Poll for spoiler on 3X8 cars

I have tried to get a range of information on just what the spoiler is supposed to do on our cars. Based on what you have read in the posts on the othere thread I am curious what the collective believes is the purpose of the spoiler.

1) Spoiler is for downforce
2) Spoiler is to help remove heat from the engine compartment
3) Spoiler is to reduce drag on the car "Kamm effect"

I should add that I will reveal the correct answer after the poll. From a mouth at Pininfarina!

 

4) Spoiler was to have some sort of design/style change on the "new" (must have) model

 

It is certainly not for downforce. If anything it produces lift. I have had my car up to speed and it gets very light in the rear end.

I once read that the early cars had over heating problems and this was added to deflect air down to the engine vents???

 

Did you try your car without the spoiler, too?

 

I vote for Steve's n°4, too...

 

Rear or frontspoiler?

 

+1

 

If you are interested in the genesis of the design of the 308 please read my last post on the other spoiler thread. Turns out Dr. Kamm was very influential......

 

+1

 

Or.....

4) 2 & 3

 

You know what I've been kicking around? Removing material from the deck lid and installing some sort of lexan material for a window into the engine compartment, kinda like an F40, with vents in it. Leave about 2 inches of material near the rear window and about 8-10 inches where the window would slope into the flat section, and the rest between the sloping pillars would be cut out. Leave the rear window in place. Like the 308 spoiler, it could sit up a couple of inches above the roofline to grab air rushing over the car. With all that excess volume I think it would suck alot of heat out of the engine bay. The hardest parts are making the mold to cast the window and not screwing up a perfectly good deck lid. Anybody else ever think of this idea?

 

Steve is right (#4)

Dave

 

+2 on Steve's option. Directing air down to the engine makes no sense. The area behind the rear window would be a low pressure area, and would more likely be pulling air up through the engine compartment rather than down. If it was meant to direct airflow along the hood to enhance the flow of heat out of the engine, I could see that. Downforce? Nah. If anything it seems like it would create drag, not reduce it. So if there really is an answer in one of the three, I'd say reduce heat. But I think the real answer is just to make the car look a little cooler.

 

I too wasn't sure which spoiler was being referred to. If this is about the boot spoiler on QVs, then I would vote that it was to break the low pressure zone behind the rear window that sucks exhaust fumes into the cockpit. Ever drive an early car; you'll know what I mean.

 

This poll refers to the roof spoiler. Also, there is updated information on the original thread.

 

Creates low pressure over engine louver to evacuate heat.

 

5) It was introduced on the boxers to direct air to the airboxes on top of the carburettors. The 308 has the air inlet on the side but they copied the spoiler for looks.

 

It is matched by an intake "scoop" on the bottom of the engine oil pan, on my early cars, I think they were trying to move air, from the bottom up..to conteract the normal downward pressure, caused by the rear vertical glass.

 

+1
If the thing was a functional, it was the only Ferrari performance item ever ever made with a faux leather finish. The air cooling argument is pure diversion to avoid admission of sticking on a silly fashion afterthought to counter the P-car 930.

 

Not sure there is anything Ferrari could have done on a 3x8 to counter a P-car 930

 

Good spot. Fiorovanti was the same designer. The 365 GT4 BB had a similar rear aerofoil 73-76.

 

+1

 

Just to look cool.

 

Not performance-wise, but the 308's "wing" is prettier than the 930's whale tail. ;>

 

Seems that back in 2008, this was answered on the Boxer forum:

So, I think we can safely assume it was a facelift styling transfer to the 308 by Fiorovanti from his 1973 365 GT4 BB. Whether this device shoving air onto the 308's engine cover has any significant utility is open to question.