SCCA EMod MGB GT V12 Build

Agreed, I love this thread. Keep it coming.

Keep going!

My only wish is for more updates, but thats me being selfish as I can only live it vicariously right now.

You are a major influence on my current mental dream build which is a v8 powered willys jeep for EM. Well, you and an episode of Roadkill.

Apexcarver wrote: Keep going! My only wish is for more updates, but thats me being selfish as I can only live it vicariously right now. You are a major influence on my current mental dream build which is a v8 powered willys jeep for EM. Well, you and an episode of Roadkill.

Back when I was cranking out the updates nearly every day, I had a zero balance on my credit card and a super assistant manager at work that could take care of karts and customers while I built a race car. Now I have a 5 figure balance (all from racing) and have to fix all my own karts and run races, so the build is happening more slowly. Also, I have become acutely aware of the scrutiny my build is under so I take much more time to get things right. I have tossed a lot of tubing that had too big a gap or not the perfect angle. Maybe this thread inspires or helps others so I'll make a bigger effort to update it.

350-400 hp turbo 4 = NSRT-4 2.4 all day long. Turned longitudinally the intake would be drivers side, but using a 420A 2.0 head will flip the manifold sides. Most EMS units will accept the stock crank and cam sensor inputs and it uses a coil pack for ignition.

moparman76_69 wrote: 350-400 hp turbo 4 = NSRT-4 2.4 all day long. Turned longitudinally the intake would be drivers side, but using a 420A 2.0 head will flip the manifold sides. Most EMS units will accept the stock crank and cam sensor inputs and it uses a coil pack for ignition.

I like the idea except there is a bunch of custom parts required and when you are away from home(like Nationals) your whole trip can be ruined by one of these parts failing. If I go with the Ecotec 2.0 or F20C then even if I blow something up, another one can be purchased easily. I want to stick with something that comes with a transmission already in the correct orientation.

This might be good for your turbo 4 and tranny that works.

http://autoresource.internetautoguide.com/increase-horsepower-toyota-2trfe-i4-engine-2245.html

In reply to loosecannon:

There are options that don't require customer machining. Liberty and wranglers came with a 2.4 in red config and the bell housing will work with the solstice/sky 5 speed. I can link you to rwd 2.4 builds if you like.

loosecannon wrote: If I go with the Ecotec 2.0...

This is a solid plan, big power, lots of torque, and manufactured in mass quantity.

any updates as of late?

Autolex wrote:

loosecannon wrote: If I go with the Ecotec 2.0...

This is a solid plan, big power, lots of torque, and manufactured in mass quantity. any updates as of late?

Del Long put one of these in his EM Jeep and swears by it. It seems to be pretty stout. I haven't done anything with the car since the last update because it's been pretty busy with work and racing. I am getting my ducks in a row for Nationals this week.

Great build "Loosecannon!" It's great to see progress (albeit slow lately) on a long-term build like this. I admire all the effort you have put into building and then refining your MG (GT/B). Believe me, I know what it means to build on a project just to end up tearing it back apart in order to build it better a second (.../3rd/4th) time. My MGB has been collecting dust in the garage for the past several years while I (slowly) make progress on the other projects. "Eventually" is a common word in the "Laukaitis Garage." Like I said... I love your build!

Not sure how I missed the updates from august, but keep at it, if nothing else you're inspiring me to keep at the DP miata project.

I haven't had the funds to resume the build but I was thinking yesterday that maybe I could do something like get the steering or one of the sway bars done. We'll see, they won't be off the shelf pieces so I gotta check prices

Is winter the busy season for indoor Karts?

Anything new?

Hey Loose, build what you want. We'll follow along. People will discuss, much like they discuss when wondering what a baseball manager thinks when he makes certain strategy decisions. The main difference being we get to ask the "manager" personally in this case. So there's no buffer between you and your "public." Everybody just wants to throw their two cents in and ask why you did what you did. Just like with baseball or any other sport, there's a lot of passion. That passion needs an outlet sometimes.

You're going to build this thing based on the time you have, the funds you can pool together, and what's available. Don't do anything for the sake of your constituents. Just continue to serve the purpose of the project. Create your vision, no matter what it is and whether it changes three weeks from now. you're a cutting torch and a welder away from changing the thing completely. The rest of life should be that straightforward.

OHSCrifle wrote: Is winter the busy season for indoor Karts? Anything new?

Winter is usually busy season although last winter and this winter have both been a little slow. 2013 was a terrible year and the winter was painful but starting around March, business picked up and 2014 has been our best year ever. This winter has been much the same as last, which is confusing but I'm hoping things pick up soon. As for what's new, we had Drift karts which were regular karts with a caster wheel on the back that was engaged when you lifted up on the drift handle (like an e-brake). They were cool but it turns out that 3" caster wheels don't like going 30 mph for very long and the maintenance on them was too high. We dropped the Drift karting and turned them all into ProKarts. ProKarts have had 150lbs worth of protective bumpers stripped off, had their governors turned up and bigger cams and carbs added. Members need to have a certain number of successful races in our regular karts to earn the privilege of driving the ProKarts but they don't cost any extra. Here's a couple of the ProKarts [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/loosecannon/media/IMG_5285_zpsb2f5a6d1.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/loosecannon/media/IMG_5184_zpsf0245cf9.jpg.html][/URL]

Jerry From LA wrote: Hey Loose, build what you want. We'll follow along. People will discuss, much like they discuss when wondering what a baseball manager thinks when he makes certain strategy decisions. The main difference being we get to ask the "manager" personally in this case. So there's no buffer between you and your "public." Everybody just wants to throw their two cents in and ask why you did what you did. Just like with baseball or any other sport, there's a lot of passion. That passion needs an outlet sometimes. You're going to build this thing based on the time you have, the funds you can pool together, and what's available. Don't do anything for the sake of your constituents. Just continue to serve the purpose of the project. Create your vision, no matter what it is and whether it changes three weeks from now. you're a cutting torch and a welder away from changing the thing completely. The rest of life should be that straightforward.

Thanks for the encouraging words. I look at the race car every day and want to work on it. I hope I have the time and money soon.

I'm with Jerry. Whatever you do, it's interesting and fun to follow along. So thanks for your past and continued sharing.

Glad the business picked up in 14. Wishing you continued good fortune.

Good news! I am resuming work on the car! I have decided to get the little stuff done and put a motor in it last. The order I plan on doing this is: Steering gear (electric assist), pedals (switching from floor mount to hanging), differential (moving center section to drivers side to permit use of normal driveshaft), adjustable sway bars, engine (Ecotec LNF), trans (Richmond Gear T10). I have two DD2 shifter karts and will be selling one to finance this stuff. Anybody want an amazing CRG Dark Rider DD2 kart?

Welcome back to one of my all time favourite Epic build threads. Lost track of how many years I have been following this one on various boards!

Just to refocus...other than the roof panel, is there anything left of the original GT?

NOHOME wrote: Welcome back to one of my all time favourite Epic build threads. Lost track of how many years I have been following this one on various boards! Just to refocus...other than the roof panel, is there anything left of the original GT?

Sadly, there is none of the original GT left. In retrospect, I should have just left that car with the V12 and started building a second car. There is some stock MGB in the new car, though.

This build thread is epic. Love everything about it, even though I don't understand half of what is going on. I just read the whole thing today.

I'm glad it's entertaining and I hope it's informative, too. Today I struggled with getting the right steering rack. For you technical people, my upper control arms are about 17" apart and the lower ones about 10" apart so to minimize bump steer I need the inner pivots for the tie rods to be somewhere between those two numbers apart. Finding a rack that is that short and has 6 inches of total travel was really hard. Sweet Mfg has one 11" across for Mini Sprints and Flaming River has one 16.5" across but both have only 4" of total travel so the car simply wouldn't turn sharp enough. I did a lot of Google searching before I came across a company called Moore Parts Source that makes desert racing parts. I called them and they hooked me up with a billet aluminum rack that is 14" across and has 6" of stroke-that's perfect! And it was only $239.00! I also got new Wilwood top hinged pedals from Speedway motors. I'll start the install when the parts arrive

You shouldn't be locked into the travel requirement unless you are locked into the current steering arm length on the knuckle.

In reply to DILYSI Dave:

My old uprights had bolt-on steering arms and I could change their length but the new ones are one piece. It's all good, though, I found what I needed. I am ordering a new diff housing with the center section way over to the passenger side in order to have a straight driveshaft, thus avoiding all the hassles I ran into trying to get a shaft made. This does mean that my Panhard bar will have to flip around to the opposite side. I thought of making the car RHD to avoid this but that messes up the plans for the engine because I want the exhaust on the same side as the door, not beside me.

Well, the steering rack arrived today (that was quick) but they lied to me, it has just over 4" of stroke, not the 6" I was promised. I know that I can shorten the steering arms on the spindle to correct this except the Mustang II spindles I am using are one piece cast pieces. Wilwood makes these spindles with removable arms but that's $360 I didn't plan on spending. I'll bolt it all together and see what my turning circle actually is. [/URL]