Project Spec-V: Part 25: Details
10/5/2007
At first glance it seems like Project Spec-V is getting close to being done. However, we have been hard at work getting the final details finished on the car. The most important detail is getting more power and finally putting it to the ground.
One of the most important details is the ability to precisely control boost, especially in a traction limited FWD car. We chose what we feel is the best boost controller on the market for this task; Chris Rado’s World Industries TCB-1 boost controller. We obtained the boost controller through Twins Turbo where the Kozeluh brothers, Mark and Eric were very helpful in getting the boost controller set up and walking us though its operation. The crew at M-Workz was also critical in getting it installed and doing the last bits of wiring.
The TBC-1 control unit was mounted to the roll cage right above the wink mirror so we could easily reach and see it. The LCD display shows RPM and boost level among other things.The TBC-1 has many advanced features such as boost mapping. The boost can be set by RPM, speed and gear position. If the car has too much wheel spin in any gear, at any speed or time, the boost can be reduced just in this area so that traction is maintained. To do this the TBC-1 has a totally intuitive and user friendly interface that makes pinpoint and precise control a snap. In our opinion the TBC-1 is revolutionary; the best boost control on the market. The TBC-1 can also serve as a boost pressure data logger, tachometer, boost gage and gear indicator.
We installed the TBC-1’s control solenoid in the engine compartment close to the turbo near the fuse box on the driver’s side.
The boost pressure sensor was installed on the firewall near the intake manifold.
The buttons on our Sparco steering wheel enable the TBC-1’s Scramble Boost control. With Scramble Boost we can up the boost pressure temporarily to a much higher pressure to give the car a huge burst of power that would ordinarily strain the engine too much. Exactly what we needed for a suicide lap or to quickly pass another car.
The steering wheel buttons go to this quick release connector on the back of the wheel. We did this because our whole steering wheel is also on a quick release.We also had to finalize the wiring of our Race pack data logger which had inputs to the ECU and a GPS antenna. M-Workz shimmed the data loggers’ sensor pack to the floor to make sure it was perfectly level so it could give the most accurate readings. The data logger has a driver viewable real time lap display and a sequential shift light with a gear indicator. It makes GPS maps of the track which can be downloaded via a flash card to analyze on a PC later.
The dash display tells you your lap time, the overall elapsed time and what lap you are on. The sequential shift light and gear indicator are also very cool.
The unit’s sensors are in this box. M-Workz was very careful to make sure that this box was straight and level.
The GPS antenna was mounted under the rear window lexan since the GPS signal can pass easily though plastic.
Password JDM supplied this lightweight but strong battery box made of dry carbon.To help the car stay cool and to help with aerodynamics Technosquare fabricated some ducting to the radiator out of aluminum sheet. Radiator ducting makes a huge difference in how effectively the radiator works. It can make as much as 50% more air pass though the radiator and reduces turbulence and drag in the front of the car, allowing the front splitter and belly pan to work better.
The panels are held in place with Cleco clamps. These clamps enable a fabricator to hold sections of a panel together like it was riveted temporarily for fitting.
Once the panels are fitted they are riveted together. A pneumatic rivet gun saves time and physical strain.
The riveted panels look clean.
A top panel keeps all the air going though the grill from spilling over the top of the radiator instead of going though it.Recently the competition has been hard at work in the unlimited FWD Time Attack class and the cars have been getting much faster. So much faster that we also have to up the ante to stay competitive before the car has even run on the track. We have revised our power goals upward to 400 whp and 350 lb/ft of torque and will be doing this with the aid of a medium frame Garrett GT30R turbo in the next installment with some help from the good folks at ATP; Garrett and Jim Wolf Technology.