Greetings, fellow auto enthusiasts! I'm Josh, the proud owner and operator of Blue Spot Autowerks. While my daily grind is in the tech sector, my true passion lies in the realm of auto sport. With a background in Mechanical Engineering and Sales, I embarked on a journey that merged my professional expertise with my love for high-performance vehicles.
My automotive journey began at an early age when I started tweaking and tuning cars for that extra kick of speed. Transitioning to motorcycles in my early adult life, I learned invaluable lessons – some the hard way, leaving scars as a testament to my dedication. Over the next decade, I frequented various racetracks along the Eastern coast of the U.S., fueling my adrenaline and honing my skills.
As life unfolded with a career progression, marriage, a child, and a move to the Pacific Northwest, my track days took a back seat. However, my passion for speed persisted, leading me to trade my leathers for the keys to a 2011 Porsche Boxster and eventually to my current pride, the 2021 718 GT4. The journey was nothing short of exhilarating, and I'll save the rest of the story for a future blog post.
The Porsche 718 GT4 is an exceptional vehicle straight from the showroom, ready to conquer the racetrack. Yet, as any enthusiast knows, there's always room for improvement. One area that caught my attention was the car's Aero package. While the factory rear wing provided two settings for downforce adjustment, I craved more.
Exploring options to enhance downforce, I initially considered raising the rear wing. However, I aimed for a balance that wouldn't compromise the low downforce setting or the car's aesthetics. Further research revealed an alternative – additional Angle of Attack (AoA) settings by incorporating more mounting hole positions to the wing riser brackets. And so, the journey to combine reasonable extra height with an additional AoA position began.
The Phases of Innovation_
Phase 1 Model and Study I meticulously studied and fully modeled the factory riser bracket in 3D CAD, drawing on my extensive career experience. The result was a model aligned with the OEM's published AoA settings, serving as a baseline for design.
Phase 2 Integration of Changes I extended the vertical supports by 24mm, providing extra height, and simultaneously reinforced them to handle potential increased downforce values. An additional front mounting hole was added to achieve 3 degrees of AoA from the factory high-downforce setting.
Phase 3 Prototyping Utilizing my FDM 3D printer, I created initial parts in ABS, refining the design through multiple iterations. The fit was commendable, prompting a move to the next phase.
Phase 4 Functional Prototype Outsourcing work, I had a set of risers crafted in Aluminum alloy, undergoing test fits, finishing touches, and a sleek Flat Black paint job. The moment of truth arrived as I mounted them onto the car, marveling at the transformation.
Phase 5 Real-world Testing Venturing into the real world, I tested the risers through street driving, autocross, and track days at Portland International Raceway. With around 100 laps on the prototypes, each lap hitting approximately 140 MPH twice, the risers proved sturdy, showcasing noticeable changes in aero balance, especially in high speed turns.
Phase 6 Refinement and Community Feedback Incorporating valuable feedback from the community, I refined the design, enhancing visual aspects, and offering both standard and 24mm taller versions to cater to diverse preferences within the GT4 community.
Final Phase Business Venture The positive response to the riser brackets, coupled with the demand for additional products, led to the realization that Blue Spot Autowerks was more than just a passion project. In the latter part of 2023, I formalized plans for the launch of Blue Spot Autowerks, marking the beginning of an exciting venture into the world of high-performance automotive enhancements.
Stay tuned for more updates and exciting releases from Blue Spot Autowerks!