After some extensive research, I've got the lineage of this car's development over its 4 seasons mapped out (2007-2010, inclusive). While there were many small changes across the car, the most visible external evolution over that time was focussed on the rear panels and the shaping of the rear fenders. This means the forward bodywork and chassis can carry through all versions... Le Mans low-drag nose being a notable exception.

The 2009/2010 version with the ACO's narrow-wing regulations is modeled here.

Nailed down the technical source drawings for the Peugeot 908 (2008~2010) and started CAD work over the last week or so. Much more smoothing and detail to come, but off to a solid start.

Runs of the r2 red paper test build enabled me to experiment with airflow through the bodywork. Hacking and covering various inlets and outlets, the optimal combination seemed to be an open nose intake over a splitter, running air under a modified wing-profiled bumper then leading up and out through multiple vents along the forward cowl (essentially the trailing edge of a big forward wing). More overlap down the side of the car between the front fender trailing openings and the leading surfaces of the side pods kept the airflow smooth and controlled past the rear fenders on the way to the wing.

All the cardboard experimentation I do is leading up to a set of design templates to be used for constructing the final Stratocore components.

Sad to report that the very fragile prototype LMP body has met its untimely demise. I pulled to the side of the road to make way for a passing car and drove into the couple-inch-deep fermenting algae gunk hiding against the curb around the corner. The primordial ooze dissolved the paper bodywork and cardboard prototype underfloor system; a total loss.

Test-build of the preliminary tunnel underfloor design. The Traxxas battery boxes angle up from a central low point on the underside of the chassis, so they leave some room for underfloor tunnels that the flat floor wasn't utilizing. The outlet end of the floor, and the rear diffuser, run at about the wheel/axle centerline. Aggressive, but effective...

Very rough build of the LMP evo body design using very crappy paper... Really just a fitment check and validation for the underlying model, but still can't help but zip it around on the street. This is the first time I've had a complete body, along with a useable wing and full tunneled underfloor running together.

The Traxxas runs really well with the light kit and an aero kit on. It's very fast and very stable and a good time, even in the dark.

I had intended for the aero bodywork project to be a simple "bolt on" approach which would require no (permanent) chassis modifications.

This approach imposed that many standard hard-points of the chassis be retained. The motor, the receiver radio box, antennae, the bumper... these all define the minimal boundaries of the bodywork. A place where this has probably the biggest impact on the effectiveness and appearance of the prototype style bodywork is the rear bulkhead.

After building a prototype of the twin-goose-neck rear wing and diffuser setup, it looked like it could develop even further. Also, the flat floor left quite a bit of unused room under the battery boxes which could be utilized for underfloor tunnels.

Running a very low, dynamically-loaded chassis requires precise spring and damping rates. However, the Traxxas chassis is optimized for off-road use with provisions for very long-travel suspension. Unfortunately this bias is exactly the opposite from what would be ideal for road use. In stock configuration, the front wheel rate to shock rate ratio is nearly 2:1, allowing a compact shock to take up a very long-travel load from the wheel.

LMP model needed another round of changes to accommodate some new aero ideas for the underfloor and wing-mount as well as correct some fitment and dimensional issues.

Decim8 is a brilliant iOS app designed to destroy photos through a expansive set of processors and filters. Aside from curating the selection and sequence of these filters, there is very little in actual user control. The variables built into each step ensures that no two outputs are the same.

Having addressed most of the problems small rocks pose to running the Rally in the dirt, the car would run long enough to expose yet another issue. When running in decomposed granite with its tiny granules , I noticed my steering block would eventually lock up.

I intended to avoid any permanent modifications to the Traxxas chassis to accommodate my new bodywork concepts. However, there are a couple relatively simple things which could be done to allow for much more optimal designs.

Took the back half out for a spin and it looks amazing in motion. Of course there are few places that can use some inner structue, and a few form things to change. Also have to build the new wing mount and rear diffuser. But still, this thing tearing down the street is pretty spectacular.

Quite happy with how this worked out. Fair bit of complex curved forms changing from the roof down the back, ridiculous to try in paper but totally worked. The character lines flow nicely from the windscreen screen down the sides.

Starting with the critical roof for fitment. Should fit like a glove over the motor, esc, radio box, and servo.

Decided to go with a clean, simple Prototyp // theme for the test build... will get to the crazy layered hexagonal themes in later renditions. Right now just need to focus on nailing down fitments and any other adjustments before moving forward with the design.

As the LMP body design continues to evolve, I needed to work out the most effective airflow management approach for the sidepod design.