Plastic Fantastic tew

[SuperBuickGuy]

and back on the ground.... I may have tightened the rear coil overs a bit too much but past experience says drive it a few times



I ordered a very cheap set of 304 stainless 16g shorty headers.... next up is build new headers. I also ordered a port efi intake manifold. I'm going to assemble it myself. I don't trust FiTech and the Holley does give enough fuel at full song.

With that said, I may put this in its box after putting a solid heat cycle or two in the differential (and reset the speedo)

[SuperBuickGuy]

It's been tucked into my enclosed trailer for a bit now, but collecting parts for the new updates.
1) port efi
2) coil-per cylinder
3) backup motor
4) better sidepipes


okay.... so explain. I bought a Terminator X and have most of the parts to build the port efi/coil-per cylinder.... I've already sold the Sniper to the friend who I brought the BBC back from Reno.... and the sidepipes... he gets a great deal and I get not to deal with craigslist... win win

so that's the first 2

I've been fighting the oil pressure problem - specifically, at idle it has 20 psi - all with a high volume - high pressure oil pump. In talking to people at SEMA (2 cam manufacturers and several engine builders - the only thing I haven't 'checked' is lifters... bbc, I guess, can have variance in lifter-bore height. Add to that some lifter manufacturers make their oil passage wider then others and you can have a perfect storm.... of course, the right thing to do is just build another motor....which a 4 bolt bbc fell into my lap along with forged pistons.... having a spare isn't a bad idea, either, so I'll use a lot of the parts I already have and build another motor.

and sidepipes.
this has been on my radar from the beginning but now I finally have the space, place, time and
Summit had these sitting in their return pile.... cheap

[SuperBuickGuy]

well, looks like we have the rules for 2023 Ultimate Street car (aka Optima Challenge)
https://ultimatestreetcar.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/USCA-2023-Rules_v2.pdf?fbclid=IwAR30TT2Mcx7SbHWda1pxCcgX2f0Y LYjd_1L3jHI-uyZcAgYNy5V6ZNVP6bg
my to-do list isn't terrible but part of me wonders if I should just run as is because it will take 3 months to do them.... the list
1) change intake for port EFI
2) put different roller lifters in*
3) install Terminator X
4) Build better headers

I should pull the motor and reseal the pan along with check clearances.


*discussion of Forum I talked to several engine builders, cam manufacturers and lifter manufacturers (including Iskederian - the maker of the lifters)... and the deal is that short of pulling the motor completely apart - there was manufacturing tolerance on the lifter bore height which can sometimes run afoul of the lifter manufacturers. From memory - so some correction may be needed - there are 2 "factory dimensions" for the lifter bore height. They are 30 thou difference. Thus on huge cams, you run the risk of the lifter oil passage coming out of the lifter bore. That could, at idle, lower your oil pressure. I'm not convinced that the volume that bleed could create would be enough to be a problem, but if you stack that issue with bleed-off that Isky Red racing lifters put in place and suddenly you do have an issue. I also think the oil pickup - let's just say I have questions.... On my FJ40, I had a similar oil pressure problem. Same basic deal, factory set 'height' ... wasn't enough. Moved it to 1/2" off the floor and never had oil pressure problems since.

and to be clear... 20 psi at idle hot.... it's enough but I think I want more and I want to run a thinner oil (30w now)

[SuperBuickGuy]

preview of things to come

file this under "I can't believe that I'm making a spoiler for only 2 races"

[SuperBuickGuy]

time to get back to this

getting there


this may be dumb but I'm going to make the Optima spoiler adjustable.


from the other side


explanation... Optima has some requirements that make the 'standard' wing pointless... so I am building brackets that allow bolting a clear duckbill style spoiler onto the car in place of the other spoiler. With that said, the rules allow them to be adjustable, just not on the fly (no active aero)

I need to do a touch more tuning on the car, and take it to the detailer for a full buff, correct and ceramic coat.. thus the stickers came off.... what to do with them?
because racetruck?

can't imagine they'd complain about this stack location

probably get in trouble, though, because that would be aero that is adjustable while driving.... maybe I'll have to ask those in power....

[SuperBuickGuy]

Optima spoiler
so we saw it in CAD... now in alumineeeuum

round 1, full, square sheet

race mode

autoX mode

now bottom has first trim to more match the spoiler's curve

using lasers to be sure of the height

final cut

now in the correct height. It's an interesting rule to apply - no taller then 8" above the highest point on the deck or no more then 6" higher then the lowest point of the window... in this case, the window is the high point... so 6" it is...

final bit will be some kind of brace to keep it from flopping (and attaching, but need fasteners)

[SuperBuickGuy]

the most fun part of autox is making YOUR car handle. There is a huge body of knowledge out there to make cars handle - but all cars have an aero signature... the reason I used a radar arch instead of this style of aero is because that step to the back window creates huge turbulence, but putting the wing in clear air, I could get good flow. Problem to be address is that wing is illegal for Optima. Not dissing the rules at all but what you can go wild (duckbills, splitters, etc) really are hard to integrate into my car's body shape.

So we have where we're at today.... and I'm really questioning why bother... but we'll carry on - however, don't be terribly surprised if I simply bag it and and run without. You'd think that'd be a terrible disadvantage - I'm not convinced... if I wanted solid aero, I'd have built a 3rd gen Firebird.

so here we are.


in this position, I need to brace the foil otherwise it'll flop more then a politician

even though adjustable - I might run it in a position like this or even one notch more flat - then pull the rear window out

4 weeks and I leave for California to race... March 2.

[silver_bullet]

I know that there are limited modifications that can be applied to the body.... would installing a cove cover like this be permissable?

[SuperBuickGuy]

I know that there are limited modifications that can be applied to the body.... would installing a cove cover like this be permissable?

there is no limit to how ugly you can make a C3..... just look at the Corvette Summer car.

[silver_bullet]

Pardon, but I was just trying to help you correct the aero issue with the buttress roof in the same way Motion did without going Maco Shark.... Just a plexi or lexan fastback window .... without the gaudiness.... sorry to offend...

[silver_bullet]

Here's the Manta-Ray... Maybe you prefer it: I personally prefer it to the production C3

[SuperBuickGuy]

Pardon, but I was just trying to help you correct the aero issue with the buttress roof in the same way Motion did without going Maco Shark.... Just a plexi or lexan fastback window .... without the gaudiness.... sorry to offend...

I voted to send Mark Hamill to a galaxy far far away because of what he did to that Corvette. Too bad they let him come back.

[SuperBuickGuy]

So Paul spent a good share of the day buffing and cutting on the 'vette, not done, no pictures of that... but I did paint the brackets

[SuperBuickGuy]

alrighty.... spoiler is on, looking good, and speaking of looking good, Trio is 1 year old today.

other side looks okay too

and the Optima spoiler

truth is I like the wing better..

[Monster]

Trio is 1 year old today.

Happy Birthday Trio !
.. yes, wing looked better.