Horse Power, Track Shit, Torque, Cubic Inches, Liters, Run What Ya Brung, Auto or Cycle

You rich Guppy pilots have all the toys

I was saving since last year to build a 40x40 and had like 40k saved up. Then the realization that what I wanted to build was almost 90k for concrete and a shell and I didnt want to wait another year+ to save that money. Im in this building/concrete for 30k including the 50ft driveway extension/apron that I needed. So I had money left over, sort of... wasnt planning on having to do the retaining wall/planter bed... was planning on electricity, but thats going to have to wait.
 
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The way I am LS swapping I will be about 150lbs over a BP. Engine is ~100lb heavier give or take(dressed BP is ~300, dressed aluminum LS is ~400). BP motor is iron block/aluminum head vs. full aluminum LS. Trans is about 40lbs heavier(90lb Miata 6spd, 130lb T56 Magnum F). Rear end is +10 give or take(55lb miata vs. 65lb ford aluminum 8.8). Sub frames are heavier than factory pieces(unsure by what). Driveshaft slightly heavier. Axle shafts slightly heavier. Front to rear balance changes towards the front a bit. A buddy runs a 50lb steel plate in his trunk to balance out the car a bit. With 400+ whp it simply doesnt matter near as much if you add 150-200lbs onto a 2200lb car. Its going to be a violent ride regardless.

Rotary's have shit support in general and make what, 50hp over a BP at a bajilioin dollars cost. Would be a cool project, but just no... My buddies dad has one. Its fun, but he takes out his other cars far more often.




k24 swap costs damn near what an LS swap costs to do correctly and you end up with half the HP and a motor that vibrates itself to death, still dealing with the shit Miata transmission and rear end(unless you swap to a different trans and rear end, which just adds more cost)... I think they can make fine conversions on the street, but put them on the track and you are going to blow shit up.

Ozarks isnt nearly as bad as it seems IMO. Even the first time I went I was like "this isnt as bad as people make it out to be". MOST of the "haters" of Ozark that tell you how dangerous it is have never been... but thats the case with almost everything these days when somebody tells you how to do something and you say "how many times have you done it that way" and the answer is "well ive heard" or "I watched it on youtube" or "ive been elsewhere so that corelates to this also"... the answer is they have never been somewhere or done something that they want to give their opinion or expert advice on. None of my track buddies will tell you Ozark is dangerous. Does it require a bit more skill than other tracks, sure, but dangerous...no. Its an FIA rated track so its got runoff, armco, tire walls, sand traps, etc... where they need to be.



Dont know on the NC although we are building my buddies after we do mine. On an NB you gain about 100lbs up front.




As I laid out above its at least 150lbs and probably more like 200lbs. But going from 130whp to likely 400+ whp, 200lbs isnt going to affect anything that I will be able to tell. Likely about +100 on the front end. My BP is pretty stripped and so will the LS. No A/C, no Power steering, etc... Just an alternator, water pump, etc... LS accessories are far heavier than same on a BP so I expect to be under that 100lb weight difference by a bit(maybe 10lbs). I have no way to weight the motors unless I can get a friends 1000lb corner weight scale.


Here is an acquaintance LS Miata. He's been doing LS miata stuff for like 6 or 7 years. Has it pretty dialed in. 150mph in a Miata is NUTS...

Holy shit that thing is squirrelly as fuck on the power ...LOL
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Finally picked up my LS today thats going in the Miata.

6.0 L76 block bored 4.010
4.8 crank(destroked to basically a 327)
Wiseco +11.7cc dome forged pistons
Callies Compstar 6.250 h-beam 4340 rods
King and Durabond bearings
all ARP hardware
custom Cam-Motion cam

Heads are just stock LS3 821 heads that have been skimmed to clean them up. Have the factory 2 piece intake valve and stainless exhaust(or whatever the OE exhaust is). Getting BTR shaft rocker setup, .660 platinum springs w/titanium retainers. Stock LS3 intake manifold. Gen 5 Camaro exhaust manifolds.

Still need to get lifters(Johnson 2126LSR) and pushrods(manton 3/8 oil restricted).

Should be 11.25 compression with an .040 Cometic gasket.





 
Annual Mountain States VW Drag Racing Association hit our local track over the weekend. Great time as usual….our quirky VW drag friends are the best. We had a great time with our stupid little cars. My little street car went a best 14.80 at 93mph and I ended going a couple rounds in street (slow class).
My buddies outlaw turbo Karmann
Ghia went low 9’s
He’s got to be a mid 8 in the quarter to be competitive in Texas in a couple weeks at a huge VW Shootout. We shall see!
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Finally picked up my LS today thats going in the Miata.

6.0 L76 block bored 4.010
4.8 crank(destroked to basically a 327)
Wiseco +11.7cc dome forged pistons
Callies Compstar 6.250 h-beam 4340 rods
King and Durabond bearings
all ARP hardware
custom Cam-Motion cam

Heads are just stock LS3 821 heads that have been skimmed to clean them up. Have the factory 2 piece intake valve and stainless exhaust(or whatever the OE exhaust is). Getting BTR shaft rocker setup, .660 platinum springs w/titanium retainers. Stock LS3 intake manifold. Gen 5 Camaro exhaust manifolds.

Still need to get lifters(Johnson 2126LSR) and pushrods(manton 3/8 oil restricted).

Should be 11.25 compression with an .040 Cometic gasket.





Looking good,
Consider changing at least the exhaust valves as they sometimes go bang & ruin your day.
Edit to add pics
 

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Mainly if they are revved hard or accidently cop an overrev,
not super common but I've seen a few in the last couple of years.
My pics are from an LSA that broke an input shaft a few months earlier.
 
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Mainly if they are revved hard or accidently cop an overrev,
not super common but I've seen a few in the last couple of years.
My pics are from an LSA that broke an input shaft a few months earlier.

ive done some searching on it and im just not seeing it be a widespread issue... And i wouldnt expect anything to live during an over rev...

Certainly nothing to the level of like the LS7 valve guide issue.

Lots of guys running the stock LS3/LSA valves to 7500+ RPM so im not terribly concerned about them. Not enough to spend a few hundred on valves and then send the heads out for a valve job...
 
Annual Mountain States VW Drag Racing Association hit our local track over the weekend. Great time as usual….our quirky VW drag friends are the best. We had a great time with our stupid little cars. My little street car went a best 14.80 at 93mph and I ended going a couple rounds in street (slow class).
My buddies outlaw turbo Karmann
Ghia went low 9’s
He’s got to be a mid 8 in the quarter to be competitive in Texas in a couple weeks at a huge VW Shootout. We shall see!View attachment 8750845
My big pimpin is slow too, don’t feel bad
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Here's my newest ride! 😁 🤜 A 2025 Birel AM29. Started karting in '05 or '06 and worked for the yellow kart chassis(behind) at a kart shop in Carlsbad, CA. I've had that one since '07. My yellow chassis was designed for 2-stroke power and isn't flexible enough for the 206 Briggs & Stratton i'm running now. I was 1.2" off pace with my other kart. After much "convincing," my beautiful other half agreed to it and after 18 years.....i've FINALLY earned a new chassis capable for leading the pack. First race was last sunday(8/17) and qualified DFL and was exactly 1.0" off pole pace. (34.50" was pole. I qual'd at 35.55') 1.000" on the clock was all that separated 10 racers(Let that be an indication for how competitive it is). My tires were 3 track days old, so....I was completely fucked with my rubbers anyway(pun intended). But, with some new rubbers next race, I'm really excited to get back into the fight and race up in the front again. :cool:
 
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Ahhh, karts! That’s another money hole like a red head or a 10/22.

Just sold my 3 kart road/dirt set ups recently. Had to sell, If I keep them arouind the temptation to race again will destroy my wallet

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Yeah....I know! Karting can certainly be a money sinker. However, IMO, it's the only motorsport where skill > money. You could buy the newest chassis, fastest engine class and have the biggest trailer in the pits and then get lapped by someone who simply knows how to drive with a 5+ year old chassis. So, ultimately, it doesn't matter how much money you spend......If you can't drive, you're fucked. That's what I love about it. The B&S 206 Animal really threw a curve ball into the karting world for the better. I'm sure the engine builders I know would disagree with me. But, with a 206, you can't blame the engine. The race is won with the driver and the chassis setup. I'm the happiest nutjob in the paddock too 😁 The second I pull into the pits, i'm jumping around like a child with excitement to go racing and to help anyone who needs it. I will never stop karting so long as I am physically able and can buy tires & entrance fees. I'm a Lifer. :cool:🤜
 
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Yea Colin, it was very very tempting to get back in with the B&S 206——that’s why the temptations had to go! Technically I still own them until September, but I shook hands on a sale deal so they are all packed away safe for new owner.

Best bang for buck road racing available. Tires are still the limiting factor and highest cost. I remember how mad I was went I started dirt racing thinking I wouldn’t have to buy tires as much because your driving on slippery dirt and tires wouldn’t matter. What a wake up that was, tire compound makes a huge difference on dirt and they wear just as fast as a road course tire!

Still some of my best racing memories and friends from karting.
 
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Yea Colin, it was very very tempting to get back in with the B&S 206——that’s why the temptations had to go! Technically I still own them until September, but I shook hands on a sale deal so they are all packed away safe for new owner.

Best bang for buck road racing available. Tires are still the limiting factor and highest cost. I remember how mad I was went I started dirt racing thinking I wouldn’t have to buy tires as much because your driving on slippery dirt and tires wouldn’t matter. What a wake up that was, tire compound makes a huge difference on dirt and they wear just as fast as a road course tire!

Still some of my best racing memories and friends from karting.
I never raced dirt. Certainly would love to try! But, none of the karting clubs were in the dirt that I was aware of when I started. I started racing in southern CA and there was no shortage of good tracks in the area at that time. Unfortunately, most of those tracks are now gone(CalSpeed & Moran Raceway(my personal favorite track)), but a few are still there(Adams & Apex). All of my early karting races were done at El Cajon Speedway(RIP) or Qualcomm stadium parking lot with San Diego Karting Assoc. Tires are certainly the culprit and hindrance of being competitive with $$. Not to mention....Entrance fees now! Good grief! 😖 I do it for the family memories, honestly. I have never once met anyone in the pits that wasn't ready and willing to help me whenever it was needed. Karting is completely bound together by the "family nucleus." Everything is family oriented in karting. You simply can't do it without all the families that come together for it. To me, that's well worth spending my money on. Like you @Tiger_Shilone I had the absolute best memories with my dad and my friends at the track. I want to create and pass on those same sacred memories with my 2 littles as they age. I have to wait till February until my son(4) can have his first Kid kart session, if he wants to(I wont force karting on him or my 2 y/o daughter. Only if they want to try). Here's a great documentary for the forum users who aren't involved in karting and want to see 'What it's all about." It's all about the family.

 
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Thats with his old motor too LOL. Heres one with his new stroker. He's right at 500whp. Tickling 160mph on the straight... he said he might have shit his pants when he saw those speeds...in a miata...



Spun the tires on the dyno LOL


If that is SCCA ITB this is a huge violation. Now my data is VERY limited, I ran ITB around 1995 or so, and went into F production around 2000. IT, or Improved Touring has very limited mods that you can do to the car. Generally think showroom stock but you can run a header.
 
I am working on my 1967 GT6 and just installed the starter motor after a quick refresh. I just love the old manuals.

If you don't know Bentley manuals take the old shop manuals and put them in new books. These are must have books if you are going to play with old sports cars, be they british or italian.

Look at the cleaning procedure on the starter right from the manual....clean with petrol, how great the good ole days. And I remember doing this in the early 80's when I turned wrenches for a living. Memory lane.

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If that is SCCA ITB this is a huge violation. Now my data is VERY limited, I ran ITB around 1995 or so, and went into F production around 2000. IT, or Improved Touring has very limited mods that you can do to the car. Generally think showroom stock but you can run a header.

Gridlife TrackMod...ruleset is decently open.

Yea GridLife and I think he runs unlimited class.

SCCA "rules" is a huge reason I dont auto-x or go to any SCCA events. I just want to go out and have fun and their 900000 car classifications and people getting all uppity about shit is why I wont go. I took my Miata to auto-x last year and I thought the guy was going to have a fucking coronary during tech and he was like "well what class are you going to run in" and I said "I dont know, whatever allows everything, I just am here to have fun not compete for national whatever".... that was the first and last time I went.
 
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Another successful WV HillFest in the books a couple weeks ago. Ran 99.8 seconds up the 2 mi course. Happy to have broke 100 which was a very competitive time. Mark Aubele’s Wolf GB08’s time of 80.5 was insane. Probably somewhere close to 1:1 wt/hp ratio. No surprise several built ZO6 and ZL1’s were leading the “street” class.
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Yea GridLife and I think he runs unlimited class.

SCCA "rules" is a huge reason I dont auto-x or go to any SCCA events. I just want to go out and have fun and their 900000 car classifications and people getting all uppity about shit is why I wont go. I took my Miata to auto-x last year and I thought the guy was going to have a fucking coronary during tech and he was like "well what class are you going to run in" and I said "I dont know, whatever allows everything, I just am here to have fun not compete for national whatever".... that was the first and last time I went.

There are a great many things wrong with the SCCA, and if I was able I doubt I would run with them anymore.

The thing I am interested in is some of these open road events like Big Bend or Sand hills. Those seem like tons of fun, and I have the car already built for it and a set of tall gears. Fire system, fuel, the entire 9 yards of crap.

I actually won 2nd place for production based race car. I lost to a real comp cobra. I did not even know there was an event, I just did it to drum up business for SCCA. Big car shows like world of wheels are a huge pain in the ass.
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Another successful WV HillFest in the books a couple weeks ago. Ran 99.8 seconds up the 2 mi course. Happy to have broke 100 which was a very competitive time. Mark Aubele’s Wolf GB08’s time of 80.5 was insane. Probably somewhere close to 1:1 wt/hp ratio. No surprise several built ZO6 and ZL1’s were leading the “street” class.
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WHOA!! "Talk to me Goose!" What have we here!? :love: I see open wheel racing and get all excited! I've never seen this open wheel racing platform before. My open wheel racing doesn't veer much past Karting, IRL and of course, our beloved Formula 1(and 2). I need the deets!! TELL ME! TELL ME!!! You've piqued my curiosity!! 🤤
 
WHOA!! "Talk to me Goose!" What have we here!? :love: I see open wheel racing and get all excited! I've never seen this open wheel racing platform before. My open wheel racing doesn't veer much past Karting, IRL and of course, our beloved Formula 1(and 2). I need the deets!! TELL ME! TELL ME!!! You've piqued my curiosity!! 🤤
Spencer Steele’s 1994 PVA Pike’s Peak Special. Ran 86.495 and interesting enough Paul Dallenbauch ran a 86.638 in a very similar set up, 2006 PVA 03.
Even faster open wheel is Justin Reed’s DF Goblin kit car at 82.126!

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Spencer Steele’s 1994 PVA Pike’s Peak Special. Ran 86.495 and interesting enough Paul Dallenbauch ran a 86.638 in a very similar set up, 2006 PVA 03.
Even faster open wheel is Justin Reed’s DF Goblin kit car at 82.126!

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Damn....That would be such a good time behind the wheel!! Something like that is WAY outside of my price range though. Looks like I'll keep working toward my goal of racing in a 125 shifter kart class :) Much, much better power:weight for my liking over something like this, anyhow. SUPER COOL nonetheless!! Thx for sharing!
 
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Damn....That would be such a good time behind the wheel!! Something like that is WAY outside of my price range though. Looks like I'll keep working toward my goal of racing in a 125 shifter kart class :) Much, much better power:weight for my liking over something like this, anyhow. SUPER COOL nonetheless!! Thx for sharing!
Justin rolled his DF Goblin after crossing the finish line. Spoiler alert, the driver is fine! 😳
 
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