Delta Wing Discussion ONLY

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by crooky

Anyone else think it's time to call it a day on the Deltawing?

It's high point had to be the reasonable run at Le Mans followed by the 5th at Road Atlanta but ever since it moved into the ALMS/USCC full time it just hasn't lived up to potential. The new engine/gearbox seems to be woeful and the closed cockpit design makes it the ugliest car on the grid.

Looks like they will after this year, if not next year. It won't survive the P2 shift.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by crooky

Anyone else think it's time to call it a day on the Deltawing?

It's high point had to be the reasonable run at Le Mans followed by the 5th at Road Atlanta but ever since it moved into the ALMS/USCC full time it just hasn't lived up to potential. The new engine/gearbox seems to be woeful and the closed cockpit design makes it the ugliest car on the grid.

Quite possibly but before they do I would like to see one thing happen and that's all of the D-Wing incarnations and derivatives race each other.

[Rcz]

Retired the DW? Yes, and then bring back the original one.

The Original DW finished a 10 hour, 1000 mile race. Think about that.

And that one was just a heavy modified P2 with some touring car engine in the back of it.


The DW cars that came after are built from the ground up by Panoz, and are failures from bad workmanship. It's too bad because it's a good fun concept ruined by ones ego. I think somebody else should try to race the DW concept.

[EDR1998]

The current iteration of the DeltaWing DID finish last year's Petit Le Mans, barely missing a podium finish. It also finished at Road America - but both races saw the car have gearbox issues, hence the new gearbox design.

It should be noted that the car has not had a gearbox problem since Daytona...

[jasonjessica09]

Originally Posted by EDR1998

The current iteration of the DeltaWing DID finish last year's Petit Le Mans, barely missing a podium finish. It also finished at Road America - but both races saw the car have gearbox issues, hence the new gearbox design.

It should be noted that the car has not had a gearbox problem since Daytona...

Still I'd rather see the current version go away and run in one of the GT classes. I wonder if that thing will be homologated or get to run as a special exemption like the prototype does. I'm not sure if I'd rather see in GT3 or GTLM though.

[kvenom]

I know its Jalopnik, but this is a fascinating, albeit, messy read:

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/how-to...its-1710090096

[miatanut]

Originally Posted by kvenom

I know its Jalopnik, but this is a fascinating, albeit, messy read:

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/how-to...its-1710090096

I read enough to conclude Dr. Don got Jalopnik's ear and his main support for his position seems to be a couple critically important contracts that somehow never got signed. Maybe they never got signed because the folks who didn't sign them wouldn't agree to some of Dr. Don's conditions?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by kvenom

I know its Jalopnik, but this is a fascinating, albeit, messy read:

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/how-to...its-1710090096

I thought it read quite well but a lot to absorb. Thanks .

[HJJ]

http://www.racer.com/wec-le-mans/ite...c-deltawing-gt

[joeb]

Originally Posted by HJJ

http://www.racer.com/wec-le-mans/ite...c-deltawing-gt

Well now, when does he expect a G56 entry? The 2016 and 2017 cars have already been announced, then again, those plans could easily fall through.

[Rcz]

Swappable battaries engines, that would be a game changer indeed.

[deggis]

Panoz's vision, which would break another barrier if it can be achieved, calls for quick-change battery units that would allow the DeltaWing EV to complete stints equal to the leading GTE cars by swapping battery units in the same time it would take to complete a normal refueling pit stop.

Admirable but I think reality is calling... not even Formula E attemps to do that just yet.

[Lanky Turtle]

Originally Posted by joeb

Well now, when does he expect a G56 entry? The 2016 and 2017 cars have already been announced, then again, those plans could easily fall through.

Maybe he thinks they can get a Garage 58 or Garage 60 entry since they're expanding the field the next two years

[Akrapovic]

DeltaWing seem to have problems making a basic car work, and they want to make hot swppable battery packs? Even Nissan didn't make the ZEOD version work very well.

But I thought the DW was meant to be going to a GT based entry? That interests me because it's the first time the DW would actually compete legally in a class. To then put a battery into it and stick it in Garage 56 again takes that away. If the DW is going to prove the concept then it needs to compete on a level ground.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

But I thought the DW was meant to be going to a GT based entry? That interests me because it's the first time the DW would actually compete legally in a class.

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/11814...ets-2015-debut

[joeb]

Originally Posted by HJJ

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/11814...ets-2015-debut

So we may see it at Petit! Sounds good to me. Interesting that they aren't sure what category to put it in, GTE or GTD. Any word on potential drivers yet?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Just when you think it had all gone quiet, DeltaWing announce a full 2016 IMSA schedule.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122402

[Akrapovic]

I thought we were meant to see the DW GT last year? And now we're getting another year of the Prototype? :-\

[chernaudi]

I'm thinking that the DW GT is vaporware until Don has to mothball the DW. Which considering that he's the main owner of the original DW IP now and he's part owner of IMSA and IMSA has to at least pay lip service to the past with the ALMS and also to the ACO, the DW P will keep racing until god knows when.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

I thought we were meant to see the DW GT last year? And now we're getting another year of the Prototype? :-\

They have a good driver lineup again, so at least they are keeping some people employed.

http://www.deltawingracing.com/news0...ltawing-racing

I'm a little confused as to why they didn't have a true color picture of the car. Especially since the press release makes mention of the new livery and how it pays tribute to the past. Wouldn't you want to highlight that with a picture in your press release?

[BSchneiderFan]

https://twitter.com/IMSA/status/685147881465090048

Here's the new livery. Very smart, even if the shape of the car remains dog ugly.

[BullMan]

Having seen the "DeltaWing GT" at Petit, there is no way that thing would have been ready for PLM in 2016, let alone the Roar. It was a hollow shell with no doors. I've seen Hot Wheels with more detail.

[davehenrie]

Originally Posted by BullMan

Having seen the "DeltaWing GT" at Petit, there is no way that thing would have been ready for PLM in 2016, let alone the Roar. It was a hollow shell with no doors. I've seen Hot Wheels with more detail.

That sounds fmiliar, didn't Panoz have difficulties getting their last GT car built? Sorry foggy brain here, but I remember poorly aligned body panels, and other issues that delayed it's introduction. It may not have even had a engine....
dh

[Coach Ep]

I don't care how many posts will be spend on Panoz' (past) creations but please, please, NO pics of the A-sushi and DWGT thing!!!

Thank y'all so much!

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by davehenrie

That sounds fmiliar, didn't Panoz have difficulties getting their last GT car built? Sorry foggy brain here, but I remember poorly aligned body panels, and other issues that delayed it's introduction. It may not have even had a engine....
dh

The Abruzzi did "demonstration laps" at PLM one year before it ever raced. It was in development hell for awhile it seemed.