4 years ago was the last time I've been to the track. I had a quest for 11's, but only ended up with a 12.3@112mph in my 88' Dodge shadow. I had tiny 22'' MT slicks, and was only on pump gas running 22 PSI. Real life happened and I had a 2 year old son at this point with a second child on the way, my priorities kind of shifted so I sold the shadow.
In January 2013 I was surfing craigslist when I spotted a ''rust free'' 88 Shelby Z Daytona for $1200. I was like, I gotta check this out. So I went and looked at it, sure enough rust free and in great shape. But the engine was running rough, low compression on one cylinder and it kept oil fouling the plug in a matter of 50 miles if that. All stock, but the vacuum lines were messed up and it would hit overboost cutout when I test drove it I offered him $1000 and he accepted, so I changed the plug out and drove it home!
Here's what it looked like in his driveway-
The car sat for 6 months until I really had the time and money to tear the head off and replace what I thought would just be a broken piston from overboosting it too much. Boy was I wrong. The plan was just to rebuild the stock short block, throw in some wiseco's and prepped rods from TU, and turn the crank. Well, as soon as the head came off I found this-
The clip has popped off and scored the cylinder deeper than I've ever seen, must have been close to completely punching through the sleeve. So I decided to find a commonblock since I had to buy a whole new block anyway. While I was searching I was busy porting and rebuilding the head. It has a full port job, +1mm stainless valves, and comp cams springs. Here's a pic-
So after a couple months I finally find a 2.2 commonblock short block close enough to purchase and pick up. While looking I found an A523 with only 50k original miles for $100, and figured for the same price of buying a moly plate for the 555 I'd just upgrade to the newer style trans. So I did, and also picked up the newer style shifter/cables and installed those as well.
Tore the new short block down, ported the oil passage, and took it straight to the machine shop with my .020 over wiseco's. Crank turned, cylinders bored, new intermediate shaft bushings installed, etc. Got prepped rods from TU, and built the shortblock. Here's a pic right before I slapped the head on-
And now the long block built-
While building I acquired a 57 trim T04E with .63 stage 3 turbine turbo, larger than I wanted (I wanted a 50 trim with stage 2 turbine) but the price was right. The original plan was just to run a ported stock exhaust manifold, with a ported 2 piece intake with 52mm throttle body. Well, at this time the group buy was going on for a TU header, so I thought, why not it'll help me make more power. So I got in on that, but it was delaying my engine getting in. So by the time I was about the get he TU header, Acannell was starting to do his intakes. So I was like, well I waited this long lets go for it. So I got in on the intake too.
Just a few weeks ago I received both the TU header and the intake. I had to install a provision for the knock sensor, and then I had to port the 58mm throttle body (for those that don't know a 58mm TB necks down to about 54mm inside the bore).
Here's several pics showing the porting and clearancing and install of those-
I modified a stock 1 piece rail- drilled out the ends to 1/4'' NPT, took out the inner tube and put a 3/8'' barb on the one end and plugged the other.
Then I had the figure out how the mount the wastegate can, it was very difficult with the new intake since the plenum sits lower than even a 2 piece intake. So I picked up the hybrid Z bracket from TU, had to drill and mount it only using 1 bolt but it should be fine. Then I had to shim the one side of the can because the angle was off, I could not bend the Z bracket it's really thick metal.
Just the other weekend, the 11th, I finally got the engine installed in my Daytona! TU 4 puck with yellow plate installed, trans mounted to the engine, Polybushing front and bobble strut on, starter on, and in it went-
Got the axles in, starter wired up, and some accessories bolted on so far, but still a lot to do.
Right now, waiting on my 83lb injectors to come Tuesday, I already have a custom calibration from Shelgame for them and a 4 bar map sensor ready for BIG BOOST woot! Then my 3'' exhaust in the mail that should arrive this week from TU as well. Then I can install the bung for the wideband and install the exhaust. More pics to come, and I'll also show interior pics later because I installed some racing seats and completely tore everything out behind the front seats. Then I also picked up an intercooler yesterday as well that I'll take pics of.
Right now I'm not sure I'll be completely tuned and ready to run big boost at Cecil on the 15th of November. The delays in waiting for the TU header then the Acannell intake put me several weeks behind. But I'm hoping at the very least to have the pump gas tune done and atleast run some 12's on 18-20 PSI before winter here. I don't know if it's capable of 11's on pump gas, if it is than I best be installing a roll cage because I plan on taking this beast to 35 PSI boost WOOT!