I am just about finished with a project that I and a few associates have been working on for a good friend. We started with a 2006 612 six speed and have upgraded it to the heights that no 612 has ever achieved. The list of improvements are long & distinguished. To name a few: Engine Control Units tuned for extreme performance. Intake tract flow improvements made. High flow air filters implemented. Exhaust manifolds/headers completely redesigned and improved (Worlds 1st). Catalytic converters completely redesigned lightened & improved (Worlds 1st). Main exhaust pipes enlarged & improved (Worlds 1st). Dual rear muffler system redesigned lightened & improved. Custom ring & pinion gear set with extreme acceleration axle ratio (Worlds 1st). Hidden V1 radar detector with rear-view mirror display. Completely iPod compatible sound system. Huge 20 inch HRE wheels with ultra performance Pirelli rubber. True air-conditioned drivers & passenger seats. The car is absolutely sinister in Nero with full Daytona seats front & rear. I will be documenting this completion with video & possibly a magazine write up in the future. With the reduced weight, new axle ratio & considerable power gains we fully expect 3 second zero to sixty times and impeccable track prowess while keeping the flavor of the 612 intact. Watch for more soon. I can provide links in the future if there is interest. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Absolutely. Plenty of photos of the car however we did very little to the exterior other than the wheels. The car is stunning as is after all. I will put a pictorial together.
I snapped a quick insiders photo today of the car as it readies for the transaxle install. It has been waiting for over several weeks for the final fitment and has gathered a thin coat of dust. it is scheduled to be detailed and back to its owner within days. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I look forward to seeing and reading more about this awesome project car. I think the problem getting to 60 in 3ish Sec is tire adhesion. That car is going to have a hard time putting its power down and that will probably be the limiting factor. Your big wheels and tires will help there a lot though. Did you go with a taller rear end or a shorter one? Shorter, along with the extra power will just make it that much harder to get the power down...taller will make it faster but in the USA, that is really not much of an issue since you don't find many places to exploit that anyway. Post some more pics when you can...612's are quite attractive in a very understated way! I prefer them to many F-cars... James Austin, TX
Yes thank you all for the interest. Traction is the limiting factor indeed. However I have formulated a launch procedure (after exhaustive but wonderful testing) that allows some traction advantage for this set up. The factory traction control is a bit intrusive so we work it without that. Dyno Jet dyno results were a bit under the factory posted 540 when new - to a now conservative extrapolation of 613 crank horsepower (using a 16% driveline loss equation). The original gear set was a 4.18:1 and we have commissioned a 4.70 cog now (with a 4.80 in the wings). We mathematically figured that range to still allow for proper super high speed (170+) top end. Violent acceleration in all gears was the primary design goal for this 612. The 0-60 testing will be on a proper launch pad with results recorded in a multitude of ways. A 20 inch soft compound tire (65 tread-wear rated) is also being considered for these sprints - as well as a matching set of 19 inch HRE's for the rear with a production tire such as the 315/30 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup if needed. We will get the results. I know your hungry for photos and a professional spread will be constructed - but for now this below will have to do. Please understand that I am one bay away with a technician working on the gearbox as I write this. No beauty shots yet, just the diamond in the rough. The car is a tad dusty from being out from its car cover but it will be soon detailed beyond new next time you see it: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The car rolled out for break-in miles today with the owner at the helm for the next several hundred miles. The acceleration is mind numbing well into 5th gear. After break-in he will return for a complete detail and lubricant service - then we are off to the photo studio & an airport runway for video.
That is sweet! Hows the sound with the headers and big tubes? Those headers look like works of art. Do you guys do all the work on the vehicle or job it out- maybe send my car over for some work?
Thank you. The sound is authoritative deep and rich. It borderlines legality when your high on the rev band. On the highway from the drivers seat it is hardly noticeable - but to passing traffic it demands attention. The whole exhaust is an unbelievable work of art. From cylinder head exit to rear bumper. It was a several month process to get the original prototype set made and required this and another rented 612 for dimensions & mock up. Huge undertaking but well worth the efforts made (headers, converters & main pipe photo attached). The original ideas are credited to the 612's owner & myself (we are of the same mindset). The complete installation job was done in house with my staff in the Central US. The ECU reprogramming was done in conjunction with an associate vendor of mine on the East Coast. The exhaust was constructed with our guidance by a vendor of ours in Germany with assistance from our associate vendor on the East Coast. The gearset was designed by an Italian friend of mine with engineering help from a specialist in Japan, using special requirement metals from the UK, and constructed in the USA. I handled all of the leg work personally and happily do for any interested party. This was/is a very special customer and a truly sublime car to modify. You cant imagine how enjoyable it was to construct the special bits, however - it is even more enjoyable to drive. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Look at this beauty. Video will be next... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yes, we believe that the F1 will be adaptable to a custom gear set. Video crew is scheduled for the 19th. Using an active airport runway for the shoot.
