Air intake through sunroof. Has it been done smart?

[Cyberdennis]

I got a question from a fellow Porsche driver about cooling the driver during a track day. He wanted to be cooled through an air intake above the windshield, through the sunroof. And after the track day he wanted to be able to remove the intake and have a stock car again.
What he want is something like this:


but this is a "sunroof delete" panel and an extra air intake glued to the roof and sunroof.

My idea is that you make a glass fiber skin like the sunroof and attach an air intake to the skin. Insert the skin in the sunroof hole when you have the normal sunroof in the most backward position, attach it some way in front and have some "hooks" on the bottom of the skin that locks the skin in position when you move the normal sunroof forward. The skin is squeezed between the front end of the hole and the normal sunroof but with the hole mostly open. In this area i want to make an air outlet to cool the driver and passenger with direction and flow control, like in an airplane.

Does this already exist? Have I forgotten something? Any more ideas?

[Joe Bob]

A cool shirt with a large ice cooler would be a better idea.....but hey, knock yourself out.

[brads911sc]

LOL. Its not an AMC Hornet or Chevy Citation. Leaving the "rigging" to the ghetto car crowd...

[jpnovak]

Smart Racing makes a duct that replaces the fresh air blower system. It exits the clock hole or center vent depending on mounting. This would be an option for keeping the stock look and having quite a bit of forced air.

What I can't figure out is why it cost so much!

[VZ935]

I put an air intake on my roof too but I used a cool suit for myself.

[Cyberdennis]

Originally Posted by VZ935

I put an air intake on my roof too but I used a cool suit for myself.

Was the air intake useful? Did it improve cooling for the driver much?
Since we're not racing the cars but only driving them on track days I don't think bying a cool suit will be worth the cost... At least not here in Sweden where summer is short
That is also a reason for NOT going the air condition-way when all we want to do is increase the airflow to the driver without pulling down the windows or modifying the cars.

[seymore]

Do you have an HD camera? I need to be able to see the poster on the wall better to answer the question. ; )

[Jesse16]

What I've been meaning to "rig" is a little periscope of pvc pipe (maybe 1") to blast some air at me while driving with the windows up (quieter) and sunroof open (very pleasant). I notice I can deflect a nice breeze with my hand, why not with something else. I think I could attach it with a little squeeze clamp or cloths pin type thing. Vent system has no velocity.
My old Saab had the best fresh air vent system of anything we ever owned, my wife loved it. Even in winter with the heat on, you could blow cold outside air at your face which felt great and kept you alert.

[Cyberdennis]

You mean something like this?





This works great, but there's not everywhere they allow you to drive with the passenger window a little bit open.

[euro911sc]

Here you have to have the windows down and the sunroof closed for track time. Even in the rain. Though sometimes you get an exception. I think your idea of a replacement FG panel that is locked in place by the sunroof is the best idea you are going to get.

[Cyberdennis]

Originally Posted by euro911sc

Here you have to have the windows down and the sunroof closed for track time. Even in the rain. Though sometimes you get an exception. I think your idea of a replacement FG panel that is locked in place by the sunroof is the best idea you are going to get.

Thanks! I just wanted to find out if someone had done this before and see the wrongs and rights from their build. But now I think that I will have to build it myself and then see what people think .

[euro911sc]

You could start by buying a replacement sunroof panel from a place like GT racing and then hack it up to suite your idea. Might be easier than removing your panel and using it as a mold for your FG.

There is a guy in England that makes metal SR replacement panels. It was posted here somewhere. You could contact him and he may be able to make you an aluminum one!

You could also look at a place like Pegasus Racing and get a plastic NACA duct that you could just place on the FG panel. They are pre made with hose attachment points.

Another idea would be to replace the rear side windows with Plexiglas and put the NACA ducts there like an actual race car. More of a permanent solution, but perhaps easier than fabricating the SR panel from scratch. GT may already sell a replacement window for that!

-Michael

[Cyberdennis]

Originally Posted by euro911sc

You could start by buying a replacement sunroof panel from a place like GT racing and then hack it up to suite your idea. Might be easier than removing your panel and using it as a mold for your FG.

I have one loose cable in the sunroof and I still have to fix that and therefore remove the sunroof. And the panels from these racing companies are too expensive for me when I know that I will be hacking them up

Originally Posted by euro911sc

There is a guy in England that makes metal SR replacement panels. It was posted here somewhere. You could contact him and he may be able to make you an aluminum one!

That panel is really just a sunroof delete with only a shallow print of a sunroof panel that won't work with the rest of the sunroof guides still in place.

Originally Posted by euro911sc

You could also look at a place like Pegasus Racing and get a plastic NACA duct that you could just place on the FG panel. They are pre made with hose attachment points.

I will look into that but I want to have the intake in an high pressure zone instead of a low pressure zone like above the sunroof. That's why I have to make an extension that reaches out to the top of the windscreen to grab the air.
But I will discuss this with our aerodynamics team at work

Originally Posted by euro911sc

Another idea would be to replace the rear side windows with Plexiglas and put the NACA ducts there like an actual race car. More of a permanent solution, but perhaps easier than fabricating the SR panel from scratch. GT may already sell a replacement window for that!

I still want to have the car look stock when not racing. This is not a pure race car and I have to make the insurance work for daily driving and outside parking.

But thanks a lot for all comments. That's why I posted here before I started working on the sunroof

[Jesse16]

Cyberdennis, thats the basic idea of what I want but not for DE time, just general driving. Our DE's you have to have both windows open, sunroof closed and with a helmet, not sure you could ever feel a breeze in the face. I drive my 87 10k+ per year for pleasure and work. I'm thinking smaller pipe, through the sunroof. When I make something, I'll post a picture. Fall is only 2 months away!

[juanbenae]

someone say smart? "smart" cabin air i prefer lucky....