My "Blue Devil" matchbox racer build 2.0

[MPbdy]

You have to seal the intake to the hood or you're just sucking hot air from the engine.  You need a tray with a compressible seal either foam or rubber.

[tai-lun]

You have to seal the intake to the hood or you're just sucking hot air from the engine.  You need a tray with a compressible seal either foam or rubber.

I had a version before very similar to what your describing before I did the sealed box, the tray was against the angled part of the hood, but after mounting everything up the clearance just sucks for air travel. The box had the same issue, it did look cool at least for a bit heh. Another inch and it would be okay I think for getting that nice pull of air off the cowl only. ITB's you could do a similar setup too sealing off the stacks and RHD do make a nice carbon box which would be pretty sick looking sticking out at the base of the hood. The cowl I have is tall enough for a high-rise or similar intake/blower, my tray was similar to what you are running but it was just under an inch from the hood after the intake, 4150, drop base filter and neck were on... I may take another stab at it another day but what I found on the road course that put be off continuing that direction was I can't see well past the cowl on corners if there is elevation change or a blind corner. The closest track to me is flat, no elevation changes so it's okay on vision but the two other ones (which is way more fun/challenging) have a lot of up and down which meant I was aiming and hoping I was at ideal corner lines - I wasn't. I thankfully only cooked it overshooting a blind-ish corner once and spun into the gravel with no damage outside of the splitter.

If I stick to autocross, the flat track or drag race I would put time into that tray version OR - and this was a serious contender for a bit, run an elbow from the Vic. Jr and go turbo for some straight line monster power. If I was taller I would be able to see past the cowl, but I'd also be too tall to fit with the helmet and cage. Seat is as low as it can go too, FD interior problems haha.

[MPbdy]

So many options - such little underhood room lol.  I literally spend weeks daydreaming about an idea sometimes and then walk out to the garage and pop the hood and just shake my head.

[kinger]

So many options - such little underhood room lol.  I literally spend weeks daydreaming about an idea sometimes and then walk out to the garage and pop the hood and just shake my head.

This is so me ^^^^!!!!


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[tai-lun]

So many options - such little underhood room lol.  I literally spend weeks daydreaming about an idea sometimes and then walk out to the garage and pop the hood and just shake my head.

So many options - such little underhood room lol.  I literally spend weeks daydreaming about an idea sometimes and then walk out to the garage and pop the hood and just shake my head.

This is so me ^^^^!!!!


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Isn't that so often the case haha, getting out the measuring tape, some pipe or moving some parts about... dangerous rabbit hole to go down! I did something similar when thinking of how it would look if I had the cowl cut out so the center was only an inch or so above the standard hood line, and then drop the cut cowl down giving a lot of vent right out of the hood direct from the rad. Some quick Ps magic bodywork heh.

[MPbdy]

I have thought about that quite a lot. Similar to a zl1 or zr1 hood.

Stock body FD’s are so difficult to change any body line and still have it look good lol.

[Venom13132]

Definitely like the look of that hood Photoshop you did

[kinger]

Wow that really looks good on your car. On mine, not so much.

@MPbody you are so right, the lines on this car are such a mystery to me!  It’s probably why everyone thinks fairly unanimously that it’s one of the best looking cars ever made and still to this day looks awesome. 

Every scoop or cowl or turbo charger sticking out of the hood just kills the lines of the entire car when you’re trying to stay oem clean it’s uncanny. 

Now if you are going race car or widebody crazy stuff then you just need to own that sh** LOL


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[paul_3rdgen]

There isn’t much out there that really compliments the car, especially the hood.  The only slightly raised hood that looks good is the scoot style hood.  But only a the scoot or 1 replica of the scoot hood actually provide more under hood clearance.  As to widebodies, that’s all personal taste. 

The Stock Fd has timeless lines! 


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[spacevomit]

That hood PS looks cool.

[tai-lun]

That hood PS looks cool.

Thanks, I may just try to pull it off heh. Cut out most of the cowl height and like was mentioned go with a really big open vent like the ZL1 Camaro's run but with more front opening. And I agree Paul, an authentic Scoot would be nice as they have a nice deep front vent and it looks quite clean.

Some shots bellow from the Area 27 day not long ago, three of us made a bit of trip out of it which was fun. One buddy with the M3 (AP full big brake kit, exhaust, intake, KW clubsport), and other buddy in the RS3 which was on the "medium" tune of 500hp or so rather than the 630+hp top tune (E85, drop, AP full big brake kit, intake, exhaust). The plan was to bring out the supercharged NA1 NSX but some tuning issues resulted in the RS3 which was a monster on the straights!



Ups:
- Aero! oh man does it help all the grip, more rear downforce than anticipated but it was cool to feel it working.
- Engine did what it does best, LS does it's thing and "sounds monstrous" from outside I was told going through corners *woot*
- Brakes, I'm also on full AP setup and does the car ever brake well, and later, and with a lot of confidence (no ABS).
- R888r's when warmed up are very nice in this light chassis, car behaves well and talks to you through the tires/suspension.
- Oil cooler was worth it.

Downs:
- PS boiled as mentioned, have a fix to do in time.
- Water temps way up, but it was a wicked hot day and have a new rad I will duct in and out the hood.
- Front needs to be lower, softer tune on suspension as it was starting to get understeer later in the day when pushing.
- Passenger side front tire rub when going over zebra stones, need to clearance it.
- Exhaust is moving too much under hard cornering, rear bumper is very burnt.
- Diff is tired, whining and I think was overheating (temps, tires, and it's old lol).
- Can't see past the cowl, hood has lost it's appeal/functionality because of this.
- No AC, it got hot driving even with windows down and roof cracked. I need to find a way to get more cool air in, fatigue is very real.
- Hood was propped up, we had no choice as there wasn't enough time to throw the old intake on and make it out of town in time. This definitely hurt cooling, engine performance and the MAF burnout meant car went into factory safe tune (way down on power) as I didn't have the MVPi2 with me or a computer that will run it to try and put it into SD.








The big one - 4th gear shift fork would not work at all under load, from what I read it is the Tremec 3rd/4th shift fork that can't take things as 4th will pop out, not engage or buzz and give that horrible teeth ripping sound we all don't want to hear when shifting. Going from 3rd to 5th on a straight was brutal, so slow and killed a lot of cornering fun/also very distracting as I was learning the course on the first day. Anyone have this same issue who tracks/lapping days? When back on the street 4th will work fine, only when foot to the floor track time it pops out and refuses to go back in. Trans was very hot, also was whining in competition with the diff for noise heh. What I'm looking at which I can hopefully leave to end of the season - https://www.tickperformance.com/tremec-158-3rd-4th-steel-shift-fork/

Also cooling inside, I've seen some cool shirt/box setups for inside the cars. The Miata grassroots folks do some DIY stuff that may work also, right now the fans I mounted to the cage work but they won't work forever and I won't have a roof to mount to soon as I'm getting rid of the opening/motor.




I've looked at cooling setups for the T56 and our rear diff, a bit overkill but maybe not? Anyone running a cooler on either? Anyone have recommended trans fluid for better cooling?

[frijolee]

Great work on the build.  Very much enjoyed catching up on the progress just now.  A small clarification to a question you asked above.  The Holley F-body replacement oil pan has slightly MORE clearance than a factory F-body (or so we've heard from a couple customers).  - Joel (for RSW)

[tai-lun]

Currently I seem to be okay with the F-body pan I've got on in place of the LS2 on. Clearance is alright, I think I am at the worst it can possibly be for clearance as I also did brand new steering rack bushings which added some height not being 25 years old with deteriorating play in them heh. Good to know in case for the future though, I think if I do change a pan it would be the result of going dry sump... which is not something I'm shooting to do.

Hard to see I know, but you can see where the oil cooler is behind the two openings in the bumper now.

[carlb]

I've had similar issues with power steering (fixed with a cooler), transmission, and diff overheating on the track. I have little coolers for the diff and trans but can't find a good location yet for it (I have a tow hitch taking up the natural spot.

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[tai-lun]

I've had similar issues with power steering (fixed with a cooler), transmission, and diff overheating on the track. I have little coolers for the diff and trans but can't find a good location yet for it (I have a tow hitch taking up the natural spot.

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What size/type cooler are you running? I have a compact one right now, and I am thinking to upgrade it to a medium size Earls one of about half the size of my oil cooler. I am waiting to do it all at once post season when changing to the KRC pump and remote tank.

For the trans/diff cooler how small did you go? After looking at some of the road course and time attack FD's I am liking how they have positioned their coolers side by side left side rear of the gas tank area between the body and rear diffuser. I have that room but while the oil cooler gets movement from the system itself as the engine pumps it, it looks like most transmission coolers need a remote pump. I am not sure if the diff needs one to?

For the differential there is the Greddy cover (pretty pricey), or I have seen a few go with the RX-8 diff cover that apparently will work on our cars and has more cooling.