr engine.

Car has the best aero !

[jhansen]

It's lightweight may also be it's achillies heel so to speak. The lighweight 675 cars have had a tough time of it in the reliability department. I'm sure Zytek could make a more powerful engine. But I suppose Zytek wants to make the lightweight philosophy work. Kind of like Dyson wont let go of the MG Lolas.

I will say one thing though. The Zytek would be an awesome choice for the ALMS. Much shorter races and that car would give the Audis fits on the NA circuits.

[JAG]

Zytek have a long term plan for prototype racing, and so they have to build a 900KG car next year, or the year after at the very latest.

[JAG]

Originally posted by Fieldgate
Looking at the ex-DBA car before acquiring the Dallaras, it needed beefing up at the uprights/wishbone and problem resolving around gearbox/starter/mating etc.

It was a featherweight then, so intrigued as to wear they have lost the weight from.

Also unsure at the time if Zytek could produce a 4ltr engine.

Car has the best aero !

Are you currently looking into designing a hybrid Dallara for 2005.

[Wout]

Accoording to THIS list, the car runs under LMP1 specifications and not under 675 specs (like the MG Lola does for example). This would mean that the car has to weight at least 900 kg, but it's weight is only 708 kg. So the list is wrong or I am completely confused by the current mix-up of rules? :confused:

[Cadete]

the list must be wrong, the Zytek doesn't have the underbody and roll hoop specifications of a LMP1.

[KA]

Originally posted by Fieldgate
Looking at the ex-DBA car before acquiring the Dallaras, it needed beefing up at the uprights/wishbone and problem resolving around gearbox/starter/mating etc.

It was a featherweight then, so intrigued as to wear they have lost the weight from.

Bearing in mind that according to the 'Official Wieghts- LM2004' thread it was apparently scrutineered at 708kg this year (compared with the 763 quoted earlier in this thread for the DBA last year), then they've managed to take a fair amount of weight out of the car- Anyone have any idea of how the savings have been achieved?

[independent]

Zytek put out a press release today concerning their new gearbox.

Thought some might be interested.

http://www.lmsr.net/zytektran.html

[vandijk]

Originally posted by independent
Zytek put out a press release today concerning their new gearbox.

Thought some might be interested.

http://www.lmsr.net/zytektran.html

Just received it too -- I was wondering if anyone noticed that the team used this Electrically-assisted Gearshift System in Monza too? Perhaps it was just me who missed it...

To my knowledge no other teams use Electrically-assisted Gearshift Systems right?


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