Project JDMvette

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:19 pm

We started the initial baby steps for our swap project. The car itself is a Chevette we run in the Chump Car endurance races. We just completed a 24 hour race at Iowa Soeedway in May, finishing 11th. We have two more races this year, one in Brainerd in July that we may not make and another race at Iowa in September that we will make.

We just ordered our bellhousing and will be going with the T5 transmission. Due to the stock drive train limits and the rigors of endurance racing we will be running a 13g turbo on stock boost.

Link to more pictures and an in car video

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:32 pm

Well, we accomplished the easiest part of this swap and got the motor bolted into place. Everything looks great and the bell housing couldn't have been better. Now onto the other 99% of this build.

The motor is in place.

Bill Hincher · Post by **Bill Hincher** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:11 am

get'r doooooone!!!!!!! >;o)

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Sat Aug 13, 2011 11:39 am

Got to work on the fuel injection conversion this week and added a surge tank and got everything plumbed to the fuel cell.

More fuel injection conversion pictures.

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Sun Aug 14, 2011 8:41 pm

Got a few more things done lately. I installed the turbo intake, MAS, and air filter. There wasn't enough space to run it all in the engine bay so I had to put the air filter on the outside of the core support. Luckily we run solid engine mounts so nothing will move and I can run it like this. I also got the aluminum radiator mounted, the radiator came out of a forklift and was the only thing that would fit. Even a half sized Civic radiator was too tall. In the pictures, it's just sitting in there but I finished the mounting brackets today and didn't snag any pictures of them. Working on the radiator hoses is going to be the next hurdle. Getting the water pump outlet to 180* and getting the thermostat housing hose to run under the intake will both be interesting. I have a couple j-bends that should help in the creation of hard pipes and eliminate the issue of long rubber radiator hoses collapsing.

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 6:58 pm

Rigged up a ghetto top mount intercooler for the car.

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:15 am

It runs and moves under its own power now.

Walk around of it while it sits idling.

Bill Hincher · Post by **Bill Hincher** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:53 am

OUTSTANDING!
I dig it man, you accomplished more in 6 weeks then most guys do in a year!

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:01 am

Well, it was a team effort. Pops provided a great place and all of the tools to build the thing, financed it, and worked on it with me and was there when I couldn't be.

I'm just glad it's done and my stupid idea wasn't a waste of time and money. I'll try and link some videos of it at the race this weekend.

Bill Hincher · Post by **Bill Hincher** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 10:13 am

this is a 24 hour endurance race? maybe you might use a bigger radiadar?

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 12:25 pm

It should be sufficient. It's very similar in size to a civic half size radiator but twice as thick. There will be a ton of airflow in this race as well. It's a 1 mile banked oval, so we will be averaging over 70 mph laps. We also have a big ass oil cooler to help share the load.

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:44 am

I guess the hood didn't like having a turbo at boost under it for 12 hours.
I did a small write up from the pits about our race so far.

After I wrote that, we continued to finish the 25 hour race and ended up finishing 19th out of 48. The oil cooler caught a rock in the final hour, so we had to loop the line on the oil filter housing. We also lost water somehow and the motor got hot a couple times. It still ran at the end of the race but it may be hurt from the high temps it saw. Overall it was a big success in my book. This was an invite only race, with all podium finishers of previous races and a few other teams the promoters deemed notable. We were one of the notable teams, as we have never placed in the top 3, and I think we did damn good.

I'm glad this website existed. It gave us the idea, information, and access to people with the skills to help complete this build and finish the race as well as we did.[/img]

Bill Hincher · Post by **Bill Hincher** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:25 pm

doode

Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler have all built race cars that couldnt last 24 hour endurance races, after envesting millions of dollars
Luck is the aftermath of hard work and skill, I would say you did pretty good

now lets get ready for the next one >;o)

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:03 pm

In car video from the oval segment of the race. We passed a lot of cars there and the motor performed flawlessly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cycVxoEI8DU

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 7:25 pm

Took the car to the track for a shakedown before the first race of the season at Road America. Nothing fell off, so it was a success.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEkAp6pN0h8

idreamidrive · Post by **idreamidrive** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:55 pm

and I just moved away from Road America. far far away. sucks that I can't see this thing in person.

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:02 am

Here's the car on the front straighaway at Road America. We finished Saturday's 7 hour race but had issues with our new Wilwood brake setup. I was worried about picking too aggressive of a pad and locking up the tires but I picked a compound that didn't hold up to the speeds we were going. They worked great up until then though, so we're continuing on making progress with the car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlfj5cywuww

KHRacing · Post by **KHRacing** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:13 pm

very cool build, thanxs for sharing

CarRacer · Post by **CarRacer** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:33 am

Updating this. Changed the front end around to a tubular style setup. No suspension stuff got moved around aside from the shock mounts but those aren't anything crazy. Radiator is a civic half size and now fits in between the core support and hood. Intake piping and oil cooler got moved as well now that the fender wells aren't an issue.

Overall, I'm happy with the changes and I'm glad they got done. First race of the year is coming up on April 19 at Road America. It's two 7 hour races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Should be fun if the weather cooperates.

In progress pics:

Video of the car warming up after initial test firing.

Finished: