NC 20BPP Time Attack / Track Car - Build Thread

[Dave]

Danny, I don't get on this forum much these days, however I have just gone through this build from the start this afternoon... all I can say is echoing all the preceding compliments - however... RESPECT! This is a huge undertaking and being approached very holistically. Superb workmanship and a great concept. Like the rest, I look forward to the finished product!

Cheers,
Dave

[orx626]

Danny, I don't get on this forum much these days, however I have just gone through this build from the start this afternoon... all I can say is echoing all the preceding compliments - however... RESPECT! This is a huge undertaking and being approached very holistically. Superb workmanship and a great concept. Like the rest, I look forward to the finished product!

Cheers,
Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for so many kind words about the project. I too look forward to the finished product. My biggest disappointment is that it is now near the end of 2011, some 5 years on and it's still not finished. That being said, unless I'd won the lotto, the project wouldn't have played out any different to how it has.

Regards,
Danny

[orx626]

Danny is at Time Attack welding carbon 35 skylines back together.

As Okibi previously eluded to, I had another distraction of the automotive type this year. In March I was approached by GT Auto Garage to assist them with the engineering aspects of the build of a Pro-class entry for this years World Time Attack 2011 (Superlap) event at Eastern Creek (4-6 August). Although the vehicle was not a Mazda, there was no way in the world I was going to knock back such an opportunity. Especially when no other R35 in the world had been modified to this level before.

The only problem was that the chassis wasn't available yet and wouldn't be until the first week of May....which meant that we only had some 13 weeks to build and test the car before the event!

This is the build specification for the car:

Engine
* HKS GT 800 Turbine kit
* Hi Octane Performance Coating dump pipe and turbo housings
* Side exit exhaust
* HKS Pistons
* HKS Rods
* HKS Head gasket system
* HKS Camshafts
* HKS F-Con V-Pro
* HKS Valcon Controller
* HKS EVC Boost controller
* HKS GT2 Wastegate x2
* Custom Fuel Cell
* PWR Light weight Intercooler(WRC & BTCC)
* PWR Light weight Radiator(Nascar Spec)
* PWR Light weight Oil cooler(F1 Spec)
* PWR transmission cooler(F1 Spec)
* PWR Diff cooler(F1 Spec)
* 2000cc Injectors(E85)
* 2000hp Magna Fuel Pump

Interior
* Motec Sports Dashlogger
* Roll-over Protection Structure (Meets FIA performance requirements)
* Custom Carbon Dash
* Works Bell Paddle shifter RaptorII and Boss Kit
* Bride Racing Seat
* Willans Racing 5 point Harness

Exterior
* Dry Carbon
* Aerodynamics by Andrew Brilliant (FXMD Aerodynamics)
* Front Bonnet Fenders Bumper Headlight one piece Dry carbon
* Rear Bumper Guards Boot one piece Dry Carbon
* Dry Carbon Doors
* Dry Carbon Roof
* Dry Carbon Front lower splitter
* Dual Rear Diffuser Dry Carbon
* Dual Element Rear wing Dry Carbon(GT AUTO SPEC)

Transmission/diff etc.
* PPG 6speed upgrade transmission
* Willall Racing Kevlar clutch packs
* Upgraded Front and Rear LSD's

Suspension/Handling
* HKS Hypermax 3 suspension with custom Valving/Spring rates
* Hi Octane Front Camber Arms
* Sunline Adjustable Rear Camber Arms
* Sunline Adjustable Castor Arms
* Sunline Adjustable Toe Arms

Wheels & Tyres
* Volk Racing TE37 Super Lap Edition 18 x 11 +18
* Hankook 295/30/18 Z221 tyres

Brakes
* Project Mu SCR-Pro Rotors
* Project Mu H16 Racing Pads

What the above list doesn't cover was as the custom design and fabrication work that was necessary to pull all these items together.


Some of you may have already put 2 and 2 together and worked out that the vehicle was the full carbon bodied R35 GTR. This is how it was delivered to me on the 13th May....yes, we did butcher a AUD150,000 Nissan R35 GTR.






It was put on a bit of a diet....throughout the build we monitored the weight as these beasts of a car aren't particularly light at almost 1,800kg in road trim. Any reduction in weight was always going to be beneficial to the cause. My first contribution was to design and manufacture the roll-over protection structure in no more than 1 week. This was so that the chassis could be sent to Sydney to get the carbon body work could get underway. Whilst this part of the build was happening the engine and transmission upgrades were being addressed.

Due to the weight saving process necessary with building a Pro-Class entry for Superlap (World Time Attack), our approach to designing the roll cage for GT Auto’s R35 GTR was somewhat less than traditional (CAMS compliant). Besides ensuring that the critical safety aspects of the roll cage were met, considerable effort was put into enhancing the beaming strength and torsional rigidity of the chassis. This was achieved through the addition of unconventional structural members (in on-road roll cages) between key node points for superior structure triangulation, and through the selection of structurally competent footplate attachment points on the GTR chassis. The weight penalty that goes hand in hand with the installation of a roll cage was minimised with the use of appropriately sized cold drawn seamless chrome-moly tubing. Here's some piccies of the roll cage fabrication....










On its way south......




Here's a couple of photos of the moulds being made for the carbon body...






It was some 7 weeks before we got the chassis back from Sydney and we could proceed with tidying up the roll cage structure and start to workout how all the gear forward of the front axle and rearward of the rear axle would need to be arranged. The next series of photos tell the story.


July 2011 - only 5 weeks to go!!!


























It's amazing what a coat of paint can do....










Got tyre!!!




With less than 3 weeks to go we finally received the first piece of the carbon body...




Cooling package sorted...




Fuel system sorted...






Exhaust system coming together...




...and finally on the dyno for a tune and to get some run-in kilometres under our belts...




Man this engine makes easy torque and hp. The engine was run at 17psi and 22psi power levels. On 17psi it made 490kw ATW and just over 800nm engine torque (uncorrected). At 22psi it made just under 600kw ATW and 1100Nm engine torque (uncorrected). The engine has been built to operate at 30 psi so it has more up its sleeve. It's quite a beast!!!

1 week left to go and we still didn't have the rest of the carbon body! After numerous phone calls and weighty discussions and agreement was reached and the parts became available...we just had to live with the lessor quality and poor execution of some aspects. The final 6 days leading up to when the R35 had to be loaded into a transporter was and still is a blur. The team worked from 7am to midnight each of those 6 days to meet the deadline. Here's a few photos from the final stages. As you would have realised by now...we never got to a race track for any testing...guess we're gonna have to do it at WTAC!






I think the front splitter is up to the task!











My favourite detail...the rear wing mount...designed to withstand 800kg of downforce at 280km/h.








The side exhaust...




The cockpit...




...and loaded! Time for rest before the big event.




Here's some piccies of the R35 in all its glory at WTAC 2011....









Mr Steve Glenney of Mazda Motorsport fame did the steering for us.




Out on the track and in the pits...








We had a little BBQ late on the Friday as result of a leaky fuel pressure regulator which caused a fuel fire that fried one of the main chassis looms. At 2am on Saturday morning she roared back to life and we were ready to hit the track once again.










Mr Adrian Zaini working his magic...













The team...














Here's a couple of vids...the first is from the front splitter.




The second is from the roof. You'll see we got baulked pretty badly which prevented Steve from going even faster....but hey we don't want to give away too much in its first ever event!




Well what can I say about the event....an absolute blast and one of my all time highlights....we ending up getting 9th outright with a 1 minute 32.4 second lap of Eastern Creek. Some 1.5 seconds of last years winning lap time and only 3.5 seconds of this years winning lap time. Not bad considering that we're up against seasoned some race teams and cars that have had millions of dollars of money invested. I believe that the Sierra Sierra Evo's engine development budget was over USD1.5 million! Mind you this was a Cosworth development. There is so much room for improvement in the aero department on the R35 as the design wasn't executed by the carbon guy particulary well. We were only able to use half of the rear downforce that is available, yet the car still achieved a maximum lateral 'g' of over 1.8!!!

The result exceeded our wildest dreams...considering the compressed time frame and zero track time prior to the event. I've learnt so much from this build that I'd be insane not to apply it on the NC.

Cheers,
Danny

[PaulF]

Great write-up Danny. So did you end up just running 22psi of boost for the event, or did you "crank it up", so to speak?

[lightyear]

Nice work, it is great to be involved in such a project. It is similiar concept to my car, only much bigger budget. And i enjoyed your write up and pics of the build. Do you have any weights on the c.f parts such as the doors or the front clip. My doors are just over 2 kg's bare, and the whole front clip is <8 kg's. Mine is not dry carbon, but vac infused.

[vortex]

Thanks for that writeup Danny!
I was in the line up for WTAC scrutineering on Friday with Glenn and Brad's FD's directly behind the car - it sure is one imposing beast of a car! We had a good chat to Dave from GT's about the car, it's an amazing work of art! Has it got brake lights now?

[orx626]

Great write-up Danny. So did you end up just running 22psi of boost for the event, or did you "crank it up", so to speak?

Hi Paul, yes, as we and Steve got comfortable with the car the higher boost was level was used. The datalog info from the event found that maximum boost level achieved at the event was 20 psi.

Nice work, it is great to be involved in such a project. It is similiar concept to my car, only much bigger budget. And i enjoyed your write up and pics of the build. Do you have any weights on the c.f parts such as the doors or the front clip. My doors are just over 2 kg's bare, and the whole front clip is <8 kg's. Mine is not dry carbon, but vac infused.

Hi Lightyear, off the top of my head I think that the rear "clam" was around 12kg. I don't know what the other components weighed. All up, the car weighed 1,467kg with 60 litres of E85. I'm lookng forward to seeing how your car comes together. Keep up the excellent work.

Thanks for that writeup Danny!
I was in the line up for WTAC scrutineering on Friday with Glenn and Brad's FD's directly behind the car - it sure is one imposing beast of a car! We had a good chat to Dave from GT's about the car, it's an amazing work of art! Has it got brake lights now?

Thanks Vortex. I'll have to make sure we catch up at next years event. Yes, it had a brake light (LED high level)...it just doesn't have a redundant one as yet ...but it definitely will before scrutineering for WTAC 2012 .

Cheers,
Danny

[16bit]

were you having aero balance issue to use only half rear downforce?

[orx626]

were you having aero balance issue to use only half rear downforce?

Yes James. The guy who did the carbon work didn't manufacture the front clam as per the drawings, so we weren't able to generate enough downforce at the front to balance what was achievable at the rear. This will be sorted before next years event.

Cheers,
Danny

[mx52nv]

Great workmanship and write-up Danny! As usual, your updates never disappoint.

So why did they go all the way to Sydney for the CF panels? Was it sponsored or does QLD not have similar companies offering such custom CF work?

According to my research, that is a really solid time which I assume the owner(s?) will build on for the future WTAs.

Any pics of other cars or Mazdas there (i.e. Gosbee's WAXO4U, the Panspeed or Garage Revolution RX7s )?

Les

[16bit]

thought so.

what about 3d rear wing instead of 2d? i always thought that 2d wings were most efficient above the roof line in clean air?

[orx626]

So why did they go all the way to Sydney for the CF panels? Was it sponsored or does QLD not have similar companies offering such custom CF work?

Hi Les, the Sydney guy came highly recommended....however, in the end he was unable to deliver in accordance with the contract he had signed. Yes, there are CF companies in Brisbane. We will be seeking one out to undertake the rework of the front clam.

Any pics of other cars or Mazdas there (i.e. Gosbee's WAXO4U, the Panspeed or Garage Revolution RX7s )?

Mate there's plenty of piccies on Boostcruising and SAU forums.

Cheers,
Danny

i always thought that 2d wings were most efficient above the roof line in clean air?

As a rule of thumb that is correct James. However the aero package on the R35 was designed by Andrew Brilliant of FXMD Aerodynamics and modelled using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) software. I'd actually designed the rear wing mount to have the centreline of the main wing section to be level with the highest point of the roof, but I was then asked to lower it. I'd say that the CFD modelling showed that the air turbulance wasn't too bad from the rear rake of the R35 cabin.

Cheers,
Danny

[timk]

I got a shot of the Panspeed RX-7 while I was down there:



The finish on the GT Auto car was amazing considering the time it was built in!

[plohl]

Danny,

Speak to Liam at LSM in toowoomba on the carbon front. I have seen a bit of their work and it is very very good.

Awesome write up btw - the car looks very cool indeed! Can't wait to see what you do with the NC now!

[orx626]

Thanks to plohl and sailaholic for the CF contact. I'll pass it on.

Cheers,
Danny