Rear spoiler vs Wing?

[dekman1]

Would like to add downforce to the rear on my 914-6 for track use. Any suggestions? Have no problems under 90 mph. But ay Willow Springs(esp.turn 8) and Laguna Seca she feels alittle light over 100 mph and squirrely in the fast corners. Would like not to drill holes in my trunk............any ideas?

[Conrad W Peden]

What do you have up front?

[dekman1]

Up front I have a track dam that looks like the Ultimate front spoiler that Pelican Parts sells on this web site(it's too low for street driving). For the street, I use an orginal 914-6 dam.

[Alfred1]

A spoiler seems less radical so you could try that first to see if it works. I'm looking at a poster of the Le Mans (class) winning 914 and it's curious that it doesn't have any kind of spoiler on the back or an air-dam on the front.

[SGB]

Alfred-
I've got that poster too- I think that guy just going so fast that he is floating! Look at how high the car is. That had to be on the verge of control- one little side draft and... It is hard to believe that it would be intentional.

[DonNewton]

I use an elongated front dam with the small lip spoiler in rear. Works really well at elevated speeds. I am, however, considering the addition of a wing. I'll have to see just how well my car likes the west coast tracks to make a final decision.

[dekman1]

At our last track day at Willow Springs, I spoke with Rodger Sheridan(Sheridan Motorsports.com) who told me the 4 or 6 inch rear spoiler will help but adds drag (ie. decreased top speed). He said with a wing the car sticks like glue without losing top speed. "Otto" (www.ottovenice.com) built a car and added a wing that bolts to the rear of the car(not the weak trunk lid). My front air dam seems to work but at WillowSprings turn #8( high speed decreasing radius turn), my rear wants to come around at about 100mph. Mr. Sheridan said with a wing he can go into the same turn a 140mph. So my next project is to fabricate a strut to mount a wing............robert d.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

If you go to the trunk lid, or to the rear panel, I would strongly suggest reinforcing the mounting. Tie in to the rear trunk floor at the very least--a good diagonal brace from the rear panel to the trunk floor everywhere you have the wing mounted to that rear panel should help. I've seen wings mounted with reinforcements to the transmission mount points, which were tied into the roll cage...

--DD

[Brant]

just a word of caution...
many race classes will allow a spoiler but not a wing in a production type class.....

for example PCA club racing would bump a car from production to GT just due to changing from spoiler to wing...
this may not matter for you, I just mention it.

A proper wing should mount in the pannel gap between the rear trunk lid and the fender channel... then mount to a reinforced structural area (frame) inside the trunk cavity...

brant

[lmcchesney]

Difference in spoiler and wing also is the placement in clean air. Here is an example of the elevated wing The mount is as Brant said. It enters the seam between the trunk and fender and ties into thte trunk and under support.
L. McC

[dekman1]

I want to thank everyone for their comments and photos. robert d. Is this a custom strut/wing unit or can I buy this set up? robert d.