dtfastbear

Ok, I'm finally ready to go public with our build. I've got enough invested now that there's no turning back!!

Here's the deal. I'm working with Evil Genius Racing of Davis, CA and Miller Motorsports to build an LS1 powered miata race car. This group worked together to win the 25 Hours of Thunderhill this past December. We've also got a Western Endurance Racing series championship under our belts, so you can probably see where this is heading...

Anyway, here are the goals for the build:

- The car will never see the street. It is a 100% dedicated track car.
- We plan to do HPDE with it to shake it down, then take it sprint racing in NASA SU or SCCA ITE.
- Assuming that goes well, we're going to run at least a couple 4-6 hour WERC endurance races with it (ES class).
- Assuming THAT goes well, you could see this car vying for the overall win at the 25 late this year...

Here's what we've got and where we're headed:

- The donor is a 91.
- We've already got a full cage in the car (75% complete), thanks to John Pagel and Clint at Evil Genius Racing. The cage is beautiful. We're tying it in to the A pillars, windshield cross member, tranny tunnel, front frame rails and the seatbelt towers. Even with all the torque of the LS1, this car will have a fighting chance when it comes to rigidity!
- We're going with the full V8Roadsters kit, including the Ford 8.8 rear end option with the uprated axles and CV's. Since the plans are to go endurance racing with the car, we bit the bullet and went for the "good stuff" right away. We contemplated using the CTS diff for our "first car" but in the end decided the proven reliability and widely available diff options for the 8.8 were the way to go.
- The car's interior, including the dash and ALL of the crap behind it (heating, ventilation, etc.) is all gone. Aaron Braverman of Marin Sound Werks in San Rafael is going to be working some of his high-end custom electronics fabrication magic to make us something light, minimalistic but beautiful for a dash/console.
- The engine is from a 2002 Camaro. The T56 is from a 2001 Camaro.
- John Pagel, owner of Evil Genius Racing, is going to build the diff (already have an aluminum case, going with a Detroit Locker and 3.55 RP, I think) and go through the tranny, as these are his specialties.
- We're already talking about fitting an accusump, as nothing sucks more than grenading a V8 and dumping 7-10 quarts of oil on the track for your racing buddies to slide through... Your thoughts on this are appreciated!
- We're going to start with a pretty basic spec miata suspension with sitffer front springs. We've got some options of where to go from there, as we have adjustable Koni's and JRZ's sitting around from previous ITA efforts.
- Brakes! Still not sure what exactly we're going to do. We're contemplating everything from bbundy's Mini set up to something custom that EGR has put toegether using 3rd (2nd?) gen RX7 calipers and an E30 rotor in the front and the 2001+ MX-5 sport option brakes in the back, as they bolt right up. To get the car rolling on the track, we'll probably just use 1.8 stock brakes or a set of early Wilwood "big brakes" from another miata that we have.

Current Status:
- Cage is mostly in the car as noted above. We're waiting to get the engine in and framerails welded up before we decide how to tie the cage into the front of the car before we finish the cage.
- We're ready to do the fab work in the engine compartment to make room for the engine/tranny. John might be doing this as I write this...
- I've got the wiring harness and will be sending the PCM off to PoconoJoe (from LS1Tech) for a computer reflash to get rid of the stuff we don't need.
- Subframes are off the car.
- Sanderson compact headers acquired!
- Shandelle has promised delivery of the diff mounting kit and axles in the next two weeks, which will be just in time for us.

Progress will be sort of slow as the Spec Miata racing season is just getting underway, and that takes up a lot of time for all the players involved. I'm shooting for a May track debut, but if we get a couple solid weekends in, it could happen in April. By June, I promise!!

Shandelle from V8Roadsters has already proven to be a big help to us and has delivered exactly what he's promised! I am very confident that we hitched our wagon to the right vendor for this endeavor.

Here are a few quick videos. Nothing particularly interesting except the walkaround of the cage, which is impressive.

Engine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1nPw8geTdg

V8Roadsters Subframe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0eF2ZHw31E

Evil Genius Racing cage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-41PdDRPK74

Sanderson headers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYVslQpc6e4

I'll try to be diligent in keeping the thread up to date and will share everything that we learn along the way!

Cheers,

Dean

LS1-450

iTrader: (33)

Yes, on the Accusump & go big brakes first. Forget the 1.8's for getting started. You'll get out braked on the track, easily if you use the 1.8's.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (9)

Man... LOTS of Miatas here lately! I think that if I do another LS-swap (meaning after I finish my current one, & my camper/tow-rig, which is up next), it's definitely going to be a little weed-whacker like these...

You've gotta love the power-to-weight!

dtfastbear

Almost makes me want to "rename" my car The Weed Whacker!!

LS1-450 - yeah, no intention of actually RACING with the 1.8 brakes, just trying to keep the amount of fabrication that we have to do before getting the car moving under its own power. We're not going to wait until we've got the permanent brake solution to get the car on the track.

I like what that guy did with the Mini kit for the front with the massive Wilwood calipers and 11.75in rotor, but I think we might have to go even BIGGER (more massive rotor). I've had brake overheating problems with another car (old 911) and those problems SUCK. I finally put 930 brakes on that car and it was a joy at the track. I'm a definite believer in having brakes that are more than adequate so the only time you ever have to think about them is for routine maintenance.

Thanks for the input on the accusump, too. Any keys for installing that in the miata? I assume we'd put it in the passenger footwell...

Cheers,

Dean

LS1-450

iTrader: (33)

I've got a 1 gallon blatterless pre-oiler mounted in the engine bay. In your car, I'd say that there will be room under hood to mount a 2 & maybe 3 gallon accusump, as long as you plan ahead.

I run 12" rotors with 15" wheels.

You're also gonna need a good sized oil cooler & power steering cooler if you have power steering.

Because of your level of racing competition, I'd mount that V8Roadsters kit further back in the engine bay than it's designed for. I have seen pics of guys using their K-frame & the engine is too far forward for your needs. Modify the firewall & trans tunnel so that plugs 7 & 8 are in-line w/ the fire wall or even into the trans tunnel.

Plan your wheel tire combo early on so that you can modify control arm/spindle locations & wheel wells ahead of time.

pist0lpete

iTrader: (3)

I have to question why you would chose a detriot locker rear? Wouldn't the positive locking and "snapiness" of that be a bit unstable getting on the throttle coming out of the corner. Why not something like a detriot tru-trac or even a quaife(if they make one for your application)?

JDishong

iTrader: (3)

He probably ment a detroit true track. The gear type limited slip. A detroit locker would be a very poor choice as a 25 hour setup.

ls1toy

nice to see another ls1 miata built in california. I'm just waiting for the 8.8 kit from shandelle and i'll be ready to go.

LS1-450

iTrader: (33)

Edit:

Stated 1 gallon bladderless & then 2 or 3 gallon Accusump in my previous post. Obviously, what was meant was quart, not gallon. Don't know what my brain is thinking sometimes.

$O$OE

iTrader: (14)

that aint an 02 Motor, the 2002 Motors did not come with the EGR on the manifold 98-00came with it btw. and from the look of the video it doesn't seem like ur valve covers are perimeter bolts, so that motor must be a 99/00..

Ls1Mx-5

iTrader: (3)

Good Luck bud!!

dtfastbear

Thanks! I'm just getting re-started on the project after a long hiatus. The radiator is finally in. I've got a friend helping with the wiring while I'm traveling for business for the next two weeks. This thing is going to run soon!!

Cheers,

Dean

LS2 V8 Miata

Spawn another one!!

Mines taken 3 years, just finished, but it's a one-off I designed & fabbed everything.

Good luck in your project.

sciff5

iTrader: (1)

+1 on bigger brakes are a must. I dont know what the rules of the class are but your suspension setup seems pretty simplistic (I am guessing class rules mandate this) and an accusump prob wont get the job done, there have been some pretty intense ls1 rx7s built specifically one INSANE ls3 FD his name is kingkyle and the oiling systems on the lSXs is not adequate for sustained high g cornering unless you go dry sump.

Accusump will make it live longer but it will still prob spin a rod bearing during a long fast high g sweeper.

It will be a fun car either way. I am flipping between the miata and an FD for my next build