308 V12 conversion begins

I was mid 90s and a couple teams were doing that them.....foolishness. We hit F1 stiffness to weight ratios with a steel space frame for a fraction the cost and effort. F1 needs the aerodynamics which requires flowing shapes that you can only really do in composite and add in the safety requirements of a 200+ mph car and you need carbon fiber. Formula SAE is a 60 mph game were aerodynamics are nearly irrelevant…....but you can’t tell college kids that.

 

It is huge. I've done a few ECU installs over the years, but honestly it has to pretty straight froward for me to handle. I was thinking a haltech E11 for $1500 plug 6 ignition modules would be about $2000K. The VEMS ecu is something like $700 and has the ignition drivers built in but it's not well documented enough (yet) for me to feel good about doing the install, but with Jason's help it should be good.

 

You know, until you asked I ASSUMED they were the same......but looking at the cams clearly they are not and the TR cam are not compatible with the 400 crank.

On the bright side I wanted to have the cams re-ground for hp but wasn't sure I wanted to spent the money, now I don't need to agonize over the decision
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Our final steel frame weighted under 30 lb and included the engine and suspension mounts (no additional sub frames or brackets of any kind required) as well as the seat frame work, meet all the roll and impact requirements and had a 3500 ft-lb/degree torsional stiffness between the F/R axles. The body that went on was under 10 lb and met the energy absorbtion requirements. So at 40 lbs, it only took 1 hand to hold it up

 

Yeah, 1 and 6 are good, but 2-5 appear to be out 120*......not a useful number. So really I only need to get the lobes on 8 cylinders fixed.

In theory I might be able to put a TR crank in the 400 block instead of fixing the cams.....but I hate to buy one then have to jump through a bunch more hoops because of it. I did want to have the intake cams welded up anyway to add some more lift, I just hate to spend the money but now it looks like I have to....but it will add $4k-$6k to the project.

 

Yeah...it will make more hp, no question. I need cams if I expect to hit the 600 number.

 

I realized`today while machining the right end face that the 3 original studs across the top went all the`way thru the case and would need to be welded. I got them ready and did a little sanding on some of the welds on the new pan. It looks like it will clean up pretty well the a quick sand blast over the whole case to match the finishes and no one will ever know its been worked on.
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If everything goes to plan there will be nothing on the outside of the old 308 to clue anyone about what's hiding inside. All the edmounds reads that are expecting their mini vans to out run it will be in for a surprise. With the old engine the whine from the blower let them know they'd been had, but this one this one should leave them wondering.....if it ever gets finished and in the car that is, I don't think I'm even at the 1/2 way point yet.

 

Thanks.

It's all about getting air in and the TR heads are going to be a big help. I've got a feeling it will still need to spin over 8000 to make 600 hp and that means new rods I guess....I was hoping to avoid that expense as well.

I think I'm going to have a look at what it would take to make a set of billet blanks for the cams. It would make better cams and would also let me design the nose to accept the 400 timing drive with no adapting. It might be the way to go.

 

It came with 16s

I keep eying GTO wheels to go with the GTO valance, but I like the 550 wheels and wheels would never lead anyone to suspect they come with an extra 400 hp.

 

I found a TR crank today for $1000, the guy is sending me pictures of the flywheel and damper ends along with journal diameters so I can decide if it will fit the block or not.

As a bonus I got the name of another camshaft place, American Custom Cam Grinding, who told me if I send them blanks off the lathe, they will grind the journals, give me any lobe I want and heat treat them for about $1500 for all 4 cams. I’ll have to buy the material and pay to have them gun drilled, so about $500 for the blanks making the total $2000 instead of the $6000 I expected. This is probably the way I’m going to go, but I want to see the pictures of the crank before I make any final decision.

I also finally broke down and ordered 1 348 liner to measure and make sure I can get it in the block before I buy the other 11.