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Building a $50K Track Tool to beat $500K Track Tools

Just received this email from the Zen Master:

Hi Rob,
The baseline dyno was great: 260 rwhp and the compression was great all around 220 psi.

Thanks,
Shad Huntley
Driving Ambition
4241 Business Drive
Cameron Park, CA 95682
530-672-2086
530-672-2116 fax
[email protected]
www.drivingambition.us

Very good news :biggrin:

That looks like a good number. What mods?
 
That looks like a good number. What mods?
It's hot out there in late June (mid/high 90's) and it is way above sea level.
Shad's chassis dyno is very conservative. I've seen stock(ish) 3.0's pull around 210-230 there.

My upgrades:

DownForce Air Intake Scoop
CT Engineering High Flow Air Filter
Dali Racing Big Bore Throttle Body
Dali Racing Super Hot Chip
Comptech Stainless Steel Headers
ARK Exhaust with Race Cats
Fender Mounted Oil Cooler
Accusump Oil Accumulator
 
4 years? That's coming up on common law territory :wink:
Sounds like lawyer speak:eek:
They've done everything to that car, twice! 540rwhp 3.5L - 2.6L CTSC - 6-speed - 100% non-complience front & rear - boy racer guages - paint (twice) etc etc.

...and the owner doesn't track the car - WTF?
 
I am no racing pro, but you drive an really pretty line around Infineon! I have watched the two videos and you are almost spot on between the two!

<O:p
Very impressive! This is a great thread. I really enjoy seeing the NSX take it to the boys from Stuttgart, Munich and Maranello!<O:p
<O:p
 
I am no racing pro, but you drive an really pretty line around Infineon! I have watched the two videos and you are almost spot on between the two!
Home track advantage? :cool:
<O:p
Very impressive! This is a great thread. I really enjoy seeing the NSX take it to the boys from Stuttgart, Munich and Maranello!<O:p<O:p
...and Detroit, UK, Japan etc. :wink:
 
UPDATE:
Got the call I've been waiting for and I was back on Amtrak today for the dyno tune. Once again, Shad and Co. stepped up big time and were waiting for me at the SAC Amtrak station for the 30min ride to Driving Ambition. It is hotter than Hatties east of Sacramento in July so I was not expecting a big number. When I arrived the car was on the Dynopack ready to go. Temps were in the mid/high 90's and the shop is at about 1400 feet elevation. Definitely not an optimum horsepower environment.

Ok, enough disclaimers, here's what it did:

photo-22.jpg

photo-2-5.jpg

photo-1-6.jpg


Video of Dyno pull, (click on image to view)


Kip Olson stopped by so we had a VIP test pilot take it out for a test drive.
Here's his first impression: Video, (click on image to view)


406 rwhp and a 145hp gain at 1400 ft. elevation and 95+ deg. heat is beyond my wildest imagination. I'm over the moon with these results. I made the 120 mile ride home with the biggest $hiteating grin. The power is very linear and it pulls like a locomotive from 2500 to redline. My next trackday is going to be epic!
 
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I just want to know if it passes smog...
 
50 state CARB legal...

CARB legal is a long way from actually passing the sniffer. That is really my biggest concern for any of this performance modding stuff. 400hp is nice, sometimes I feel like 400hp + passes smog first try no hassle is a pipe dream.

Anyway, I don't mean to be a downer. Glad you have your car back and hope to see it in person some way some how :smile:
 
No worries, not for the faint of heart this stuff. Impossible to kill my buzz right now. I'll be at Sears Point 1st weekend of August.
Come on out to the track, we'll have some laughs.
CARB legal is a long way from actually passing the sniffer. That is really my biggest concern for any of this performance modding stuff. 400hp is nice, sometimes I feel like 400hp + passes smog first try no hassle is a pipe dream.

Anyway, I don't mean to be a downer. Glad you have your car back and hope to see it in person some way some how :smile:
 
Dibs on buying this car if/when OP ever gets bored of it! How awesome it would be to have a 2nd totally track-prepped NSX.
 
Good numbers! Your baseline was solid too; I have seen only a few with such baselines. So what mods did you with I presume the larger SC - short of reading previous posts .... :wink:
 
Yeah how are you getting so much power? :confused:
 
Damn you! I'm so jealous!

So if I got this right... 2.3L whipple? No intercooler and No meth/water right? Just low boost the old fashion way? What boost are you at anyway?

If this thing doesn't heatsoak (it probably won't!) then i'm going to say screw the intercooler. I'm going 2.3L!
 
Good numbers! Your baseline was solid too; I have seen only a few with such baselines. So what mods did you with I presume the larger SC - short of reading previous posts .... :wink:
Thanks H, I was pleasantly surprised with a 260whp baseline, but the 145whp gain and 406whp total was even more impressive. It was not all plug and play though. Although it felt very strong initially, the first dyno pulls were only showing in the mid 380hp range. It wasn't getting enough air with the stock airbox so I had to dig a little deeper and we found and additional 25hp with the CT airbox upgrade. that's where Shad really shows off his experience with these motors. He knew exactly what was needed even before the first pull. During the build, he said to me "we'll run it first with the stock box and if she pulls over 400hp with the stock box then we'll leave it stock". It is so hot at his shop quite frankly I still can't believe she pulled 406 at altitude in the heat. Now that she's back in the cool confines of the SF bay aka: fog city, she is running great and pulls noticeably harder.

Here are the specs of the Driving Ambition/CT Engineering SC kit:

Driving Ambition/CT 2.3L SuperCharger @ 9psi
Custom CNC'd Match Ported Intake Manifold
550cc Fuel Injectors w/CNC'd billet aluminum fuel runners
Denso Fuel Pump
CT Engineering Carbon Fiber High Flow Airbox, Lid & Uni Filter
Dali Racing Big Bore Throttle Body
Comptech Stainless steel Headers
ARK Exhaust with Race Cats
Fender Mounted Oil Cooler
Accusump Oil Accumulator
AEM Boost/AFR Gauge
 
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Thanks H, I was pleasantly surprised with a 260whp baseline, but the 145whp gain and 406whp total was even more impressive. It was not all plug and play though. Although it felt very strong initially, the first dyno pulls were only showing in the mid 380hp range. It wasn't getting enough air with the stock airbox so I had to dig a little deeper and we found and additional 25hp with the CT airbox upgrade. that's where Shad really shows off his experience with these motors. He knew exactly what was needed even before the first pull. During the build, he said to me "we'll run it first with the stock box and if she pulls over 400hp with the stock box then we'll leave it stock". It is so hot at his shop quite frankly I still can't believe she pulled 406 at altitude in the heat. Now that she's back in the cool confines of the SF bay aka: fog city, she is running even stronger and pulls noticeably stronger.

Here are the specs of the Driving Ambition/CT Engineering SC kit:

Engine:
Driving Ambition/CT 2.3L SuperCharger
Custom CNC'd Match Ported Intake Manifold
550cc Fuel Injectors w/CNC'd billet aluminum fuel runners
DownForce Air Intake Scoop
CT Engineering Carbon Fiber High Flow Air Box, Lid & Filter
Dali Racing Big Bore Throttle Body
Comptech Stainless Steel Headers
ARK Exhaust with Race Cats
Fender Mounted Oil Cooler
Accusump Oil Accumulator

AEM Boost/AFR Gauge


Whoa! You picked up 25whp by switching to a Comptech air box? Dam! :eek:

Is that possible?
 
Damn you! I'm so jealous!
Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful :tongue:
So if I got this right... 2.3L whipple? No intercooler and No meth/water right? Just low boost the old fashion way? What boost are you at anyway?
9 psi max
If this thing doesn't heatsoak (it probably won't!) then i'm going to say screw the intercooler. I'm going 2.3L!
According to the zen master (Shad), "it will not be a problem".

Its a fantastic kit. Shad, Kip and myself are very satisfied with the results. Shad's plan is to package it as a kit and this was the prototype. We're planning on bringing it to NSXPO to market it.
 
Its a fantastic kit. Shad, Kip and myself are very satisfied with the results. Shad's plan is to package it as a kit and this was the prototype. We're planning on bringing it to NSXPO to market it.

Now your talking. Congrats. I so wish I could be there at Infineon on the 3rd/4th but I'm just getting back from a long trip. But I am going to try and drive out to watch on the 4th.
 
Now your talking. Congrats. I so wish I could be there at Infineon on the 3rd/4th but I'm just getting back from a long trip. But I am going to try and drive out to watch on the 4th.
Thats great! Hope you can make it out. I look forward to meeting you and drooling all over that beautiful red bullet :biggrin:
 
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