572HP's New Convertible Build

[SUX2BU]

Awesome! Very interested to see some track times when you get it done. Most people don't like taking their verts to the track.

[572HP]

Originally Posted by SUX2BU

Awesome! Very interested to see some track times when you get it done. Most people don't like taking their verts to the track.

Thanks man! I will be getting a removable 6-point roll bar fabricated that I'll bolt in before I head to the track. They will weld in some brackets to bolt the bar to. I'll just have to pull back the carpet and bolt it in. I'll have a harness that mounts to the roll bar also. My goal is for the drag strip to keep it over 11.0. Anything under that and I technically need a roll cage, and that isn't going to happen. I am pretty much duplicating one other member's setup for his coupe where he ran a 10.8. I'm working with Ted at Jannetty Racing and he suggested that we go with the torque converter instead of rear gears.

So for now, I'm going to keep the stock bottom-end of the engine. Hopefully it will hold up.

Once I got the vert, which is also an automatic, I fell in love with it.

[572HP]

Well, haven't posted anything in awhile, so I thought I would update everyone. I have everything installed. A few things required installation more than once. Thanks bigsquirrel for loaning me the flywheel locking tool. That made getting the harmonic balancer bolt out easy.

To put in the flywheel locking tool, I needed to remove the starter. Unfortunately I already installed the headers and the new spark plugs. To remove the starter, the passenger side header had to come out. The plugs had to come out too. Oh well, already knew how to do that...just took a lot of time.

Everything went in pretty easy. I wasn't able to install my new Elite Engineering catch can. The bracket that comes with it is for the passenger side, and it mounts under the tensioner pulley. Unfortunately, whipple supplied me with a whole belt pulley system. The bracket won't work with this pulley system without a different type of mounting bolt. I also have been advised to use two catch cans. One on each side. For FI, it is suggested to put the catch can on the driver side. However, the bracket has nowhere to mount. I need a different bracket. I guess I need to get in touch with Elite to figure this out. For now, I'm not running anything other than a straight tube.

The engine started up just fine. Boy it is a nervous moment as you are turning the key for the first time. Before the supercharger, one day I started the car with the stock exhaust manifolds and stock cats. I was amazed at how quiet it was! After installing everything, and before I hooked up the exhaust, I wanted to test it out. Now all that I had on there was headers and straight pipes. OMG THAT IS LOUD. It didn't sound that good either.

I have been trying to figure out a problem with the data-logger software. For some reason it doesn't want to log anything. Talking with SCT support now. I did test drive the car though. It seemed to be driving just fine, with no knocking. Ted needs me to datalog the car so that he can tell if everything is running good.

After a few test drives with nothing more than half-throttle, I decided to floor it once. I was going about 50 down the highway. I punched it, and the tranny kicked it down a gear or two, AND THE BACK TIRES BROKE LOOSE!!! AT 50mph!!! It felt like so much more power than the callaway. I got off the throttle right away...I want to be sure that the tuning looks good.

Oh...and I love the little bit of whine that the whipple has.

Pics will come soon. However, I'm not proud of the engine compartment yet. Too many wires and ugly hoses. That is my next project.

[Toyaholic]

So.... when do we get to see it in person?

[572HP]

Originally Posted by Toyaholic

So.... when do we get to see it in person?

I'm hoping MTI day...but I need to get a family pass if you know what I mean.

[Can't_C_Me]

Looking good Joe! Love that lift you have!!!

[572HP]

Originally Posted by Can't_C_Me

Looking good Joe! Love that lift you have!!!

Thanks. That lift was a very good investment!

[hightower]

Glad to hear it's running well! I can't imagine the nerve racking moment before turning the key. If I did all that work MYself, I'd expect it to explode into a million pieces and take me with it, lol. I don't know how you did it Joe, but you did! You're doing great work and I wish you well on keeping it up!

[572HP]

Originally Posted by hightower

Glad to hear it's running well! I can't imagine the nerve racking moment before turning the key. If I did all that work MYself, I'd expect it to explode into a million pieces and take me with it, lol. I don't know how you did it Joe, but you did! You're doing great work and I wish you well on keeping it up!

Thanks! I've always had the confidence to do things myself. Unfortunately when I was young, the confidence was not due to experience. I probably broke more things than I fixed. Now my confidence comes from research and past experience. I still make mistakes, but I get them resolved one way or another.

After all day trying to get the damn logging software to work, I'm still at a loss. I'll be back on the phone with them again tomorrow.

[CamaroKid300]

I can't wait to see this...I gotta start saving up now for the supercharger.....or do I...

hahah kidding of course.

Joe, MTI said they would charge me 100-200 bucks to put my exhaust on at the gathering...do you think that is fair or should I try to do it myself? I figure you'd know the level of difficulty.

[572HP]

Originally Posted by CamaroKid300

I can't wait to see this...I gotta start saving up now for the supercharger.....or do I...

hahah kidding of course.

Joe, MTI said they would charge me 100-200 bucks to put my exhaust on at the gathering...do you think that is fair or should I try to do it myself? I figure you'd know the level of difficulty.

I figure $50-$75 an hour is fair. They could do this job in 30 minutes max. You do the math. I would call it fair if they charged you $100, because it would take you a long time. It isn't hard, but if it has been put on a car already, then the tubes where the clamps went will need to be stretched back out. Got a tool for that? See what I mean?

[garcmol]

Where did you have the car painted? I tried like hell to get these local hacks here to disassemble my car to get what I wanted to no avail. Settled for stripes and they still screwed that up. Has since been fixed by Gary in Florida. But I'd like to go with my original idea if I could find a decent painter and Atlanta's not a big stretch to get to.

I saw your paint at Pony Wars and it turned out great!

Oh, and any progress on the light mod?

[572HP]

Originally Posted by garcmol

Where did you have the car painted? I tried like hell to get these local hacks here to disassemble my car to get what I wanted to no avail. Settled for stripes and they still screwed that up. Has since been fixed by Gary in Florida. But I'd like to go with my original idea if I could find a decent painter and Atlanta's not a big stretch to get to.

I saw your paint at Pony Wars and it turned out great!

Oh, and any progress on the light mod?

4RD H8R works for Performance Auto Collision. They do a lot of high-end repair work on porsches and such. They aren't cheap...but obviously you are done looking for cheap. Neal was the real reason why it turned out as good as it did. He kept on them making sure it was as perfect as could be.

I need to get back to the lighting mod, but been a little busy.

[Brolik10]

i guess i shouldve posted this in this thread... Here goes.. Are you staying with the stock cam or going blower friendly?