2020 GT500 GT4 wing drain patent

Tob

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The Carbon Fiber Track Pack wing can hold a lot of water. As such it has to escape somehow as standing water/liquid over a period of time could accelerate wear or damage to the wing itself. Kind of hard to believe that Ford would get a patent for some holes at the ends of the wing but they applied for one and it was recently granted.

2019-ford-shelby-gt500-mu-43_1600x0w.jpg


__ GT500 Wing Patent Text.JPG


__ GT500 Wing Patent2.JPG


__ GT500 Wing Patent1.JPG

Patent Images


Of note, I see the same names again as on a number of other GT500 patents, Michael Stephen Sylvester, Andrew Thomas Cunningham, and Matthew Arthur Titus. These guys have done a heck of a job.
 

Tob

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Yup. Beware, they got a number of different drain "hole" configurations patented. See the patent details.
 

Revvv

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They should have done this 20 years ago. My GT wing loves to collect water.

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me32

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Glad to see ford really over looking the new gt500 car
 

carguy19

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The spoiler that held the most water ever in history was the Fox body Saleen wing. At least a few gallons sitting in there after a rainstorm
 

72MachOne99GT

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Gonna have to fill a wing up with water and film the excellence in slomo.

From several angles.

Maybe some thermal imaging to see how heat from boiling water is dissipated through the wing.
 

Tob

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I didn't used to be a wing fan and have gone back and forth many times on all of this.

On my '09 GT500 I liked the KR rear spoiler so I found one and pimped it for a bit. I started to see the car differently after a while and just wanted something cleaner so I bought another decklid, shaved the 3rd brake light and went without any spoiler. It was my favorite look of the three.

__%2009%20GT500-XL.jpg



I really liked the Track Pack spoiler on my 2016 GT350. I had no interest in the R model version but the more I learned about its function and construction the more I wanted one. At one time it looked a bit grotesque in terms of size but not anymore. Desensitized, maybe, but I think it balances perfectly with the R model front splitter and really changes the look of the car for the better.

__%20GT350%20wing-XL.jpg


__%20GT350%20wing1-XL.jpg



I spent last year in the pits at most every IMSA Continental Challenge race with Dean's two GT4 cars. At first I saw the wing as somewhat large but again, the more I learned about the materials/construction as well as how its design contributed to improved handling characteristics at speed I liked it more and more. The fact that Ford has the balls to use it on the GT500 impresses the heck out of me and still can't believe they are doing it, albeit just a little tamer what with it being mounted lower in the airstream and all. If the GT500 is all about maximizing power and performance I'm all for it.

i-HjrMQNd-X4.jpg
 

AustinSN

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I spent last year in the pits at most every IMSA Continental Challenge race with Dean's two GT4 cars.

I used to hate wings unless it was the 00R.

To me the GT500 wing looks silly, and I'll get a lot of crap for this, because it's not big enough. Similar to your experience, I found if you spend enough time at the track with heavily prepped E36/E46s, S2000s, Boss 302s/rs, Viper ACRs, you start to get used to the huge wings. The GT500 certainly has a big wing for a street car, but it seems too small so it looks goofy compared to what I am used to.
 

Tob

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The wing is very close dimensionally to that of the GT4 cars. It's the support legs on each end that were shortened that makes it seem a little smaller. If I'm still around when these are out I hope to come up with a solution for that.

Small? Nah...

i-SHRmVSP-X3.jpg
 

AustinSN

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The wing is very close dimensionally to that of the GT4 cars. It's the support legs on each end that were shortened that makes it seem a little smaller. If I'm still around when these are out I hope to come up with a solution for that.

Small? Nah...

View attachment 1549479
Yeah I guess it's the support legs that make it seem small.

BMW's like these are so popular out here. I guess that's what I see as a large wing lol.

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Tob

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I got ya man.

A wing up in the clouds like that on the street...you're gonna hear about it, from everyone.:) For a dedicated track car I agree that is absolutely the way to go if you want to maximize track performance.
 

Tob

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I'll put it here because I think it fits well. The stars aligned for just a few seconds and I was ready to pounce on an opportunity that likely won't happen again. I can't offer more detail or get into specifics but just know that it happened.

Ever since I noticed Ford engineers were playing with the real deal GT4 air foil in development I wanted one. And after seeing them in action in the respective IMSA series I knew I'd figure out a way to fit one to my own Phatass500 even after everyone said no.

GT500 CFTP aero development...

z3-2-XL.jpg



Fitting one of these takes some understanding as everything has to be in exactly the right place. Uprights are contoured to the skin of the decklid. The dogbones have a snug, one spot only, fit to the decklid underside, and the wing has to be located in just the right lateral location. I added an R style wing to my GT350 using OEM hardware (same dogbones as the CFTP car too) and it was the same way. So I made a couple of paper templates to fit under the upright bases, taped them to each other, assembled the wing/uprights, and located it on the right spot on the decklid. Much like the engineers you see in the photo above. I attached the extra decklid I wanted to use to a table using some 'Z' brackets I bent out of aluminum to make it easy to work on by myself.

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End plates attach separately on this version. Factory OEM CFTP wing uses CF plates that are bonded to the air foil section and are not adjustable.

zIMG_9192-X2.jpg



Each upright base attaches with three fasteners. So that is six total holes needed. One of the holes on each side is already there so you have to figure out exactly where to drill for the dogbones, hence the template, tape, etc.

zIMG_9206-X2.jpg


The hole to the right in the above photo is existing and as you can see, I've centerpunched the two outboard holes which will allow the dogbones to be sandwich the decklid to the upright base.

Dogbone and some freshly drilled holes...

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Perfecto!

zIMG_9210-L.jpg



Fitment is spot on. Phew!

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I was ****ing freezing my ass off. Temps in the low 20's with no gloves to be able to handle the rather small hardware this setup uses. Dogs didn't mind it though.

zIMG_9227-X2.jpg


I have to verify endplate fitment and pick the angle I'd like to stick with. I may make my own with some laser etching - dunno. Then disassemble, pickup some Oxford White paint, and drop the paint/decklid off to my body guy to weld up the three holes in the middle of the decklid that are exposed and to prep, prime, and paint. Air foil is raw and has no UV protection so I need to get a few coats of clear on it as well. Then reassemble, install, enjoy and move on to the next mod.:)

Plates are on the table in this last shot...

zIMG_9231-XL.jpg
 

13COBRA

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Big Wings: GAY AF

That's the dumbest comment I've seen on this forum..today anyways.

@Tob it's going to be killer! Can't wait to see it on your car.

Next, time to add a bigger splitter, canards, etc etc etc...... Can't stop, won't stop!
 

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