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S197 3V Fabman's build; How did we get here? Build Thread

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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Thank you @Adam Ginsberg for all your hard work making this such a great event in such difficult conditions. My hat is off to you and everyone else who put so much into this.
 
Road Ranger 15 or maybe 18 speed? The shifter looks like the 15 OD. Spent a few years clicking the gears on them way back in the day. Easier to shift without the clutch than any car manual gearbox. Breathe the throttle on upshifts and rev match on the downshifts. Falls into gear when the revs are right. Tough pieces, unlike the cursed MT82.
Eaton rt-18. Just found the pic for fun. Know nothing about them.
 
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Lenoir City TN
The first one lasted quite a while with the blown 3v and is still going strong in another car but the second one started having issues half way through the first season with the coyote. Probably because I wind this motor so tight....I don't think that trans is designed for 8200 rpm shifts. As for the flag, an official brought it to my attention in impound.
Tremec shows they are rated for 700 lb/ft of torque and 7800 rpm shifts. The 8200 rpm shifts were probably too much for the synchros. Also, that sequential shifter is so fast that it probably didn't help. It doesn't give the synchros time to work.
 

Fabman

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Tremec shows they are rated for 700 lb/ft of torque and 7800 rpm shifts. The 8200 rpm shifts were probably too much for the synchros. Also, that sequential shifter is so fast that it probably didn't help. It doesn't give the synchros time to work.
I went back and watched all the practice and qualifiers the week of Nationals and all were almost totally devoid of shifting problems...until right after the Dyno incident. :(
 

Fabman

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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Some punk owes you a new magnum
He didn't know....can't fault the guy I should have told him you needed to use the clutch.
I assumed he knew but like you said, he probably thought it was a sequential.
 

Fabman

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Some punk owes you a new magnum
Sure made junk out of it though....went from missing one shift every couple times on track to can't get it in gear almost ever.
 

Fabman

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Who has 4k they can part with so I can order a new trans?
 

Fabman

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Is that for a new box, or reworking your current?
New box. No time for a rebuild. Liberty gear isn’t answering my request for parts.
 

Fabman

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I’ll have to hold my shifts to 7800
 

Ron McCall

Pantera1889
I went back and watched all the practice and qualifiers the week of Nationals and all were almost totally devoid of shifting problems...until right after the Dyno incident. :(
Another reason why the AIX group should have no HP limit . This is a very recent rule change . Before this, there was no HP limit in AIX therefore no dyno testing at the track. If someone wants a HP limit, there is always AI. AIX should be unlimited.

Ron
 

Fabman

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Let me know if you want to sell your current one to fund the new. I would rebuild it for a spare.
I might just take you up on that
 
Another reason why the AIX group should have no HP limit . This is a very recent rule change . Before this, there was no HP limit in AIX therefore no dyno testing at the track. If someone wants a HP limit, there is always AI. AIX should be unlimited.

Ron
I originally thought that way too, but HP was limited beginning in 2022 to reign in the high 3 figure and low 4 figure HP numbers and the high cost to be remotely competitive. The participation was dwindling and had been declining for years nationally. I think it was a great change after proper consideration.
 

Fabman

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I originally thought that way too, but HP was limited beginning in 2022 to reign in the high 3 figure and low 4 figure HP numbers and the high cost to be remotely competitive. The participation was dwindling and had been declining for years nationally. I think it was a great change after proper consideration.
Agreed, 2 things that drive the cost way up is:
1) Big horsepower
2) super light weight
To excel at either of these takes a lot of work and money, far beyond the average racer as evidenced by the lack of participation in recent years.
Now I'm not a fan of lots of rules and I'm certainly no expert on the matter but I understand why they did what they did.
One argument against the hp/weight rule could be "If you don't like the rules you can just sit out." And that's a valid argument.
I think a lot of people took this advice.....which is why there are no cars.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Dumb question for the sake of an argument/discussion -- If AIX was to be truly unlimited, what would make it any different than a STU/TTU build? VIN?
 

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