Quote:
Originally Posted by nasportscar
I'd like to see Trans Am go only TA2, get rid of the wing, put on a lip spoiler and have 50+ more HP and call it good
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The TA2 cars already have "lip spoilers" - or splitters, for an easier differentiation of the two. I think what you MEAN to say is that you want them to have BIGGER ones?
But they'd need more than that to really be able to take over as the headline class.
The big problem with bumping TA2 up to headline quality is that they're heavier - about 300 pounds over the TA1 cars. And they're on spec chassis that were designed explicitly to produce cars that meet that weight minimum with minimal variance despite differing engines and bodies. There's more wiggle room for weight reduction on an LMP3 car, and nobody can seem to agree on how much weight could be removed from them.
Here's the idea the guys I've talked to(who are actively working as mechanics on a full-time TA2 entry) feel need to be done to make TA2 ready to headline.
1: Two-inch wider tires. Wheel design can make it possible to fit these without having to change any suspensions components, though one would have to change for sure...
2: Upgraded shocks. The bulk of the suspension wouldn't necessarily HAVE to change, but to get the most out of the widened tires, better shocks would be a must.
3: TA1-spec splitter and wing.
4: Add not an extra 50, but an extra
150 horsepower. Despite being production-based, the engines in TA2 are extremely well-made, robust, and tuned well under what they're capable of - they only produce around 500 horsepower, and these guys figure you could squeeze out 700 or more before you induced major reliability problems, so 650 should be very easy.
5: A stronger rear differential and half-shafts to handle the power. These parts are the most common points of failure on current TA2 cars and would have to be upgraded if the engines were expected to give more power.
They figure these changes would cover around 70-80% of the current performance gap between TA1 and TA2, while costing well under 70-80% of a current competitive TA1 budget - even if this did bump up the cost to current TA1 prices, the attractiveness of a car that's easily convertible between the two classes would likely induce additional interest regardless.
As for getting rid of the wing, when I asked about that they pointed out that the wing design in TA1 was explicitly designed to produce similar downforce and drag to the old spoilers, so that'd be a purely aesthetic change. I'd still do it, personally, because I think TA needs to go back to branding itself as "stock car road racing" to help it's identity, and the going from the wing to a spoiler will help sell that identity.
(yes, this is one of VERY VERY FEW instances where I think a purely aesthetic change is necessary - the fact that there's no performance effect if it's done right DOES enter into it)