Subaru Impreza Pikes Peak

[MadMatt]

Hello guys,

I have started a project that is about the development of a bodykit for the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRC to compete at Pikes Peak. This will involve the creation of the bodykit in 3D (using CATIA V5), and CFD simulation (using STAR-CCM+ V7). I will not really post all what is happening on here (read my post until the end to know why), but this thread is open for questions, remarks and comments (I would be happy to hear what you think about it, good and bad things)!

To give news and present progress in my project I have created a blog. I find this quite a nice idea since I have many friends that are of course not registered here so it would be pointless for me to just tell them to check this forum. So I invite you to check my blog, eventho there is not much at the moment, I will update it regularly:

>> CLICK HERE! <<

Here is a picture of the base WRC car to wet your appetite:



On a more personal note, as I will have to find a job starting at the end of September, I hope my project can sort of show what I can do, and maybe help me to find a job! Cheers for reading and thanks a lot in advance for your feedback!

[Alonso Fan]

very nice!

have you already come up with a plan on what the bodykit will look like, or are you open to suggestions?

[machin]

Awesome! looking forward to reading more,

FYI: There's a "Time Attack" Impreza (with huge front and rear wings) in this month's Racecar Engineering (Aerobytes section). Might be interesting to you...

[MadMatt]

Cheers guys for the interest!

very nice!

have you already come up with a plan on what the bodykit will look like, or are you open to suggestions?

Yes, I have already done a basic Pikes Peak version (which I will show next week probably) but short: revised from bumper, new splitter, end plates, front diffuser, winglets, cooling vent on rear door and relocation of radiator at the back, new rear wing assembly, rear diffuser, rear flaps, extended rear wheel arches. I will then CFD this base setup and see where I can improve. I will post something on the blog today regarding the objectives of my project.

Awesome! looking forward to reading more,

FYI: There's a "Time Attack" Impreza (with huge front and rear wings) in this month's Racecar Engineering (Aerobytes section). Might be interesting to you...

Yes I have seen it, thanks for thinking about that mate! I can say that my version (which is based on the 2008 model btw) is gonna be a bit more "extreme" than this one, thanks to the extra engine power. There is also "Gobstopper 2" which is Roger Clark's new time attack car, that ironically is kind of the same spirit as the one I am creating so it will be interesting to see what we both come up with!

EDIT: Or maybe you meant the June edition (I was thinking about May)?

[MadMatt]

I have updated my blog with a new entry regarding aim and objectives of my project including numbers

>> HERE! <<

[flynfrog]

You may want to read the rule book. If you are not planning to put a cage in it you wont run. Also how do you plan to make enough power for the DF goals you have set. You also have to remember your starting altitude. Cool project keep updating the thread.

[MadMatt]

You may want to read the rule book. If you are not planning to put a cage in it you wont run. Also how do you plan to make enough power for the DF goals you have set. You also have to remember your starting altitude. Cool project keep updating the thread.

Rule book regarding the aero is free in the unlimited class which is where I am going to "compete" (again my project is purely CFD simulation and CAD modelling, not really building the bodykit). Engine power in excess of 800[bhp] is achievable on the Subaru engine, for sure even more, but let's put a limit there. Altitude effect will be measured as well, but the objectives I have set are at sea level. Good points that you are raising there however, especially the altitude effect, because from my calculations 30% of air density is lost at the summit!

[MadMatt]

I have updated my blog with some CFD stuff, so should be interesting for you guys there, eventho it is not yet the WRC or my Pikes Peak version! This will come very soon Let me know what you think!

>> HERE! <<

[MadMatt]

New entry on my blog regarding CFD meshing:

>> HERE! <<

[jamsbong]

Do you have access to other CFD package? You can double check the Drag values using different CFD ware. OpenFOAM is a very reliable one.
Are you using ANSA for meshing?

[flynfrog]

Matt I really enjoy reading your blog but it would be nicer and you would get more feedback posting the info here instead of just links to your blog.

[MadMatt]

Do you have access to other CFD package? You can double check the Drag values using different CFD ware. OpenFOAM is a very reliable one.
Are you using ANSA for meshing?

I might have access to Ansys but you do understand it takes time to learn a package so I will stick with Star-CCM+ which has been proven. I have done few experiments in the past including comparison with wind tunnel testing and it matches so I am not worried. Not to mention all the top motorsport teams using it as well. I am using Star-CCM+ to mesh the model.

Matt I really enjoy reading your blog but it would be nicer and you would get more feedback posting the info here instead of just links to your blog.

Cheers! I will post info there next time!

[jamsbong]

I might have access to Ansys but you do understand it takes time to learn a package so I will stick with Star-CCM+ which has been proven. I have done few experiments in the past including comparison with wind tunnel testing and it matches so I am not worried. Not to mention all the top motorsport teams using it as well. I am using Star-CCM+ to mesh the model.

Of course i do, i have learnt many cfd software including fluent, starcd, sctetra, openfoam.
Have you try doing transient sim? It is more interesting to see a REAL flow in CFD than a steady state one.

[MadMatt]

I might have access to Ansys but you do understand it takes time to learn a package so I will stick with Star-CCM+ which has been proven. I have done few experiments in the past including comparison with wind tunnel testing and it matches so I am not worried. Not to mention all the top motorsport teams using it as well. I am using Star-CCM+ to mesh the model.

Of course i do, i have learnt many cfd software including fluent, starcd, sctetra, openfoam.
Have you try doing transient sim? It is more interesting to see a REAL flow in CFD than a steady state one.

In the time scale I have to complete this project I will stick with this software. I will also not do transient simulation. I understand it is very interesting, but why not doing this after the project! I first want to have a good car version in steady state, and then why not. I will first make a baseline Pikes Peak model, which I will simulate and see where I can improve it.

After few iterations I will have a more advanced version that I will simulate in yaw and at different altitudes to replicate Pikes Peak conditions. Transient simulation takes a huge lot of computational power and setup time which I won't have for this project, but for sure it is interesting!

[jamsbong]

Sounds like you have a tight schedule. Well good luck with the project! Be sure to update your blog when you can.