Lola T260 CanAm

[Meluion]

Could anyone tell me why the air inlet-pipes are uneven? And why are they so high?

[Kudosdude]

I'd have posted this on the technical forum - but anyway;

The "inlet pipes" are often called trumpets, as you can see they are flared to allow greater air flow.

The lola (as you probably know) is a V8, what the engineers look like they were trying to do is to make the trumpet flaring as large as they could thereby encouraging airflow, the only way to do this was to alter the heights on every other trumpet. Most trumpets do tend to be the same length

The science of trumpet lengths and their effect on bhp and torque is somewhat complicated and it's more of a black art than you might think. There really are considerable gains to be made by adjusting trumpet length - hence variable length inlet trumpet systems as seen in F1.

The only other possibility is tuning every other cylinder differently (doubtful).

nb; i've just noted the flares are angled away from each other. Looks like theory one is correct.
Hope that helps

[Meluion]

I read in a magazine that this car once made a wheelie!
The rear wing was to blame; it's position was even before the rear axle.

[Kudosdude]

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[Meluion]

Originally posted by Kudosdude
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What is it that you don't understand?

[Kudosdude]

The rear wing was to blame; it's position was even before the rear axle.

Sounds like hocus pocus to me. I bet they didn't have enough front downforce . . .

[Meluion]

Look at the position of the rear wing (models of Lola T260), a rear wing is far more effective when it is placed further to the back of the car right?

Ok, together with the absence of some front downforce and the wrong placing of the rear wing this car made a wheelie
(I'm still searching for a good side picture of this car)

[Wouter Melissen]

If the wing is mounted before the rear axle it would prevent the car from flipping.

[Meluion]

Ok, You've convinced me, than that magazine was just jabbering.

Could you explain me more about (possible) advantages that the constructors could have when they build the rear wing just behind the air-inlet trumpets?

[Kudosdude]

Theories come and go, if you look at how racing car design has changed over the years you'll see that while trumpets remain, air boxes have come in.

For very interesting intake trumpets click here

They are for the Panoz LMP. With the desire to keep frontal area low and the disadvantage of keeping the engine at the front, this is how they reduced their disadvantage.

Very clever these techie bods

Anyway the frontdoor for the sight is here