Paul Schmidt

Hello again guys. I need your help again. To give you some back ground I have been tracking my street cars since 02. I have now been tracking and racing (only 1 race) a C5. It has all the safety gear from a rollcage to a 5 nozzle fire system. I'm having issues with heat. The fire suit plus the balaclava is burning me up. I do have a cool suit that helps but it seem the lack of fresh air is the problem. After only three 20 minutes sessions, the nose area of the balaclava was grey to a light black color from breathing in the air.

When I was tracking my street car with just a helmet. The heat or the air quality wasn't an issue. Now being wrapped up from head to toe in a three layer fire suit and all the gear, has me searching for a functional clean air source.

How do you bring fresh air into your race car? How do you deal with heat? Pictures of your system would be great. Pic's of naca ducting mounting points to routing the hose, to what ever you do to bring fresh air in would be appreciated.

spazegun2213

If you need run some NACA ducts from the passenger window, and run some tubing over and point it at you. You can also try a helmet cooler as well (which requires a new helmet).

I have 3" air intakes right above each mirror and at full bore thats a LOT of air. Most of the time I only use the drivers side one which is ziptied to the cage so I can move it easily.

Paul Schmidt

I'm glad you posted. I have studied yours from your for sale thread. I noticed you have 2 mounted on your passenger side. Where did you get the lower ducting on the passenger side by your mirror?

travisnd

Interesting... my car is a 100% race car with fire suppression etc. etc. etc. and I wear a all the gear and balaclava as well.

For me my cool-shirt is liquid heaven and keeps me plenty cool. I don't have any issues breathing in bad/hot air in the Corvette. However, I've taken a few steps to keep the cabin cooler:

1. Painted the whole interior white
2. Wrapped the H-pipe in header wrap
3. Installed DEI heat shield in the entire tunnel
4. The car is sliver (as opposed to black)

These things keep a lower air temp in the cabin to the point I don't need an extra air source. I have driven other race cars that are much hotter and Have done the NACA duct on the A-pillar and holes in the rear lexan to make air flow through the cabin... works great.

Falcon

I would get hotter than hell in my car on those 100* days until I finally figured out how to route the hose. I installed a clear NACA duct (doesn't interfer with sight line) on the passenger side between the A pillar and the outside rear view mirror and ran tubing from that duct up to and over the inside rear-view mirror and dumped it right in front of my face. Works like an air conditioner for your face. You must keep your face shield open to get the benefit, but the air is plentiful at speed.

Be sure and wear some safety goggles since every pebble/track turd/rock, sand pebble or small bird will find its way into that duct and right into your face.

I have to plug up the duct during cold weather since the air is pretty cold.

I'll post pictures tonight of how mine is routed.

travisnd

Or aim it at your crotch and wear a cup?

Paul Schmidt

Falcon

Here you go:











I noticed you had a glass roof, so that is turning your car into a microwave oven. After removing the headliner out of my car it got hotter than hell while sitting in grid so I installed some silver bubble insulation. That helped a bunch and cut the temp inside the car. You might try that on yours.

Paul Schmidt

Very very helpful, and thanks for the tip on the roof. That will get done in addition to the duct work.

BERETTA

All great ideas above
I have a cool shirt but decided it wasn't enough so I went ahead with a helmet blower, it has a filter just before the blower motor so hopefully it will catch any debri, I ran a 45 minute race in Memphis in July about 98 degrees ambient. My legs got a little warm but the helmet blower really helped me.

Paul Schmidt

This is great. It's very helpful, plus I like to see the interior of your guy's race cars. BTW Beretta, great job on your aero project.

BERETTA

Your welcome if there is anything else you need we are all here to help.
Thank you

spazegun2213

the air intake (not the naca) is actually a fabbed piece of 3" metal thin will tubing. its attached to the A pillar.

the tubing is just your average high temp hose, routed to a fan (which is great for when you are standing still in the pits. and then over to the trans tunnel. When I'm moving, I don't use that one at all.

JohnAlley

Where did you find the clear plastic piece that you mounted in the window. I am looking to add some fresh air to my car for 2012 but can't find that air intake part.

BERETTA

Ron at Discovery Parts, Fayetteville, GA

JohnAlley

Thanks for the info will get a couple coming my direction next week.