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

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Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
I can relate deeply. My 2019 hasn’t had a moment of racing. 2018 ended on a high note but I can’t find my way back despite spending unreal amounts of money and even when I do get back, I won’t be competitive with peers.

I took a bit of time to see if it drew me back in (and made several semi serious attempts at unloading the car that went nowhere). Ultimately finding a new approach and format really helped. I turned off social media, unsubscribed from anything racing for about 3 weeks and cleared my head. Started fresh and went back to picking one problem at a time.

For a motor, find someone who will build you a balanced shortblock and take it from there. Completing these motors isn’t difficult but where I have had the great majority of issues is around balancing and improper tolerances/build qualities. Oem isn’t great, the lower level fpp stuff isn’t great and 3 digit shop names are terrible.

Persevere man. Break it down into digestible steps


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Too true,,, After receiving a "balanced" crank from a vender supposedly matched too my con rods and pistons.... Went to balance them again just to check, and found that they had a very basic minimal balancing job and had to do it again.... The pillow blocks on a new block were all over the place when it came to tolerances with a a brand new crank too boot. FPP does not seem to mean that its ready to race....

After all this I joked to my builder that I should have bought a Crate motor.... his reply was... Fine... but we will have to take it apart any ways to check everything!!! Nothing seems to be very difficult at all in the build... just lots and lots of attention to detail.
 
741
1,075
TX
I’ve moved on from the moroso to the new FP350s pan but have no meaningful data yet. Nothing wrong with the moroso, I could make it drop oil pressure in hard rights but nothing seemingly dangerous


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I'm using this pan. Full system holds 18 quarts. 12 in the pan, 3 in the accusump and 3 in the bigger oil cooler. I have a light on the accusump that comes on when it opens the valve. No oil pressure issues at COTA, Road Atlanta or VIR with this pan. Very happy with it so far.

Side note, can't remove long tubes with it on the car, tho. Have to drop the engine.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
I wish you the best of luck. You have much more persistence than I do. I'm sure that you understand that when you try to race street cars seriously, these problems never end. The constant struggle, cash flow, fab work, re-design work, etc, it takes all the fun out of racing.

Your proposed 20k crate motor gets you half way to a purpose built, tube frame, race motor, dry sump, race trans, quickchange rear RACECAR.

https://www.racingjunk.com/GT/18394...rch=ta2&quickSearch=1&np_offset=3&from=search

I've seen this car. Its owner is some rich guy who dabbles in racing. He moves from one car to the next and has a professional crew do all the work. I'm surprised it has not sold yet.

Since no one here but you fabman, will appreciate this, I'm going to post it here and apologize for kinda messing up your thread. This summer has been the most fun that I've had in racing in decades. My kid is running mini stocks on a 1/4 mi asphalt oval. It took me a couple weeks to figure out what the car needed. It took the kid a couple weeks to learn to drive it. Since then he's run with the lead pack and won 2 heats and 1 feature. All in his first 7 Saturday nights. Now that is damn good racing fun with a $2000 car, $40 tires, $35x2 pit passes and leaving the pay window at night with an average payout of $125. Circle trackers often get made of by road racers but that's only because they don't know how hard it really is.
View attachment 9884

First ever circle track win, in the fast heat
Tempting as that is, trans am racing is hyper expensive but there is some payout.
Club racing is a little cheaper but pays nothing.
The money is in oval track, no doubt.
But, I've already done that...
 
Tempting as that is, trans am racing is hyper expensive but there is some payout.
Club racing is a little cheaper but pays nothing.
The money is in oval track, no doubt.
But, I've already done that...

Hey Fabman, you’ll figure it out. You know you will never quit this so might as well not entertain the idea. I’ve been out for a while, but personally I won’t quit until I am either dead or riddled with dementia.


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racer47

Still winning after 30+ years
392
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20+ Years
SE WI
Tempting as that is, trans am racing is hyper expensive but there is some payout. Club racing is a little cheaper but pays nothing.

Pro Trans Am TA2 is the same/similar rules as SCCA Regional and National GT2. These cars are becoming some of the most popular in road racing. Howe is making TA2 / GT2 cars very similar to late model chassis. They are all jig built. If you wreck it, they can clip it. It uses a ton of late model parts which keep the costs down. Late model style fiberglass and rubber body panels, quick change rear, 4 speed jericos and T10s, small block fords, LS chevys, etc.

If I were to get back into road racing i would definitely buy a howe gt2 car. The one I linked to is a 2014 chassis. They can update to latest specs if you want. I went to the Road America Trans Am race, all the TA2 guys that I talked to really like the cars, the class and the rules. Most of the TA3 guys I tried to talk too were too busy fixing their street car stuff.

https://howeracing.com/index.php/chassis-road-race/

 
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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
That's exactly the kind of car I'm used to.....however at this stage of my life (I'll be 61 next month) it doesn't really pay for me to get in that deep financially. Hell, it doesn't really pay to get in as deep as I have already to win zero dollars at club races that nobody really cares about anyway. At this moment I am leaning very heavily towards selling everything including my shop and personal possessions and saying the hell with it.
I could pay off all my debt, collect my social security, buy an RV and blow on outta dodge and and f--- everybody. Right now that sounds really good.....Really good.

1934701_104712903534_3526580_n.jpg
 
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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Today, I want Race car again.....:rolleyes:
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
It will never make sense. That's the problem with smart people... they think everything has to have an order and make sense. Listen to the little red devil, and do what you want to do. Figuring out what you want is the hard part.

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Figuring out what you want is really the easy part. Figuring out how to pay for it is harder. But even that is not that hard. Especially for the smart guys out there. And guys, don’t worry Sal will never leave this.


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147
60
SCCA GT2. That's the class I (am forced) to race in. Check out my sig. Yes, I know.
If a TA2 car shows up, I'm done.
However, there's still a grin from ear to ear every time I get out of the car. And for me, that's what it is all about.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
SCCA GT2. That's the class I (am forced) to race in. Check out my sig. Yes, I know.
If a TA2 car shows up, I'm done.
However, there's still a grin from ear to ear every time I get out of the car. And for me, that's what it is all about.
My car's kind of a bastard child.
Of all things, the aluminum dash makes the car illegal for all but ITE, SP and some of the GT classes where that car would be in no way competitive. Especially with a stock Coyote motor. Also, e85 fuel is only allowed in ITE and SP both of which are regional only classes. NASA rules are different, but around here their season is all at Sonoma with only one race at Thunderhill. Not what I would call a good time. Had I known what I know now I would certainly have done some things different...a lot of things.

41312940_10156669880528535_5757677666316582912_n.jpg
 
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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Figuring out what you want is really the easy part. Figuring out how to pay for it is harder. But even that is not that hard. Especially for the smart guys out there. And guys, don’t worry Sal will never leave this.


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Don't count on that...I left stock cars after a 25 straight win streak with back to back to back championships and didn't look at another race car for 25 years until an employee convinced me to build him a track day Miata.....and then the flood gates opened.
Those gates can close again just as quickly.
 
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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
SCCA GT2. That's the class I (am forced) to race in. Check out my sig. Yes, I know.
If a TA2 car shows up, I'm done.
However, there's still a grin from ear to ear every time I get out of the car. And for me, that's what it is all about.
A 3V mustang in GT2? That's rough. :(
 
Don't count on that...I left stock cars after a 25 straight win streak with back to back to back championships and didn't look at another race car for 25 years until an employee convinced me to build him a track day Miata.....and then the flood gates opened.
Those gates can close again just as quickly.

I won’t let you quit. You know you’re only a 5 hour drive away![emoji847]


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Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
I think we all go through moments of wanting to throw in the towel... I guess it all depends on how much pleasure we get out of this nutty sport. For me, quitting would mean going to some wack therapist, so would rather spend the money on the Boss!
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
12036870_10153628359923535_3746226717333840249_n.jpg

And there it is.....the Track day that started it all.
Had I known then what I know now I would still have a street legal car and helluva lot more money in the bank.
 

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