Ultimate Hybrid NSX Project

[f1racr]

Hey Dale,

Good to see things progressing for your build.

I have a bit of a selfish request though......... I'm wondering about keeping or getting rid of the factory rack on my build and wondered if you'd be kind enough to point me in the direction of the makers of your steering rack ???

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=76542&d=1304489846

I know it won't be a straight fit but at least it's a start

 

[LS7NSX]

Hey Dale,

Good to see things progressing for your build.

I have a bit of a selfish request though......... I'm wondering about keeping or getting rid of the factory rack on my build and wondered if you'd be kind enough to point me in the direction of the makers of your steering rack ???

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=76542&d=1304489846

I know it won't be a straight fit but at least it's a start

Hi Fraser,

I'm surprised you don't recognize it.....it's Woodward, of course! (haha). BTW, they make a very nice manual rack as well. You will need to tell them your car is "rear steer", the steering arm lengths (at the uprights), the pivot centers (basically the ctr-to-ctr length at the tie rods, of OEM rack), total turns, lock-to-lock desired, car weight, & the pinion offset (how far from which end you want the pinion input shaft)....& tell Tony I said Hi!

 

[f1racr]

Awesome, thanks Dale.

Didn't even click it was Woodward !! Doh !

 

[OPTIONS]

im sure youve been asked a million times, but when is the eta on when you plan on having this finished? I am very intrigued to see the finished product. :biggrin:

 

[LS7NSX]

im sure youve been asked a million times, but when is the eta on when you plan on having this finished? I am very intrigued to see the finished product. :biggrin:

The car should be driveable by October, although the body probably wont be finished by then.....that depends more on outside craftsmen than any other aspect of the build, so I'm hoping complete project in December. I'm pretty far behind on updating my "build site" (LS7NSX.com)....car should be a roller in about a week!
Stay tuned!

 

[TURBO2GO]

Dale are you going to keep the LS7 stock?

 

[LS7NSX]

Dale are you going to keep the LS7 stock?

Actually, yes & no....have a perfectly stock LS7 crate motor (in all the pics)to shake the car down with, but the final configuration is really a sorta hybrid LS series miracle. Basically an LS3 thats been bored & stroked to 440 inches, with LS7 heads, complete race internals, & a Harrop supercharger (Eaton-style, 2.3L)....around 850 hp at 6500 RPM!
FWIW, the stocker is really slated for my GTM street car.....which currently has a mildly "warmed over" LS6 for power......so, if you know anyone who wants to make a great deal on an LS6.....

 

[LS7NSX]

Light & STRONG!

Been working on some of the seat, steering, & dry-sump tank mount configurations....you really have to look at these pictures closely to appreciate the simplicity / integrity of the design You have to go back thru my recent posts to see the seat / position relative to the tunnel to make sense of these "cradle" pics. Also, I decided to toss the OEM dash bar, in favor of a cleaned-up & stronger configuration that also facilitates my new-fangled "up & away steering ramp" (not fabbed yet).











Working on fuel cell / engine bay partitions this weekend!

 

[FR500GT]

This thread is full of WIN! I've always contemplated putting a 07' GT500 engine into an NSX chassis haha. Im glad someone is actually doing a V8 transplant though. Subscribed!

 

[LS7NSX]

Fuel Cell Cavity, & ARB details

Here are a few shots of the aluminum panel progress for fuel cell surrounds. When the cavities are fully surrounded by aluminum panels, I will flip the car upside down, & pour them with hi-density polyurethane foam, which when removed, will serve as "plugs" to digitize & create cad files for Fuel Safe (the fuel cell manufacturer) to work from.





For those of you who like figuring out "engineered things".....these are part of the rear suspension, so look closely!




FWIW, I never considered myself a "panel beater", & was originally looking around for a dragster or funny car fabricator to do all of the engine bay panels. When I started getting quotes, however, I decided to form them myself.....especially since the entire "heat side" of the welded & formed panels was going to ultimately be sprayed with Lizard Skin, which is a .060" thick ceramic coating (covers all imperfections). FYI, the main firewall is
.060" 6061-T6; all other panels are .050" 5052

I'm working on 1/12th scale model body at nights.....will post some pics as I make some more progress on it....Stay Tuned!

 

[LS7NSX]

Progress on seat(s), oil tank, & swiss cheese!

Here are some detail shots of driver's seat mounting configuration, & preliminary oil tank placement, along with rear crossmember, which will serve as a rear body mount, & a place to attach rear shock canisters. The dry sump tank will be fully enclosed by an insulated, curved, funny car-style aluminum panel, once all of the lines & mounts are finished----with a removeable top, for fill access. Fire bottle mounts laterally, under front edge of driver's seat, attached to seat cradle.




This is a close-up of rear attachment point of seat-to-cradle




Passenger seat will mount to special quick-release cradle that also serves as the platform for quick-release cool box unit.....all secured by 3/8" push-pins. Note that it too crowds the tunnel (for added helmet clearance). Note: the "normal" configuration will be cool box installed....the passenger seat is for "demos" only.




"swiss cheese" resulted in 2.4 lbs of weight savings......but I really did it because it looks cool!




FYI; I've almost finished fuel cell compartments & hope to pull those plugs real soon! Also close to mounting "swing-away" steering column....just have to finish-up a custom billet "ramp & trolley", & we'll see if its going to work!

Stay Tuned!

 

[Jeff@Carbon6]

Great work Dale... love those suspension mounts.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Are you using rectangular tubing on the bottom of the door beams specificaly because of the crush cans?

 

[LS7NSX]

Are you using rectangular tubing on the bottom of the door beams specificaly because of the crush cans?

Sort-of,...it does serve as a nice flat plane for the crush-boxes, but it also is inheritantly more rigid in the vertical-flex plane, & I've welded it to a moly "saddle" (foot-plate), midway between its front & rear weld-points. This really adds stiffness to the tub rails, as well as side impact protection.

 

[TURBO2GO]

That's very interesting, why don't more cage builders do this?

 

[LS7NSX]

That's very interesting, why don't more cage builders do this?

It's probably because the advantage is only significant in an aluminum-tubbed car......and there aint a lot out there.....also because some rulebooks get very specific about design & construction, & don't allow for "outside-the-box" thinking.....IMHO

 

[LS7NSX]

SACRILEGE!

No where NEAR finished, but here's a peek!

















FYI.....a wholelotta white modeling clay still to be "blended" into new profile before applying mold release, & then pouring the urethane rubber into my aluminum mold-box.......& YES, it is exactly to scale (1/12th), as configured.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Just as an initial gut reaction... I am not liking the look of the droopy rear... It's the opposite of the NSX rise into the wing. But then.... I don't know anything about anything on this project so I will hold off any judgment. Just make sure it looks good after all this mechanical work. Or else I will have to give you 10K and take it off your hands.

 

[Jeff@Carbon6]

Very cool, reminds me of the Autobacs Garaiya body.

 

[TURBO2GO]

This?!! Holy ugliness....

 

[Jeff@Carbon6]

actually, This:

 

[LS7NSX]

Just as an initial gut reaction... I am not liking the look of the droopy rear... It's the opposite of the NSX rise into the wing. But then.... I don't know anything about anything on this project so I will hold off any judgment. Just make sure it looks good after all this mechanical work.

Not to worry, grasshopper! This model is just the initial "basic block" that will allow me to cast a dimensionally-accurate "plug" to seriously get-after with the Dremel Tool. The final shape is actually VERY curvy....& faithfully incorporates the NSX rear profile, only sectioned & lowered significantly for aero consideration! FYI, The front end also incorporates the NSX "nose", only to 83% scale, because of wheel tub design......

To ALL: It Will be BEAUTIFUL, as-in mind-boggling......BUT it's also gonna be a whole lot slippery-er than OEM too!

 

[TURBO2GO]

Allright.. I'll trust you. Cuz you know nothing would be worse than a bunch of Miss Badwrench girls standing next to some turd looking thing.

 

[LS7NSX]

Allright.. I'll trust you. Cuz you know nothing would be worse than a bunch of Miss Badwrench girls standing next to some turd looking thing.

Here you go!



Talk about aero!

 

[LS7NSX]

actually, This:

Actually, more like THIS!





FYI, the lowered center (between rear wheel "tubs") will be significantly lower on my car, & the front will have mini NSX grill shape in center, with "tub-style" wheel fairings (trio of projector beams in each fairing will be in a vertical plane behind a slit-style lexan cover) that blend into the entire length of nose shape, kinda like this:



only the nose wont be pointy, sorta rounded top (like an Esperante) & the fenders will curve downward at the leading edge, like an LMP1 car

PS.....anyone know what the blue car is?