How to reduce front lift?

[Alex]

I am looking for some ideas on how to reduce front lift without putting a big spoiler on the front.

What can be done?
Cutting holes into the back of the fender?
Using Carbon sheets and close off the fenders from the bottom to reduce air getting into the whell well?

How about a custom front lip that you can mount under the spare tire tray which is nice and small and discrete.

Do not forget...I have a Split......spoilers are not an option.

Thanks,

Alex

[vujade]

for one I would think putting a panel under the front axle from the front apron to the bulkhead to cover that area and make it smooth would reduce alot of lift

vents in the reat of the front fenders would also help reduce lift and drag (like the JSport Racer)

[Andy White]

Alex,

Here are a few suggestions for some subtle mods that you can do to keep the front end down without resorting to spoilers and vents.

I'd either lower the front a little more or raise the back slightly to increase the rake and downforce on the car. Aerodynamics play a very important role in the handling characteristics. Also, the lower you go the less air underneath and less lift.

You can also make quite a lot of difference by just shifting some weight forward. For example, mounting the battery behind the spare wheel. As much weight as possible should be in front or over the front axle but even shifting weight from behind the rear axle forward has a positive effect. The general idea is to balance the weight of the rear engine set-up.

Hope this is of some help!

Regards,

Andy.

[Alex]

Need more infos please.

Alex

[Chris Percival]

How stock looking do you want the front of the car? Maybe a low level splitter would be quite subtle and would minimise air going under the car?

[Pillow]

Good post Alex! I have been wondering the same thing as well.

On the later cars front spoilers/slpitters are easy, but maintaining the early look and stuff is tough.

Look at the Porsche 911/930 Slantnose. It has louvers above the tire on the wheel well and some other odd things like that. Granted I would not louver my early fenders.

The curvy nature of the Beetle pluss the flat windshield really play hell with its aerodynamics. Just like the 911.

I have seen people weld in weights below the spare tire to keep the front down at speed... I hate to add weight, but it is effective. Also the battery relocation is good as well of cource... Granted then the spare tire needs a new home! So it is a no win there.

After all this ramble I still do not have any good ideas on the matter though :(

[kdanie]

After some thought on this I have a few ideas.....
Mount a semi hard plastic spoiler under the front, back a bit from the apron so you can't see it too much. Make it as low as you can stand.
Fabricate a front pan to streamline the front suspension/steering area.
Mount some flexible plastic skirts (black) where the running board bolts on, shouldn't be able to see them unless you get down and look under the running boards. Make them as low as you can stand to have them.
Drop the nose a little.
I think you would end up with a slight low pressure area under the car and should help stablilize it at speed.
You could try some NASCAR type aero stuff like pulling the front edge of your front fenders out and pushing the rear edge in a little. Might look dorky but you won't know unless you try it.
ken

[Chris Percival]

There could be a few problems with a spoiler under the car that is set back. Normally with a build-up of pressure in front of a spoiler the air escapes up and over the car, and also round the sides of the spoiler. If you were to have a set back spoiler, it would need to be dished enough to trap air and force it out either side and stop it going under. Even so you are still going to end up with a high pressure area under the front of the car which might work against any work done by the spoiler in reducing air-flow under the rest of the car.

Another idea, though more work would be to have an air scoop under the front of the car, which would then duct the air out at the rear of the front wings (fenders). This way you wouldn't have a front spoiler, but you would not get the buildup of high presure under the front. You could even mount oil coolers etc in these ducts.

Just some thoughts..