Sol’s EK9 Circuit Build… Part 4
It was a mad dash to the finish; with the days winding down the guys tried their best to cross off several items on the daily checklist. The event was literally one week away and the guys held the torch high and pushed forward as hard as they could. We’ll be taking a look as they planned and executed tasks on their race car prep list. There were also a few custom pieces which needed to be built in time for the event. The electrical system still needed to be knocked out, as a few more goodies arrived.
That’s enough of an intro, lets get on with this update…
For those who may be viewing this build for the first time, I’ve provided the link to the previous posts below:-
The scene that was laid out in the garage with a handful of days left to go before the event…
The way the rules are setup for this class, the use of aero is very limited; however, the use of a splitter is allowed and Sol made sure to take advantage of each opportunity he was given to be more competitive…
The widely spoken about AP Racing Pro 5000R big brake kit, which is stated to be exceptional on the track…
I thought I would get you guys a look at some of the suspension components as I wasn’t able to capture them prior to them being installed. Pictured are the Insane Shafts 32mm 500HP axles which would more than suffice for the power goal slated for this motor setup. In addition the Honed Developments spherical tie rod ends and Hardrace Performance LCAs make up the remainder of components visible…
A few more shots of how nice the front suspension and brake package looks, the joys of working with new parts…
Moving to the rear, the dated trailing arm bushings were removed and replaced with PCI’s spherical kit which eliminates any excessive movement within the suspension. It also helps to know that they are all but maintenance free…
Upon further inspection you’ll notice the rear camber arms have also been replaced with Honed Developments spherical units…
Taking a step back reveals the freshly coated Type R rear caliper and Password JDM slotted and drilled rotors…
To close out the rear here is a shot of the Type R rear sway bar and billet lower control arms…
Random shot of the progress so far within the bay…
A few shots of the carbon mirrors which have now been fitted to the doors…
Aside from the K-Tuned goodies that arrived, Sol was able to hunt down a wiper motor and arm which can come in quite handy given the unpredictable nature of our climate…
The K-Tuned velocity stack and air filter combo; a go to especially for circuit racing where at any given time a car may exit and return to the track causing a host of debris in the atmosphere which consequently can enter the intake if not careful…
I would have mentioned in a previous post about the custom OEM styled dash the guys knocked out. It’s finally back from being flocked and looks absolutely amazing…
A few shots of the work in progress on the -16 coolant hoses…
Handy contraption Fred put together while trying to find an easy way of cutting hoses accurately. Using the original brake pedal from the EK9 and modified it to accept a standard 4.5″ electric grinder. This worked out perfectly when preparing the hoses that were needed for the build…
A few close ups on the 57DR Gram Lights and Maxxis RC-1 wheel package…
Mean muggin front end shot still awaiting the windshield to be fitted…
Almost there…
Password JDM carbon cooling plate…
Sneak peak of the Password JDM carbon combination fitted in place…
ASP header just about ready for the first startup…
Having finished most of the things on the list… The guys went to work on test fitting the intake setup….
Further test fitting was done to the front end with the hood now in place…
The shop in full race prep mode, it was all hands on deck trying to get this project to completion…
When building a dedicated race car there are a few things in which you must take into consideration unlike when building a street car. Having a circuit car which will be constantly abused for an extended period of time, monitoring the operating temperature of key components play a big role. You must be aware of the temperatures of your fluids, be it engine oil or coolant. Some even take it a bit further and keep and eye on gear oil, fuel and even brake fluid temperature. The condition of the components directly affect not just winning or losing but can result in very costly repairs. And additionally may also impact on driver’s safety…
To aid with controlling oil temperature, Sol purchased a Laminova water cooled oil cooler. This type of oil cooler requires the use of the coolant system rather than air to operate. A great advantage of this is being able to have the unit mounted anywhere within the bay. This can be particularly useful when fighting for space based on the application. These units come in various compact sizes in comparison to conventional oil coolers. Despite their compact size, Laminova coolers are said to aid with prolonging engine life by reducing wear due to the rapid warm up process…
With the product in hand some modifications were required, the unit came with a 38mm connection. However, the guys planned to use AN fittings and with the deadline rapidly approaching a call was made to ReWeld to have him execute the conversion…
A look at the Laminova unit fitted with the necessary lines ran…
The lower radiator -16 connection feeding into the Laminova unit…
A look at the oil lines ran from the unit to the sandwich plate at the back of the block…
The completed cooling system…
Back on the interior, the guys were making some steady progress…
A look at the custom built battery box with Odyssey PC925 unit test fitted…
The Recaro Profi SPG seat looks great but more importantly the fuel filler hose has now been installed to Aeromotive fuel cell…
A few shots of the AEM CD-7 display mated to the ididit Inc steering column…
Having secured the Tilton pedal assembly, the floor plate was in the process of being completed…
A view from the inside, of the brake and clutch cylinders lines ran to a bulk head on the firewall which exits and enters the reservoir tank…
With the final concept out of the way for the floor plate, Fred moved forward with fabricating the connection between the throttle pedal and cable. One of the downside of converting to a floor mounted pedal assembly is figuring out the union between these components…
Fred opted to retain the use of the factory throttle pedal which maintained the original connection of the throttle cable going to the motor…
Fred removed the footpad on the OEM pedal and custom built a spherical joint to bridge the gap to the Tilton unit…
Over on the Tilton side, the joint can be adjusted at varying height levels…
The guys started to equip the car with the necessary fluids; still sticking to the recommended fluid for the gearbox…
An item yet to be touched on is the K-Tuned quick release hood hinges; these will make working on the car extremely easy both at the track and in the garage with the simplicity involved with removing the hood…
Earlier I mentioned some varying points of data which when collected can be a great advantage while in competition. Pictured are some sensors which will be used to keep a keen eye on the oil and fuel pressure…
The completed floor plate after being cleaned and having applied a few strips of a non skid 3M Product; which is essentially a low girt grade of sandpaper…
K-Tuned shifter goodness; taking a closer look you’ll notice that the brake light switch has been fitted to the rear brake line…
Further in the interior, Fred had a few things he was still working to have in place…
Fred went ahead and fabricated a battery strap to ensure the Odyssey unit was secured…
Aerial shot of the EK’s front end with the hood and Password JDM pieces fully installed…
The guys gave Bally a call to aid with the completion of the wiring system so the car can be fired up and start the next phase in the process; ensuring there are no leaks in any of the fluid systems, and basically run through the car’s setup…
A view of the interior while Bally got to work in completing the wiring to a few key components on the EK9…
A quick look at the bay with all systems in check it was just about time to fire this thing up for the first time…
Ignition…
A shot clip of the first start up where the guys ran though the basics ensuring everything was spot on…
A look at the ASP header after the first start was a success…
It’s finally alive… EK9 after the guys fired it up for the first time…
The guys in a huddle after the first startup was a success and discussing the next few stages in development necessary to making this goal a reality…
Along with the fabrication work to EK9 chassis, Fred was working on a few additional things which were mandatory based on the rules for Group 2. The guys opted to custom build both radiator expansion tank and a breather / catch can system. The two tanks were designed to occupy the spaces between the strut tower and firewall. After the guys performed the initial fit of these items, Fred made sure to pay close attention to what needed to be done. Already on a rapidly elapsing clock, the guys opted to have ReWeld on the job…
The mounting tabs welded in place only to be drilled for the ideal location…
At the top of the tank some provisions were made to fit the breather pad…
Breather pad in place to give you guys an idea of what the completed setup will look like…
The -10 Port is for the breather inlet and the -6 is for an overflow hose…
At the underside of the tank a drain bung was welded into place…
In addition to the necessary fittings and attachments that were added, there was a clearance issue that arose with the back of the breather tank and the throttle cable…
The completed pieces ready for collection…
Adrian as he looked on focused on the task at hand of put the finishing touches on the Civic…
Although the guys were in good spirits after the motor fired up, there was still work to be done. The intake pipe required some tweaking to fit in the desired location…
ReWeld went to work and made the adjustments to the intake pipe and while he was at it, he welded a bung for the intake air temperature sensor…
A closer look at the weld work done on the intake pipe and IAT bung that was fitted….
With the intake back at the workshop, the guys tested the fitment on the car…
Mated to the K-Tuned velocity stack and filter combination…
The car was now fully fitted together and even had Esuf Racing decals, all in preparation to hit the dyno to have this thing tuned and ready for some testing…
This brings us to the end of Today’s post, a huge shoutout to everyone who aided in anyway possible to reach this point within the build. Thanks for taking a look, be on the lookout for more to come your way.
James’s CN9A Build… Introduction
More new content coming your way guys! Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been putting in great effort to bring some new builds to the site. Today we look at James’s Lancer Evolution IV. I’m not sure exactly at what point things made a drastic change, however for quite some time now the Evolution platform has taken over across our little island. It ranges from Evo IIIs all the way to Xs, if anyone is mildly interested in a well rounded vehicle the go to option is usually an Evolution especially when performance is considered. This makes a vast majority of them rather common place, leaving only a select few to stick out. Which brings us to the reason James’s Evo is of a different nature and to understand why you would first need to take in the back story to this build. This is one of passion and an unwillingness to give up on a goal he set throughout the ups and downs.
James always heard of the performance capabilities where the Evolution platform stood. However it just so happened by luck he ended up doing a favor for a close friend which involved driving their car. And just like that it was all over for James and there was no turning back. The acceleration, the cornering speed, the handling, the braking, the comfort, it was culmination of things that all rushed at James suddenly. At the time James owned a EP91 Glanza V which was dear to him as he built it from nothing. With as many upcoming plans James had in the works for the Glanza, none would be able to deliver an experience as the Evo did. James knew after that drive he had to part ways with his beloved Glanza. It was too much to ignore and aside from the performance they’re packed with, then came the absolute stunning appearance.
With little effort James was able to get his hands on what was a great base to build on, a relatively stock Evolution IV specimen. This would follow similarly to the Glanza and doubled as his daily driver along with being a part time drag car solely for when B.A.D.D events are held. Initially everything appeared in good working order and it wasn’t until a little while in when James started to noticed an issue. Being surrounded by owners of a similar platform, the issue would be dealt with rather quickly. Although it wouldn’t end there, the following issues took James for quite a ride and for each issue he solved another one would show up. Being resilient James pushed forward with his plans to build a completely different motor which would place him in the top tier Evo dominated class at B.A.D.D. As time passed and with things well underway James found himself in a tough situation and opted to sell the parts which he accumulated for the build and also put the car up for sale.
Fast forward a couple of months and being in a better position, James was once again on the hunt to quench his desire for performance and was looking to dive back into the car scene. Still with Evo dreams in his sights he made a call and as luck would have it, he was able to regain control of his old car in an attempt to finish what he started. This time around James’s focus would be in a completely different direction as it relates to the type of build. This was very important to him as the car wouldn’t have to undertake the task as a dedicated daily driver anymore. Having spent a lot of time around the drag racing scene since his initial plans, James thought it would be better shift his main focus away from predominantly drag racing and look into building a well rounded car. This way he’ll be able to enjoy more of the driving experience which initially got him hooked while taking part in more events within the motorsport calendar. The plan moving forward is to hit the circuit for some track day action with a goal in mind to chase down the AWD street class title. In addition to this, James would ensure the car has enough grunt to be competitive within the mid 7 sec bracket in the 1/8 mile. All the while still maintaining a full street car registration being able to drive to and from the track and or attend any car meets.
We’ll be going back and taking a look at when James first purchased the car, go through a few of the teething issues along with some of the mods he was able to execute before parting ways. Also moving forward with being reunited and having a new direction for the build and close off with a quick run down on the current setup.
Some beauties taken when James first got possession of the car…
A shot after a clean up and the car had been registered…
A look at the Evo IV interior which came standard with Recaro seats colour matched with the rest of the interior…
When James purchased the car it came with a trio of Prosport premium EVO series gauges in the form of wideband, oil pressure and boost…
Another great thing that was included was the D2 Racing coilovers the car came with…
In comes the bad, the car started to develop a knocking shortly after in James’s possession. After further investigation the guys noticed the motor was rebuilt with the wrong rod bearings. Being heavily into the 4G63 scene they went to work and quickly had James up and running. Or so they thought, James would be plagued with several electrical issues. Eventually they guys got the car to a point where it was capable of driving and James could begin to enjoy his prized possession…
In possession of his new wheels James made some appearances, and as previously mentioned Barbados has no shortage of Evolutions…
A few more shots taken in the parking lot at work…
Being in possession of the car for a little while James decided it was time to make a few changes. As he required some fabrication work to be done, James enlisted the services of ReWeld…
First on the list was to tackle the intercooler piping which was in dire need of upgrading. After taking the required measurements Reudon was able to knock out the piping and BOV flange…
A quick before and after comparison showing just how much of a necessity this was…
A look at the final portion of the puzzled, the hot side piping after it was installed…
He got rid of the factory turbo setup and went for a Evo 7 turbo mated to a ETS stock frame turbo manifold with a MA Performance O2 housing and to close it out, a 40mm Turbosmart wastegate…
James opted to have this setup with a slight variation to the norm and had ReWeld fabricate the dump tube to exit through the hood…
A few shots of the fabrication process on the stainless wastegate screamer pipe…
A look at the setup with the hood closed…
Needless to say James was extremely pleased with the setup as raw flames were now exiting through the hood…
This fun would be short lived, throughout this time James was still having an issue with the car pulling timing at the top of the RPM range. The guys added some fuel to see if this issue would be rectified but to no avail it was unsuccessful. A few weeks later James stopped to launch the car and upon take off was greeting with a loud explosion closely followed by a plethora of smoke…
Upon inspection James had put two holes in the block front and rear of number one cylinder. Through this massive setback James found inspiration to dive even deeper into the build. After putting in the necessary research James set up to build a 4G64 bottom end along with a full overhaul of the 4G63 head inclusive of valvetrain and camshafts. This setup would put James exactly where he would aspire to be; at the top battling it out with some of the fastest Evos on the island. As James was in the midst of accumulating the parts required he was met with some shipping challenges which pushed things to a halt. Throughout this back and forth combined with the current state of the economy James opted to sell the parts which he received so far and sell the car separately…
After a short hiatus James made and effort to return to the car scene and was fortune enough to retain possession of his Evo IV. A few shots taken of the car upon arrival back into James’s possession…
With a renewed focus James would be ready to dive in to make his goal come to light…
When James negotiated to purchase the car from the owner at the time, a motor package was included unlike the state in which he sold it, the setup is as follows…
Forged 2.3 bottom end with light weight I beam connecting rods
4G64 crank
Evo IX Beehive valve springs
GSC R2 camshafts
Stock Evo VII manifold and turbo
This setup was more than enough of a start for James to build from and would head him in the direction towards his goals…
That’s it for a first look at James’s CN9A build, I hope you guys enjoyed it and stay tuned for more to come.
