Jason@HoosierPE
06-03-2015, 07:22 AM
Hello Everyone,
Thought it would be fun to post a blog thread of our 2015 Journey with our shop and events we compete in or shows we attend. So here we go...
This past weekend May 29th and 30th we went to the Midwest Musclecar Challenge at Putnam Park and Terra Haute International Airport. Putnam was a day of road racing 4 - 20 minute sessions with different opportunities to win from top speed, fast lap, etc. At the airport we competed in autocross which held a shoot out to top ten and then a shoot out to top five.
Little Car History:
2000 Pontiac Trans-Am Firebird
* LS1 no mods other than Pacesetter Headers and Borla Exhaust
* HoosierPE designed Panhard bar
* HoosierPE Design and Tuned AFCO Racing Double Adjustable Street/Race Suspension and upgraded swaybar package and control arms
* 18X10 Grandsport wheels with 315 35 18 BF Goodrich Rival S all four
* HoosierPE 4pt CAM Lock SFI Alum Racing Harness
* Corvette upgraded brake system
* Eaton LSD
Friday 29th at Putnam (Road course):
We are still waiting for the official times from our laps at Putnam, but with our stop watch technology we were showing 1:23 to 1:24 lap times. Owner John Fehring has not spend a lot of time wheeling the car on road racing, so there was some nerves that was not full committed to when entering a few of the braking zones to improve times. We were setup with on hell of an instructor to pilot through the course. Cody Mason was our instructor, and we hope we can get him again for future event there. John and Cody did very well and complimented each other through the process.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/558/17994214653_bd52397ef0_z.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/425/18610296572_a15a4a906c_z.jpg
Car performed great on corner entry and exit. Well balanced and planted. Through our process of design the fbody Afco shock system, we felt we achieved a great tuned shock for the car. We will be competing in the OSCA NCM Motorsports Park event this weekend to confirm more of our data and feeling about our product.
One failure point we will monitor is our differential. With the sessions through the day, it seemed to increase backlash on the gears and ran extremely hot towards the end. We plan to put some monitoring systems in place to keep track temps and potentially install a differential oil cooler.
The Rival S tire was awesome and showed even wear through the laps. The grip allowed John to pilot the stock weight TA through the road course with confidence. We have a couple more sets on order though... these "200" tread wear tires are SOFT.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/10498374_904482172928074_7493406640983142883_o.jpg
Friday Road Rally to Dinner:
Thanks to BF Goodrich and the family who housed us for the wonderful dinner. The rally there was a neat trip, the convo got lost a couple times - but when we made it! It was a great scene to see all the muscle cars lined up in the owner's front lawn, photo below.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/388/17993777233_90acc3585f_z.jpg
Saturday 30th at Airport (Autocross Shoot Out):
We had success and trauma at the autocross. The day started out good, we monitored tire temps early on and the body control John had on the first few laps. Lead Engineer Scott Lewis road passenger on a couple runs to watch driver input and feel how the car was responded as well. After the few runs of mid 30 seconds to 31, we made a couple adjustments to the Afco shocks and told John to improve on a couple of driver inputs and on his next run got his times in the mid 29 seconds. Very exciting to see us get below the 30's, as this helped our average to get into the top ten shoot out.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/t31.0-8/11130311_904482166261408_5046721401456077232_o.jpg
The following is a report from John from the USCA facebook page photo comment about his autocross runs.
It was a bitter sweet weekend. The car set up was outstanding with our custom tune on our Afco shocks and springs. It was very predictable on the track and on the auto-X course. Need to increase never and speed on the track and may have the opportunity with some new Hp. We made it into the top 10 shoot out and was actual in 2nd place going into that round. Ripped off 3 nearly identical runs of 29.8, but coned on my last run. With the cone, i was number 5 going into the top 5 shoot out. I was last car out and ran about the same time again putting me in first after the first of 3 passes. But i came in with an engine knock. Went ahead and made the second run, tried to short shift to save the motor and finished with severe engine knock. The race prepped Corvette had issues on his first run, so I was still in the mix. I'm the last guy up for the third and final run. I decide since I won't spoil the track for anyone behind me, I try to make a final pass. Blew the motor about 150 ft from the finish line. So I think I finished 5th for the Auto-X. Hope to have new motor in by this weekend.... Stay tuned.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/300/18609859372_6db9b5b1a7_z.jpg
Exciting event for us. The MWMC was our first big event for 2015 and with all our data from the car and the components we have been working hard on all winter and spring, it was wonderful to see it all come together.
Current Progress and Update:
We are currently in the progress of installing a new LS3 create motor in the old bird. Engine is on the ground now and moving forward to taking old "needed" items from the LS1 and install them on the LS3. We have all the components needed for a complete swap and looking forward to the crank over!
Ryan's expression "Hai engine wy uuu broken soo much!?" Translation: Why you brake on us engine?!?!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/308/18425492049_e652188c32_z.jpg
We ended up doing the swap at the Fehring Ranch instead of the shop, due to John's day job schedule and the distance of the shop from his house. The 45 minute trip is time needed to get all we need done to compete this weekend at NCM.
Thanks for checking out our 2015 Journey and more updates to come from the swap...
Cheers,
Jason Massey
General Manager
Thought it would be fun to post a blog thread of our 2015 Journey with our shop and events we compete in or shows we attend. So here we go...
This past weekend May 29th and 30th we went to the Midwest Musclecar Challenge at Putnam Park and Terra Haute International Airport. Putnam was a day of road racing 4 - 20 minute sessions with different opportunities to win from top speed, fast lap, etc. At the airport we competed in autocross which held a shoot out to top ten and then a shoot out to top five.
Little Car History:
2000 Pontiac Trans-Am Firebird
* LS1 no mods other than Pacesetter Headers and Borla Exhaust
* HoosierPE designed Panhard bar
* HoosierPE Design and Tuned AFCO Racing Double Adjustable Street/Race Suspension and upgraded swaybar package and control arms
* 18X10 Grandsport wheels with 315 35 18 BF Goodrich Rival S all four
* HoosierPE 4pt CAM Lock SFI Alum Racing Harness
* Corvette upgraded brake system
* Eaton LSD
Friday 29th at Putnam (Road course):
We are still waiting for the official times from our laps at Putnam, but with our stop watch technology we were showing 1:23 to 1:24 lap times. Owner John Fehring has not spend a lot of time wheeling the car on road racing, so there was some nerves that was not full committed to when entering a few of the braking zones to improve times. We were setup with on hell of an instructor to pilot through the course. Cody Mason was our instructor, and we hope we can get him again for future event there. John and Cody did very well and complimented each other through the process.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/558/17994214653_bd52397ef0_z.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/425/18610296572_a15a4a906c_z.jpg
Car performed great on corner entry and exit. Well balanced and planted. Through our process of design the fbody Afco shock system, we felt we achieved a great tuned shock for the car. We will be competing in the OSCA NCM Motorsports Park event this weekend to confirm more of our data and feeling about our product.
One failure point we will monitor is our differential. With the sessions through the day, it seemed to increase backlash on the gears and ran extremely hot towards the end. We plan to put some monitoring systems in place to keep track temps and potentially install a differential oil cooler.
The Rival S tire was awesome and showed even wear through the laps. The grip allowed John to pilot the stock weight TA through the road course with confidence. We have a couple more sets on order though... these "200" tread wear tires are SOFT.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/10498374_904482172928074_7493406640983142883_o.jpg
Friday Road Rally to Dinner:
Thanks to BF Goodrich and the family who housed us for the wonderful dinner. The rally there was a neat trip, the convo got lost a couple times - but when we made it! It was a great scene to see all the muscle cars lined up in the owner's front lawn, photo below.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/388/17993777233_90acc3585f_z.jpg
Saturday 30th at Airport (Autocross Shoot Out):
We had success and trauma at the autocross. The day started out good, we monitored tire temps early on and the body control John had on the first few laps. Lead Engineer Scott Lewis road passenger on a couple runs to watch driver input and feel how the car was responded as well. After the few runs of mid 30 seconds to 31, we made a couple adjustments to the Afco shocks and told John to improve on a couple of driver inputs and on his next run got his times in the mid 29 seconds. Very exciting to see us get below the 30's, as this helped our average to get into the top ten shoot out.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/t31.0-8/11130311_904482166261408_5046721401456077232_o.jpg
The following is a report from John from the USCA facebook page photo comment about his autocross runs.
It was a bitter sweet weekend. The car set up was outstanding with our custom tune on our Afco shocks and springs. It was very predictable on the track and on the auto-X course. Need to increase never and speed on the track and may have the opportunity with some new Hp. We made it into the top 10 shoot out and was actual in 2nd place going into that round. Ripped off 3 nearly identical runs of 29.8, but coned on my last run. With the cone, i was number 5 going into the top 5 shoot out. I was last car out and ran about the same time again putting me in first after the first of 3 passes. But i came in with an engine knock. Went ahead and made the second run, tried to short shift to save the motor and finished with severe engine knock. The race prepped Corvette had issues on his first run, so I was still in the mix. I'm the last guy up for the third and final run. I decide since I won't spoil the track for anyone behind me, I try to make a final pass. Blew the motor about 150 ft from the finish line. So I think I finished 5th for the Auto-X. Hope to have new motor in by this weekend.... Stay tuned.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/300/18609859372_6db9b5b1a7_z.jpg
Exciting event for us. The MWMC was our first big event for 2015 and with all our data from the car and the components we have been working hard on all winter and spring, it was wonderful to see it all come together.
Current Progress and Update:
We are currently in the progress of installing a new LS3 create motor in the old bird. Engine is on the ground now and moving forward to taking old "needed" items from the LS1 and install them on the LS3. We have all the components needed for a complete swap and looking forward to the crank over!
Ryan's expression "Hai engine wy uuu broken soo much!?" Translation: Why you brake on us engine?!?!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/308/18425492049_e652188c32_z.jpg
We ended up doing the swap at the Fehring Ranch instead of the shop, due to John's day job schedule and the distance of the shop from his house. The 45 minute trip is time needed to get all we need done to compete this weekend at NCM.
Thanks for checking out our 2015 Journey and more updates to come from the swap...
Cheers,
Jason Massey
General Manager