S197 BOSS 302 Race Car Build Thread Build Thread

[Fabman]

@Fabman

I will continue updating the picture links so they work...might do some more tonight.

With respect to the 800/275, the car works really well and it's certainly not too stiff, but I am playing with ways to make the car rotate a bit more, as it was a little bit pushy at the limit.
My most recent "experiment" was swapping from a 22mm Strano rear bar to a 26mm OEM Boss LS rear bar. This seemed to work pretty well as far as rotation is concerned, but I need to get out on fresh tires to see how it really reacts. I may try a set of 650# springs in the front next season just to evaluate the difference.

I have my rear pivot point on the FAYS2 set 1 hole (roughly 1/2" ?) above stock location. I previously had it set about an inch lower than stock. This is all combined with any lowering from the suspension, as well. I didn't notice a big difference in changing the rear roll center height with either sway bar.

Height of roll center as measured from the ground is a pretty universal way to express it.
I'm very interested to see future developments. I'm on 500's and I'd like to go stiffer, but not sure how much stiffer.
Swapping springs at the track in these cars is a real pain so I prefer to do it at the shop, but that limits testing to one set per event. [font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif] [/font]

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]With stock cars I'd often run several sets of front springs in a night dialing in for a specific track....but with the mustang, not so much. [/font]
I'm raising the watts one hole from 8" to 9" and stiffening the front shocks to manage body roll for this weekend.
I'd love to hear what setups others are running if they care to share.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

I can grab some rear RC height measurements from the ground for reference, that should be simple.

Rear springs are easy to change, fronts can be done in an hour probably, including the ride height adjustment to accommodate the different rates. A real evaluation would be running 550-800 in 25-lb increments but I don't have enough time or tires to support that level of detail

 

[Fabman]

I can grab some rear RC height measurements from the ground for reference, that should be simple.

Rear springs are easy to change, fronts can be done in an hour probably, including the ride height adjustment to accommodate the different rates. A real evaluation would be running 550-800 in 25-lb increments but I don't have enough time or tires to support that level of detail

Agreed, rears are cake...it's the fronts for sure. I'm too old, fat and lazy to crawl on the ground these days.
It's not like they are paying me to make the show anyway....that part is going to take some getting used to.
100% negative cash flow. :-\

 

[Fabman]

When I checked out of stockcar racing tires were 100 bucks apiece, entry was 30 bucks and if all you did was take the green you got your entry back and winning was anywhere from several hundred to several thousand depending on the show. My have things changed!

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Update on Cooling modifications:

On Saturday I deleted my stock oil-to-water cooler, installed a GT lower radiator hose, and removed the Setrab 925 oil-to-air cooler. Today I got the 948 mounted up using @Black Boss' methods and am going to fab a duct box for it this week. I made a few templates yesterday that I need to transfer to posterboard before I start cutting/bending metal.






Unfortunately I am feeling lazy tonight, so I will not be cutting new -10AN lines to feed the cooler due to the new routing necessitated w/ this new setup. That will come later this week


Last night, I was able to get a few minutes of productive time in and managed to create a simple block-off plate for the existing passenger side radiator shroud. I will create a similar plate for the driver's side tonight.

Creating a posterboard template:


Cut the posterboard and bent the edge in a metal brake to check fit before cutting/bending metal:


The 90* lip on the edge inserts into the vertical slot at the side of the radiator, and plate fills the gap left when the AC condenser was removed:


I am by no means a fabricator, but this stuff will work:

 

[Fabman]

Update on Cooling modifications:


I am by no means a fabricator, but this stuff will work:

Well I AM a fabricator, and I approve this message.....you are doing a fabulous job, really.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

All photo links updated/replaced through Page 29.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Got the driver's side block-off plate cut, formed, and installed last night.



Might get to start on the oil cooler box tonight...

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

OK last night I was able to form up one of the sides for the oil cooler duct box.

Tracing/fine-tuning the existing template onto posterboard:


Cut out the template and started to do the edges in the metal brake to see how I could get this thing done w/ all the bends on various sides:


Fold-over flaps for mounting formed on upper and lower edges:


Test fit:



Cut the metal form out and doubled-up the edges for additional stiffness:


Upper and lower mounting "channels" will help prevent bending in vertical direction:


Test fit:


Installed M6 rivnuts:


Final Fit:


From a quick look at the fascia and grille, I think I need to re-design my lower cooler mount straps, but that should be simple. Also may need to make some very minor trim cuts on the face of the side plates for the cooler box.
I have the passenger side sheetmetal already marked up and ready to form, I just need some time! Then it will be on to adding the top plate, nomex honeycomb, and some deflector strips inside the duct box for additional stiffness and channel air into the cooler core.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Almost done with the box for the cooler.

Top plate cut, stiffened, folded, and installed:


Nomex honeycomb cut for the exposed upper and lower areas:


Honeycomb in-place:


Adding 45* deflector strips inside the box for additional side stiffness and to channel air directly into the core of the cooler:


Only got the one side done so far, the other one will come tonight or tomorrow:

 

[superhero]

Almost done with the box for the cooler.

Honeycomb in-place:

I can see your now moving along at a good pace. When you do something new and out of your norm. you proceede with caution. But once things start to fall into place and you dig what you see, you get very involved in your project which looks real GOOD. And that it dose!!
I have a question about the honeycomb installed. you install the oil cooler to cool temps. But then you place a piece of honeycomb in front of the rad. to protect it. I get that. But looking at the honeycomb it seems to look like it has to obstruct the air flow. Wouldn't just a piece of screening / wire mesh allow more air to pass thru the cooler which would help better with temps and also provide protection to the rad. I may be wrong but I would think you will see better results with some type of screen or mesh.
However I am like others.... When you make it yourself and like what you see and it works......Well that's a home run and very self gratifying.

Nice job AZ

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

The total blocked surface area of the honeycomb is very small when compared with traditional screens/mesh. Think about stacking up the width of the wires in a mesh against each other vs. the extremely thin honeycomb and you'll start to understand what I mean.

It has minimal impedance to the flow--and it is worth it to prevent a puncture (and possibly fire) on track.

 

[DocB]

The honeycomb that he is using only impedes 3% of the air flow.
It is super strong and will block smaller pieces of track debris from damaging the radiator.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

The boxing is finished. I needed to modify the lower oil cooler brackets to clear the lower fascia plastics, got that done pretty quickly tonight.

Now I just need to run the AN lines to the new cooler. Unfortunately this is proving challenging now that the sandwich plate is 3" closer to the block than before, now that I have removed the stock oil-to-water cooler. Either the lines have to make some very questionable-radius bends and put the fittings in all sorts of stress, or they have to go through where the Z-brace is, or where the EPAS wiring is. None of which are favorable options.

I just ordered another stock oil-to-water cooler to put in as a "spacer" to get the original position of the lines back. I'll mount it up but I won't plumb coolant lines to it...just a "dummy" cooler block. Didn't want to reuse my original one as the service manual says scrap if removed. No use in wrecking an engine or starting a high-pressure oil fire over a $55 part.

I should have this thing buttoned back up in a couple days. Just in-time to leave for NASA West Coast Nationals at Buttonwillow in California by the 12th. I'm glad I started early on this one

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Gonna fill the coolant system with water wetter and distilled water tonight, then should be able to fire her up to do a leak check!

Then button everything up this weekend and be ready to go!

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

• She is all put-back-together, leak-tested, cleaned-up, and ready to run at the NASA West Coast Championships this weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, CA.
  
  
  
  I will be running in "Group D", which includes the following classes:
  • Super Unlimited (Anything goes!)
  • Super Touring 1 (5.5:1 lbs/whp)
  • Super Touring 2 (my class, 8.0:1 lbs/whp)
  • Super Touring 3 (10.0:1 lbs/whp)
  • American Iron Extreme (Anything goes!)
  • American Iron (9.5:1 lbs/whp)
  • NASA NP01 (spec NASA Prototype series, around 8.0:1 lbs/whp)
  
  Live Timing/Scoring for the weekend:
  
  

  Event Coverage Page at NASA Championships Website:
  https://nasachampionships.com/west-event/
  
  Live Video Coverage at Livestream(Follow the channel):
  http://livestream.com/nasa
  Live Timing will be available exclusively at:
  https://racehero.io/orgs/nasa
  Latest Championships News will be posted to:
  https://nasaspeed.news/race-coverage/nasa-championships/

  
  There are 6 people (including myself) signed up for ST2; three of them are veterans at this track, and the remainder (myself included) have never been there before. This is going to be an uphill battle. At the end of the day, I'm just there to collect regional points (we count result x1.3 for local points for the year) and come back in one piece to run the final NASA AZ race of the year in November--but a podium would be great if I can eek one out. I missed by one position last year at Laguna Seca.
  
  We shall see...
  
  My moderating will be limited during my absence, so everyone needs to play nice here on TMO while I'm out

 

[ls110]

Good luck Drew - I am sure you will do well!!!

 

[TMSBOSS]

Play Nice...........I've heard of that. :

Good Luck in Ca.

 

[superhero]

your car looks real good. It's held up very well having a racing life.
Kudos to you Arizona. Good luck and hope you land on the top podium.

 

[Lockport2013LS]

Drew,

Good luck this weekend. Thanks for all of your posts, the best reference material I have found. I hope to at some point be able to race my Boss but will work to move from HPDE-3 in the Great Lakes Region to group 4. Here is a picture at the Autobahn in September of last year. Thanks again.

Bob