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Page last modified 09:05, 9 Feb 2012 by internetscooter
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User:Internetscooter > Scooters > Dry Lake Racer > 2012 Updates

2012 Updates

From $1

    Table of contents
    1. 1. 9/2/2012

    9/2/2012

    Ok - before I start this update I'll state upfront that won't be able to make racing in 2012 :( but the good news is that I have the go ahead for 2013 :)

    This is a long post as I have had a few things on the go and they are all just starting to produce results now, which means in 2013 I should have  a pretty mean machine!!!

    1) CFD Modelling

    After many many hours of banging my head against free OpenFOAM CFD software I am now getting sensible results with my 3D scanned Vespa :)  I am able to calculate drag and how much power I need at what speed. I can also visualise the problem areas. I've evolved the motorbike example, which comes with the software, from  20 minute "toy" result, to something that is way more accurate that runs over 24 CPU hours (with more accurate runs planned). I can do a decent run over night, so this gets me a few hundred virtual salt runs before '13 and so I can tweak the body work and make it perfect :)

    2) Bits and Pieces

    The next part of the puzzle was producing the said bits above. Yesterday I took delivery of my CNC set-up :) Jeremy who fitted the KDX head, kindly retrofitted steppers to my mill head. So now I can model the bits in CAD, pop them on my virtual Vespa, race it on my virtual salt track, and then use the CNC to help produce them!

    3) Gearing and better manifold

    After the last dyno I found I needed taller gearing and higher rpm. So I rebuilt the bottom end with a taller 4th (that wasn't available a few years ago) and built a new shorter, free flowing manifold. I dyno'd the scoot last night and using the CFD results and the actual power results I should hit 105 mph! The manifold had an air leak but we found jetting improvements with the old one (and more to come with more jets). 

    20120209dynoVsCFD.png

    So I have a lot to keep me busy preparing. Especially since I have now changed my target. It was 100mph, however Tony O'Brien in the UK just got 100.5mph. So I am now aiming for 107+mph with better aerodynamics and some radical engine modifications (more on that later when I have something to show for it). Oh - am I planning a Philip Island trip this year to confirm top speed and get used to riding it at those speeds ;)

    Cheers,

    Paul

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     20120209dynoVsCFD.png
    dyno results against what power is required to overcome aerodynamic drag
    		30.42 kB09:04, 9 Feb 2012internetscooterActions
     paul mac graph 165 main feb08-12.pdf
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    		125.83 kB09:06, 9 Feb 2012internetscooterActions
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