We are just getting moved into a new shop, and along with a few customer builds we are getting started on our Trackspeed Engineering V8 race car build. It's being built for use in Miata Challenge and SCCA ITE as well as some enduros once it has proven itself.

The donor tub:


Head start as it already had the back half of the cage when I picked it up, also can see we ripped out the entire interior:


Already motor-less and ready for clean up and transmission tunnel widening:


Work will really get started on it in the first couple weeks of January. Hoping to complete it by the end of February but we will see if we can meet that timeline with all the goodies this car is getting.

 

Which drive line are you guys going with?

-Jason

 

LSx motor. Trans is in the air right now.

Car is getting the cage finished up this week hopefully.

 

Where do you guys get your constant supply of usable tubs?

 

Socal might have something to do with it. Can't wait to see this thread unfold. I thought you guys weren't in to taking pictures as you were building?

 

Cage is done. Pictures early next week.

Various different methods. Sometimes as tubs alone (what this one was) but mostly between buying complete donor cars or wrecked cars that we part out that still have a straight tub.

We will be taking them as much as we can, but no promises on updates for every simple thing.

 

Some parts that are sitting and waiting. Lots of fittings in the boxes as well but not visible in this picture.


Also stripped down the chassis wiring to only the parts I'll need. New chassis wiring:


Remainder of wiring for the dumpster:

 

It has been and will continue to be a busy week moving into the new shop but I snagged some pictures of the cage work for you guys.




Nice little addition.... hard top mounts built into the cage.

 

Got the 100% E-85 compatible fuel system mostly done today. Still waiting on the new Deatschwerks fuel pump.

Old fuel lines out


Teflon lined stainless braided line assembly:




Tucks in above the stock fuel tank.


New line running up the trans tunnel, still need to secure it to the body.

 

Is that a pump with the pressure regulator built in? How does it read manifold vacuum or does the PCM simply control it? (I apologize to the GM folks if this question is, well, stupid). I'm looking to sort of do the same thing with my Ford conversion.

-Jason

 

Factory Corvette fuel filter, runs a constant pressure. It's not related to manifold vacuum.

Nice looking cage.

 

Thanks Keith, my V8 Miata knowledge tends to be a little "Ford Centric" at times.

-Jason

 

Picked up a couple goodies that should help get this build going.





Also think I have decided on Honda Competition White for the color, with an orange cage, wheels, wing endplates, etc.

And a quick picture of the new shop, as of 2 weeks ago:

 

I hate paint but have been doing a lot of taping and painting recently. Here's a much needed update on the car's status. Sorry for the iPhone photos, didn't have the good camera and memory card with me at the time.

First I painted the cage, then taped it off and sprayed the interior.


Next step was to start assembling the suspension. Started out with pressing out the old bushings, then painted the control arms orange and subframe black, installed zerk fittings on all bushings for easy maintenance, installed the bushings and finally installed the rear control arms and uprights on car along with 1.8 brake calipers, M-Tuned rear brake brackets, and sport rotors. Front control arms and brakes will have to wait for the front subframe which is on its way from V8 Roadsters.



Trackspeed Engineering 11.75" BBK waiting to go on


Decided on a mounting location and bolted up the APR GTC-200 Wing


Mocked up seat location


Fabbed up some seat Mounts



Next step for the interior was to mount the Racepak IQ3. The Racepak IQ3 will be used along with two of Racepak's Universal Sensor Modules (USM) to monitor parameters of the vehicle in addition to using the datalogging with GPS to improve lap times. Because there is no dashboard anymore, I decided to make a slick little mount to mount the digital dash/datalogger to the steering column. Drew up a quick mount in Solidworks and called up a buddy to go cut it out on a plasmacam.






Ford 8.8 differential out of a Cobra (for the aluminum housing) waiting for installation

 

Wow! Lots of nice work!

 

 

Front subframe from V8Roadsters came in which allowed me to assemble more of the car.

V8Roadsters subframe, steering rack, control arms, 949 Racing XIDA-CS coilovers, Racing Beat hollow front swaybar, Trackspeed Engineering 11.75" front big brake kit

 

While this was bumped by a spammer, it made me curious what came of it.

 

What lbs front and rear spring rates? What did the car end up weighing?