We were at Bangkok Drag Avenue last Saturday night for some test & tune runs. After mapping the MicroTech ECU for different boost levels, the initial performance seems very positive. With the increased horsepower, the chassis now needs a new set-up.
Keep it all up mate. I'm waiting to see yr car on track very soon. And so is Richard's car. Went there last Sat too, saw u at the pit. Hope the 4th Sat yr car will be on track to make impression.
'Amiyama', thanks for the encouragement. Yes, I will be there the 4th week-end this month . . . for more test and tune, chassis set-up, and hopefully competing in the 11.90 and new 10.90 brackets. The new 3JZ in the car is MUCH quicker to spool, makes more torque down low, and horsepower up high . . . . . . so I have a test for my chassis tuning skills ahead. Please pop in and say 'Howdy' next time you are at the track. Attached are some more photos of the racer and Khun Mac, of MacTec, laying on hands to the MicroTech mapping. Thanks Mac.
How about your front-end ? Is it all fibreglass or stock? Your car are very light weight for the mod 3jz. Actually I just bought a Datsun B10 and plan to put all stock 1 JZ GTE auto into it and I hope to see low 13 or high 12 on it but the price of everything going crazy so my project is not starting yet. Anyway I wish you hit your goal with a long-life engine.
Hey Jeff...all looking good...Im nearly done too ...cant wait to have some fun ...(promise to unhook the NOS ...really I will hehehe...) Thanks for all the help so far...going to need some help on the chassis so i can keep you in my sights...see you soon mate
Thanks guys for your comments. The front fenders, bumper, and hood are Taiwanese steel replacements that are about 1/3 the wight of the originals, and 1/3 thinner . . . . . . and very cheap! Everything is new from the firewall forward. One of he reasons I chose the Mazda Familia was because of the amazing front suspension geometry: tidy little a-arms tucked out of the way (no struts in the way)with no camber changes as it moves through its travel and NO bump-steer (it has cross-steering). Also, in addition to it being light, the full frame made 'back-halving' and tying it all together with a 12-point roll cage very easy. It weighs right at 900k. I'll be out this Saturday night. Here is another photo from recent test and tune session.
Well, I was out on Friday night for more test and tune runs. The car is still totally new to me and Khun Mac. We made some nice tuning runs on Friday evening . . . the chassis was still way too loose . . . it wallowed in 2nd gear quite a bit. Some shock tuning and spring rate changes made it much better. Stopping from speed was great. We finally made a very good test run on 0.9 bar of boost, shifting at 5500 rpm, and leaving the line at an idle on the bottom yellow light -- an 11.44 at 203 kph. Yes, 0.9 bar and shifting at 5500. We were looking for a low boost setting for the 12.5 and 11.90 brackets and we found it! Saturday night I drove the car, the first time in 1 1/2 years, and did a pretty bad job. More chassis tuning yielded some nice uneventful runs -- straight and quick. I tested at at a promising 12.65 for the 12.50 second bracket, but, because it was 1:00am before we had our bracket qualifying runs, I was pretty sleepy and missed the light big time. See the clip and laugh! OH well, it was fun to get back in the car.
A few photos from last week-end. I will be making some more chassis modifications and realigning the front suspension this w eek.
Friday, July 4th. I spent the day at the excellent Ramintra Mag Wheel shop aligning the front suspension. The re-alignment was needed because we cut one coil off the new front coil springs to lower the car a bit. It is important to let new coil springs "take a set" for several months before they are cut with a cutting wheel ONLY -- using a torch changes (ruins) the spring. Khun Jeab at Ramintra Mag Wheel (see photo) expertly did all the work as well as subtlety widening the front fenders and extending the front wheel opening lip for more tire clearance. The racer sits perfectly now, although I may lower th rear suspension a little later, if I need to (see photo). Friday evening, under threatening skies just before the rain started, Khun Mac made some amazing test runs with the trans set to shift at 5500 rpm: an11.50 @ 207kph on 0.9 bar and an 11.30 @ 207 at 1.1 bar with a lazy start (see attached movie). None of the runs so far have left the starting line up against the torque converter stall speed (which is a max of 4200). I m waiting for a new part that will allow the car to be held better at the starting line.
July 5, 2008. Last night was great! The first real race on the "Comeback Tour". Khun Mac turned up at the track with his big toe "shredded" in an accident . . . bleeding all over the place . . . I treated and bandaged it, but he was in pain and said he could not drive. No problem, I would drive and Mac would make the calls. I entered the 13 and 11.90 brackets. Getting that little car to slow down enough to actually run a 13.00 is no easy task anymore . . . we finally fund a spot: release the brake at the green and stab it when the car lurches . . . even so, I could only get a 12.88 in a test pass (real e.t. 11.77). I tried to wait a little longer, but I was a little too late on the qualifying run. . . didn't make the show . . . but was happy with the new data from the first race. The 11.90 bracket went well. After a few test passes we were getting close. I ran a qualifying pass of 11.87 - real et of 11.30!!) and thought I was out because I ran under, but was reinstated as there were only 8 cars up to qualifying. I left a little later to be safe, but it was a little too much. I ran a 12.00 in the first round against an 11.96 (that's four-hundredths of a second!). We learned a lot, and the inputs we gave it are teaching us how it the car is going react. It went straight, and stopped straight and short . . . . no drama. The 11.90 racers have a big head start on me for dialing-in their cars: the winner last night ran an 11.90x against an 11.90x. The bracket racers here are really good . . . as good as you will find anywhere in the world. We made a lot of progress. That last run was really amazing: because I got a little up on the stall in the converter on the line, I must have left the line at around 2800 . . . . . . so my 60 foot time was a 1.80 . . . and I ended up running an actual 11.11 e.t at 203! My personal fastest run in the car. Think about it: an 11.11 on 0.9 bar, shifting at 5500, leaving at 2800rpm. Pretty amazing. Mac says that it must be the record for under 1 bar of boost! Think what it will do when we get to shift it at 7000 on 0.9 bar . . . . or at 7400 at 1.6 bar!!!!!!! "9s, no problem" declared Mac.
Here are a few photos of the race from July 5, 2008. I learned a lot about the car and how to dial it that night. Now, with a little luck, maybe I can go a few rounds.
เรียกพี่ละกัน เจอพี่เค้าตั้งแต่สมัยสนามMMCครับพี่เค้ามาเห็นรถพี่ประสิทธิ์คันสีขาวหน้ายาววางโรตารี่ก็ได้คุยกันแบบไม่ค่อยรู้เรื่องเท่าไหร่ก็ใช้มือส่งภาษากันพี่เค้าแนะนำให้หนีบแหนบเพื่อให้การออกตัวดีคือแหนบจะยุบตัวน้อยเราก็ลองทำดูก็ดีครับออกตัวเด้งเลยครับแต่ด้วยรอบสูงของโรตารี่มันใช้ได้ไม่กี่ครั้งครับ แต่ไม่รู้ว่าคันนี้พี่เค้าได้ทำหรือป่าว ดูพี่เค้าชอบรถกระบะเห็นไซโคลนสีน้ำเงินก็สวยดียังไม่เคยเห็นตอนวิ่งซักที ยังไงเป็นกำลังใจครับแดร็กบ้านเราจะได้ครบรสชาติ (กระบะแรงๆก็มีนะ) ยาวไปหน่อยแล้วพี่เค้าจะอ่านออกไหมเนี่ย ผมเองก็ไม่ค่อยเก่ง
Speed D, Great! Do it: a small block Chevy in that little truck will make a great bracket racer! I'd like to see a lot more bracket race cars for the faster classes (there is an 11.90 class now, but there will be a 10.90 class soon). What kind of rear suspension are you considering? I would recommend keeping the leaf springs, but adding "CalTrac" style lift bars like in the attached photo (with mocked-up brakes . . . I use Wilwoods on the rear now). Leaf springs and CalTracs have some advantages: you can clamp them in different locations to change the spring rate, or pre-load one side, if you need too , and they act like a 4-link, but are more forgivable . . . they have a wider 'sweet spot'. I seriously considered using an American small block V-8 (Ford or Chevy) when I was putting together my Familia, but parts availability seemed like a problem here. I also looked at the 1UZ during the recent re-build, but the cost of 4 race camshafts made it too expensive. Good luck and I hope to see you at the track soon . . . . . with your Funny Car!
Hi Dr. This is also my recent project , started before i came back from US. NHRA 6's certified 25.1E Chromoly Tube Chassis which has longer wheel base . Chassis shop promise to finish within this year. it should be Blown 632 CU which were here for long time.
