360 Challenge Oil Cooler/Radiator

This can be done and makes a significant impact to gearbox temperatures but I'd really like to ask you a few questions about your rationale for considering this in the first place. The Modena's standard (abet smaller radiator does just fine for normal fast road/occasional track blast applications). Unless your racing I cannot see the point as it adds weight and only gives benefit for continuous hard use.

This gearbox cooler upgrade was originally implemented by Ferrari for Challenge racing series cars to ensure that the heat soak from circuit racing laps didn't cause any heat damage to the gearbox. Are you racing your car around a track for long periods? If so then this can be a worthwhile upgrade. Have you measured the temperatures in the engine bay and are worried about heat fatigue?

I assume you are not running the standard factory exhaust system (which is both heavy and restrictive). A very good way to prevent a lot of the heat build up is to also look at ceramic coating of the full exhaust system from headers to tips. This reduces 80% of the heat from the engine bay and not only helps keep the entire engine bay (and gearbox) cooler it also helps reduce fatigue of all the wiring, sensors and ecu's in the engine bay. It also reduces intake temperatures which improves power.

...Back to the question.

This isn't just a plug in and play upgrade and requires significant upgrades so you have to be dedicated. You'll need to be running a plexiglass rear window in the first instance (junking your original heavy glass [heated!] Modena back window) with a plexi-glass air ducting vented version and you also need to remove engine lid standard remote opening and go to racing fixing (see item 19 on engine lid) - this is because the central lock gets junked and that's where the radiator evacuates its air from, into the challenge grille. The air enters the radiator from the plexi-glass out straight out into the challenge grille. From the Modena, the oil cooler radiator was originally relocated from its default place on the RH upper side air duct vent at the side of the car and made significantly larger to fit the bigger space/packaging available. This is how it gets its improved efficiency. It also opens up the possibility to use this side air intake to vent further air into the air box. Normally on the Modena only the LH upper side air duct is responsible for bringing in cool air into the air boxes. When you relocate the radiator from its factory road position you can improve ram air effects which helps improve power by a few bhp, particularly at the higher rpm's range.

An improved rear plexiglass design is available in the aftermarket arena for significantly lower costs than from Ferrari. Costs £420 + VAT for a rear plexiglass screen with Air duct. Quote, "Thermoformed polycarbonate rear screen with re-designed air intake scoop - The air intake scoop now bolts to the main screen to prevent the cracking as seen on all genuine Ferrari screens.Screen has black border around perimeter".

http://www.plastics4performance.com/Lexan--Makrolon--Perspex-race-and-rally-windows-and-window-kits/FERRARI---Lexan--Makrolon-polycarbonate-windows/360-CHALLENGE/Ferrari-360-Polycarbonate-windows/Ferrari-360-Challenge-Rear-screen/p-288-346-616-874-764/

Let us know what your considering this for and I may be able to help you further.
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Hi Trev, is it possible to change the heated glass to the Plexi-glass used on the Stradale but still use the original engine bonnet? How much heavier is the heated glass compared to the plexiversion?

Thanks!

 

Yes its possible and this company does indeed offer (if you ask them nicely) to manufacture this Plexi-glass rear window WITHOUT the air scoop fitted for the same price. This effectively gives you exactly the same window as the official CS rear window but at a tiny fraction of the official Ferrari list price !!!

I know a few people that have approached and been successful in doing this using this company (I believe Spider Scott on here is one of them).

I cannot remember off hand now but its substantial and worthwhile, think it was around ~10kg saved, will need to go back to my sheet to confirm exact figures. Don't forget you'll also need 2 central stays (normally manufactured in CF from Ferrari) which can be made cheaply in Aluminum and suitably bent to match the curvature of the window as well as a couple of window rubbers so the window doesn't scratch against the bars when it gets hot. Finally you'll need the window sealant and plastic screws.

All of the other bits you need except the Plexi-glass window and CF stays are relatively inexpensive from Ferrari. I think my original Ferrari window was circa $5000. If this would have been available to me when I did my lid I would have probably gone this route and saved a tonne of cash

 

Sorry, one last thing I forgot to mention is that on the original CS window there is indeed a lip on the carbon vents which prevent the from 'lifting' up when it gets hot with the engine at full operating temp's. The plastic honeycomb ones obviously don't have this recess so you may need to seek an alternative set of vents. Having said that though the challenge cars don't have them though so perhaps its not even a problem??

I know that the 360 GT cars dropped the inclusion of plastic vents all together and the entire window was plexiglass with vent shaped holes cut down the window where the original vents went.
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