Project ASS2000:
Custom Splitter Build Part 1

With the CR lipped bumper cover back on the car, we positioned the cardboard template so we could start to fine-tune its shape before transferring it to the high density foam core material we’d be using during final production. You’ll notice we removed the one remaining wheel well liner from the car, since it was badly chewed up (from tire rub from the previous owner’s track day tires) and was getting in the way a bit. We’ll install new wheel liners eventually. Maybe.

From there we started to play around with different lengths and shapes for the part of the splitter that protrudes out past the front lip. The contour really isn’t critical to the performance of the splitter, but it does have an impact on its appearance. We could have just traced the contour of the lip, but in the end we settled on something a bit more stylized. We also settled on a 4-5” protrusion past the bumper lip, since we felt this offered good visual balance and based on some wind tunnel studies I’ve read it’s also a suitable length in terms of optimizing the tradeoff between downforce and drag.

Having settled on a final shape, Kevin then traced it onto the 3/4” thick high density foam core. Kevin bought the core material from a surf shop that was going out of business, but you can buy it from a composites specialty shop. Kevin described this material as being a lot like MDF, in that it’s stiff yet very easy to work with, but unlike MDF it’s also extremely lightweight. This entire panel weighs about 5 lbs.

Just like you would with MDF or plywood, Kevin cut the shape using a jigsaw, intentionally leaving it a few inches long along the leading edge so we could position it on the car one more time before committing to a final profile.

With a few last-minute tweaks, we settled on a shape and Kevin dialled it in for a precision look and fit.

He also rounded off the bottom edge to help smooth airflow to the underside of the splitter, plus it’ll reduce the likelihood of catching the lip on anything. After test fitting he also discovered three spots on the subframe where the splitter needed to be clearanced so the splitter could be mounted parallel to the ground.