Shop Talk

[Drift2XL]

Welcome to the premier episode of "Shop Talk".

To those who have been around awhile, you know that I like to run on and on about new cars and tech. This is what its for. I have a certification in High Performance (Race) engine building, and Chassis Fab. If you have any outside FM2 serious questions about building that perfect beast. Roll them out here

[landstuhltaylor]

I have to do the headers on my LT1. 

[Drift2XL]

Alright. Let's begin with some fresh (If you can call 2-3 month old info fresh) news on some of the upcoming models from the auto makers.

GM has released the HHR SS. With 260 HP through the front wheels (too much if you ask me) and a redone mesh grill, it looks like a PT on steriods. IMO, not the greatist idea. The engine is basically a Sky Red Line engine converted to FWD. Looks to take on the MazdaSpeed 3. Now if only GM can get out the horrendous understeer that their FWD's are famous for.   RE.. check out the Top Gear Vauxhall Astra footage.


Nissan has finally released the specs for the upcoming, super anticpated, and probably DLCed, Skyline GT-R.
The engine will be a twin turbo 3.8 liter based off the 350's VQ. HP is going to be rated at 473 with around 435 ft/lbs of torque. No surprise, its going to be AWD with the lastest update to their ATTESA/AWD system. Also on the option list is a dual clutch semi-automatic 6 speed, much like Audi's.
Now if they can bring all that in under 3200 lbs they would have a serious player. Watch out 911 Turbo owners.


And finally ....  drum roll please

News from Hyundai about the upcaming Tiburon replacement. I have been expecting something akin to 240SX or AE86 coming with a four and/or six in the engine bay, or under the bonnet for you Spiney. We have heard that it will be a RWD based off their upcoming large car platform.

Well, it seems that there are new rumors from Korea. Rumors that will redifine the term "Pony Car." It seems that it will come with a base engine of 3.8L of a V-6 config. With a possible option of a 4.6L V-8. No word on expected HP, but if it comes true to be a 32v, figuring out Ford's modular engines 300+ would not be a stretch in a simple DOHC design. This is the first time an asian car maker has stepped into the ring with the Big Three in the all hallowed ground of Muscle/Pony cars with a possibly competitive V-8. And with Hyundai's low, low price points, it will make an interesting choice for the knuckle dragging, beer drinking drag guys. There could be a 300HP V-8 RWD car out there for possibly way under $25,000 to give the Mustang and the soon to be finalized Camaro, and if ChryCo. can get off their PentaStar asses the Challenger, a serious run for the money.

What do you think out there?

[Drift2XL]

Poor Land, not much room under the hood with that Firebird.  Only joking.   I've skint a few knuckles trying to work around the AC lines on 5.0's in my time. So I know how it is.

A few of the F-body guys I know around here wish they could get a four post to work on theirs. lol

I honestly don't know how you could change the spark plugs on the V-8. All of them look like they are sixes, the last two spark plug wires disappear under the firewall for those who haven't seem them. I guess wrench by braille or put it on jack stands.

Tech tip of the day or week, I haven't decided
Never put a dry fastener in your engine block. It WILL gall. Use anti-seize or at least dip it in motor oil. For your header bolts I would cover the heads up with lithium grease or something close. Or use stainless bolts. I have had the unpleasent job of drilling out broken header studs-bolts. Not a fun time. Also not fun are rusted away header bolts. And after a few days/week retighten.

[DirtDriver]

Drift, when you say you build race engines what does that mean? For what kind of race cars?

DD

[Drift2XL]

In my area, NASCAR is huge. We are hosting the race this weekend. So after I was laid off about 5 years ago. I took the Trade Act. I went through a NASCAR based program for the kids that wanted to work in the race shops down in Charlotte. One end was race engine building. The best part of it was that it was in an actual engine shop. Arrington Manufacturing, they build almost all of the Truck engines that go into Dodges. They also build the engines for #49 BAM Nextel car.

Dodge dropped about 8-10 mil in that shop. He's helping out the comm. college by allowing the classes in a little shop in the back of the warehouse . We used the old, but still good machining equipment so bore, hone, mains, decking heads-block, you name it I have done it. The program shows how to blueprint an engine. Being that I'm a little bit of a motorhead (understatement of the decade), I picked up on how to tailor an engine package for whatever duty its needed for.

I've assembled engines that went out on the track with the big guys. Not front runners mind you. But they lived a weekend. And the program has a Late Model asphalt car so we built that engine with comp parts from Dodge.

I was also in a short lived R&D session to create the world's biggest Viper V10. We were shooting for somewhere around 9.5-10 liter and about 1000 NA HP. But we kinda put the wagon before the horse and half-way messed up the block. It can be fixed, the owner just didn't want to pay for the cost of reheat treating the block. We kinda bored to far before we wanted to weld up the bottom end. Afraid the deck would warp out during the heat treat. For 450 HP, the standard Viper V10 is kind of spindley on the mains, no way it would hold the power we were planning to put through it.

There was also a chassis fab program. So as far as that I helped build the race car too. Believe me everything about those cars have been thought through for speed alone.

[DirtDriver]

Dude, I am so gonna start dropping your name on other forums.

Best news is that you survived that lay off. Sounds like they sent your shop overseas or down south. Congrats on re-engineering you life! That's no small deal.

DD

[Drift2XL]

Oh as far as what kind of engines, I kind of forgot the question, anything. Once I'm set up financially, I'm going to build a J-spec SR20 for my daily 240SX there. So it really doesn't matter what kind. As long as its four stroke.  

Did you know that on those engines, not a single part comes from Dodge? They don't cast the blocks (Caterpillar), heads (Zeus) or anything. The cranks alone cost 8 grand. It was 60 large for a Craftsman Truck motor. So not a cheap hobby at that level. I don't know what it is now.

Thanks, I'm fabbing-building industrial machinery now. The big ones. We just pushed two out the door yesterday at a cool $50,000 each. Lets see the Chinese build that stuff.

[landstuhltaylor]

Poor Land, not much room under the hood with that Firebird.  Only joking.   I've skint a few knuckles trying to work around the AC lines on 5.0's in my time. So I know how it is.

A few of the F-body guys I know around here wish they could get a four post to work on theirs. lol

I honestly don't know how you could change the spark plugs on the V-8. All of them look like they are sixes, the last two spark plug wires disappear under the firewall for those who haven't seem them. I guess wrench by braille or put it on jack stands.

Yep, those LS1 cars have got it so much easier. I hear that a lot of mechanics will get it on a lift, take off the starter, and get them all for the bottom. The easiest way for most is to us SLP's modified spark plug socket. It is MUCH shorter than most, and has the plug going all the way through the socket. Instead of a ratchet, you turn it it with a wrench. Still, it's best to get the #7-8 plugs from the bottom.

[Open2nd]

Plugs on my 86 5.0 Trans Am aren't that hard to change..  Now the water pump we just put on this 89 Caddy Sedan deVille, that was a friggin' chore.

Also, this section is probably one of my new favorite subforums.  And you've probably got the coolest job of anyone on the forums.

[Drift2XL]

Its been awhile since I have updated this. I've been slacking off.

The Genesis Coupe, as Hyundai is calling it, has made its first appearance as a show car. The production version is due in late March at the NY Auto Show.




The first specs have it with availible with a turbo four and a variable cam 3.8L V-6 making somewhere in the nieghborhood of 260-300 HP.

For those who favor the more traditional name brands, I have uncovered a few tease nuggets on GMInsidenews.com

It seems that GM may be looking into a line up full of RWD cars. And a few concept shots of some familiar nameplates.

The Chevelle concept.  Pretty cool.

And some concepts shots for the C7 Corvette


The powerplant specs for said upcoming 2011-2011 C7
Base 450HP 6.2L LS3   $47,000
Z06  600HP 7.0L LS7    $70,000
SS   750 S/C 6.2L LS9  $115,000 ....  with ceramic brakes and a supercharger....watch out GT2!!

The Impala could be reintroduced to go against the 300C .... with RWD!!

Available with V-6's, two types of Hybrid V-6's (one with Direct Inject and 315 HP),a 385HP 6.0L V-8, and an SS model with the fire breathing 550HP version of the LS7.

Well what do you guys think about these?

[Drift2XL]

Also in the concept car realm. It seems that Hennessy, tuners on the Viper Venom 800TT that you all know, are looking into making a car that will give the Saleen S7 some competion for the America's supercar crown.

Guess what's going to power it? (big time sarcasm)



IMO, it looks like an Exige with a fat butt. But looks aren't what's important here. A 0-60 time of 2.5 with a top speed of over 200. Notice that the rear spoiler rises up like the McLaren F1 road version does. We'll see if a concept or the real thing ever sees the light of day.

Hennessey has alot of money and alot of rich fans who would love to back this kind of endevour. I wonder if it can back up the numbers.

[bimmerlovere39]

The background looks earily similar to the background on this M6 picture...

http://seriouswheels.com/2006/2006-BMW-M6-FA-1024x768.htm

[Drift2XL]

Can you say photoshop?

All of the GM cars are photoshop queens. They aren't real. But to see things like that out of GM gives hope that there may be life in them yet.

Just better get the quality right on them.

[fndrbndr]

Exige with a fat butt?  I think it's more like the 240 Cup that ended up in the Mitchell Report. :=