TPS Tunnel Plate-$149.99
-1/4" Thick Aluminum
-Reduces in car temperatures
-Eliminates creaks and chassis flex
-Over 2x as thick as your stock c6 or 4x the thickness of a C5 tunnel plate.
-Works for all C5 & C6 Corvettes
-Made in the good ole USA by Dace MFG (BoutX)
Mike Mak
TPS Motorsports
TPSMotorsports.com
180 E. Sunnyoaks Bldg #3
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone #: 408/370-1477
That's a good deal, but aluminum does not reflect heat well so it really doesn't reduce in-car temperatures after some time. Same for steel. Putting a ceramic or similar coating would make a world of difference. One other note, tunnel plates improve nvh(noise, vibration, harshness), but don't do much of anything else. They do nothing for torsional rigidity or resistance to bending (realtionship of front and rear of chassis going from straight to curved. Think of taco). I see people incorrectly stating that they make the car more rigid. In order to increase the rigidity of the corvette chassis and the bending resistance as well as increase the frequency of the chassis it will require a properly designed cage structure with far more than the safety required structure of most race organizations. Critical parts of the chassis need to be triangulated for that to happen. Proper design and limited rule restriction is key.
That all being said, I run a coated 1/4" tunnel plate to keep down on the heat in the cockpit. Especialy on hot track days. The exhaust is pretty much enclosed on three sides the top being the tunnel plate so there is a benefit to the part.
That's a good deal, but aluminum does not reflect heat well so it really doesn't reduce in-car temperatures after some time. Same for steel. Putting a ceramic or similar coating would make a world of difference. One other note, tunnel plates improve nvh(noise, vibration, harshness), but don't do much of anything else. They do nothing for torsional rigidity or resistance to bending (realtionship of front and rear of chassis going from straight to curved. Think of taco). I see people incorrectly stating that they make the car more rigid. In order to increase the rigidity of the corvette chassis and the bending resistance as well as increase the frequency of the chassis it will require a properly designed cage structure with far more than the safety required structure of most race organizations. Critical parts of the chassis need to be triangulated for that to happen. Proper design and limited rule restriction is key.
That all being said, I run a coated 1/4" tunnel plate to keep down on the heat in the cockpit. Especialy on hot track days. The exhaust is pretty much enclosed on three sides the top being the tunnel plate so there is a benefit to the part.
Trackboss,
I would have to respectfully disagree with some of your statements above.
#1-Torsional Rigidity –The tunnel plate DOES offer torsional rigidity. It may not be as good as a roll cage but it definitely helps. Creaks are reduced.
#2-In car temps are reduced with a thicker tunnel plate. LG Motorsports have done several tests regarding Ceramic Coated vs Non-Ceramic coated and the difference is minimal when the car is moving because the air is traveling through the tunnel and helps cool the plate. Since the aftermarket plate is thicker it also prevents more heat from travelling through to the cockpit.
__________________
Mike Mak
TPS Motorsports
TPSMotorsports.com
180 E. Sunnyoaks Bldg #3
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone #: 408/370-1477
Email #: MikeM@TPSMotorsports.com
That all being said, I run a coated 1/4" tunnel plate to keep down on the heat in the cockpit. Especialy on hot track days. The exhaust is pretty much enclosed on three sides the top being the tunnel plate so there is a benefit to the part.
I dont' want to sh*t all over this thread, but I do want to bring truth to it. I stand 100% by my statements above. I have no financial gain from any of this. Saying a product eliminates chassis flex is not true for this product. Creaks and rattles may be reduced, but it is very minimal and really has nothing to do with torsional rigidity in this case. It more has to do with dampening. Think of rubber band. The more places you secure it the less noise it will make when stretched and let go. The tunnel plate acts as a shear plate, but it is oriented incorrectly to help torsion in any way. It would need to be turned 90* in two planes to be effective in that way and at that point it is no longer a tunnel plate.
It's the same thing as those who think strut tower bars in mustangs make them stronger. The do nothing (well maybe reduce nvh) but add weight and get in the way. I've been building cars almost two decades and been involved in racing since the late 90's. There are a few things I've learned and I'm just passing them on here.
If LG believed tunnel plates made the cars stronger he would have ran one in his own WC C5 several years ago. Instead he used insulation for the heat. A friend of mine who was a part of the program said it came straight from LG the tunnel plates do nothing and that is why they were not on the cars.
Air does not travel through the tunnel plate much simply because it has no where to go. Think of the truck bed and tailgate myth. Putting the tailgate down allows air to flow through it (increases drag and reduces milage), but with the tailgate up air simply flows over it. Air is just like water. If the cup is full it cannot continue to be filled. The only way a significant amount of air would pass through the tunnel would be if there were holes put in it. For there to be be continuous travel of air there needs to be an entry and an exit. There needs to be a pressure gradient for there to be flow.
Thicker material will simply take longer to saturate with heat. It will not reflect it. It will add weight.
2002rich,
I got my own tunnel plate form a cf vender here in CA that advertised a sale a couple years ago. It came coated. I don't remember who it was. You would have to search around. While I disagree with what TPS states he does have a good price on the product so an option would be to purchase his plate and have it coated.
I got my own tunnel plate form a cf vender here in CA that advertised a sale a couple years ago. It came coated. I don't remember who it was. You would have to search around. While I disagree with what TPS states he does have a good price on the product so an option would be to purchase his plate and have it coated.
I dont' want to sh*t all over this thread, but I do want to bring truth to it. .
Well... I sure would hate to see what you would say if you were not ****ting all over this thread because you pretty much trashed the hell out of this thread. I still stand by my claims and many other Vette owners will say the same thing that the tunnel plate did help stiffen up their chassis...
Do you work for a "Anti-Tunnel Plate" organization or something?
__________________
Mike Mak
TPS Motorsports
TPSMotorsports.com
180 E. Sunnyoaks Bldg #3
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone #: 408/370-1477
Email #: MikeM@TPSMotorsports.com
Mike, it sounds like the tunnel plate would be even more beneficial if it were coated. You might want to include coating as an option. Also, what would the installation cost be? Thanks, Keith
Mike, it sounds like the tunnel plate would be even more beneficial if it were coated. You might want to include coating as an option. Also, what would the installation cost be? Thanks, Keith
We're working on the coating part
__________________
Mike Mak
TPS Motorsports
TPSMotorsports.com
180 E. Sunnyoaks Bldg #3
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone #: 408/370-1477
Email #: MikeM@TPSMotorsports.com
That's me. Anti tunnel guy. Anyway I'm only bringing truth the the part. Not trashing you. If you didn't notice I actually suggested to another to purchase from you. I try to purchase from local businesses myself when I need anything. Just trying to give you some knowledge on a product you are trying to sell.
I dont' want to sh*t all over this thread, but I do want to bring truth to it. I stand 100% by my statements above. I have no financial gain from any of this. Saying a product eliminates chassis flex is not true for this product.......
I wholeheartedly disagree....
While it doesn't "eliminate" chassis flex....(thats a strong word), it most certainly increases torsional rigidity and does help the chassis do its job (allowing the suspension parts to better do theirs from less frame deflection).
Anyone thats reasonably mechanically inclined and knows there car well will feel the difference immediately. Especially hitting inclines on an angle such as a driveway etc. My top used to creak hitting driveways on an angle so as not to scrape the lower valence as badly (my car is lowered).....installed the plate and presto no creaking and groaning from the top because the chassis (and ultimately the car) was simply not flexing as much....this is a fact and cant be disputed.
Think about it.....you have a thick very rigid plate now tying both sides of your chassis together via the reinforced structure connected to the plate on both sides and ultimately both sides of the chassis. The rails are going to have a much more difficult time flexing independent of one another now. It just makes sense and by far the majority of the people who have installed this mod have experienced similar "goodness" from its installation.
I say go for it.....big difference from stock to the 1/4" plate....didn't notice much stepping to the 3/8 version of the same. Both of the plates I tried are aluminum btw and I kept the 3/8 in there because it has to be stronger and wasn't much heavier in aluminum anyway.
-Tony
PS....Trackboss...Im curious if you actually experienced one in your car or are you simply making a rather strong negative statement based on other peoples opinions?
Last edited by Tony Mamo @ AFR; 12-28-2009 at 05:04 AM.
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TPS Tunnel Plate-$149.99
