Prep for 2006 Solo1

[pkieley]

Well I spent all of January and February getting the Stealth back on the road. It had been on jackstands in my garage since January 2005! Still not completely finished the maintenance on it and may farm some of it out to a coworker who does some moonlighting on cars.

Off course nobody's gonna touch the Talon except me! I've got to install all the parts collected over the winter. They include the new motor, Setrab cooler, Polk front lowers, Ingalls rear uppers, DSS rear toe eliminators, JIC's, Autopower cage, Clutch masters Stage 4, and a gazillion other bits! Yup, I'm broke Still don't have brakes, rubber, a hauler AND another gazillion bits!

Luckily our season start's much later up here. I'm due in Calgary for the required Solo1 school on April 28 and the first race is May 6. I start vacation on the 12th so have 2 weeks I can devote most of my time to prep. I'm also working on some contigency plans if the car is not ready and/or I don't have a trailer.

Everybody loves pics so here ya go:

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A little less flashy on the valve cover this year!

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Donar car for some 6 bolt parts.

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Dang that thing's heavy!

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Notice the dust from over a year in the garage! Stupid Mitsu!

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I used my bus time(hour each way) over the winter to do some reading: Watts' "Secrets of Solo Racing"(excellent starter), Carroll Smith's "Drive to Win"(no comment ) and Skip Barber's "Going Faster!"thumb: This is an fantastic book-I especially like the fact it's written by a panel, not one person). Up next is Fred Puhn.

Phil

 

[tstkl]

i think between a talon, stealth, and a viper, there is no other car a man could ever need.

drag talon, road racing stealth, and a twin turbo 1000tt viper venom, because 1000 hp never gets old.

a little off topic, but I must say I love stealths. I was going to get one until my dad found a website that said, "the dodge stealth is such a fast car, it would make a pregnat woman want to speed." I still haven't found that site, but ever since that, my dad has been againsts stealths completely. While he was out of town, I asked my mom to test drive a car while she was in sf, and she bought it. everyone on 3si.org said, if you need a good winter beater, get a dsm, they are turbo awd too. I said, wtf is a dsm, and with a few seconds of research I found a nice, cheap, local eagle talon I thought I could convince my mom to get me. it was turbo awd, and thats all I knew about it. she bought it without even asking me.

that was the worst mistake of her life, and since then I've loved ever minute of it....

I got a dsm not knowing what it was, and it turned out to be everything I ever wanted.

[/rant]

 

[underradar92]

Please tell me that the two aluminum-looking cylindrical objects in the center of the second picture, with heim joints sticking out of them are to replace the rear toe adjusters. If that is what they are, who makes them and how do I get a set? I just re-read your list, are those the DSS rear toe eliminators?

 

[90AWDTalon]

Polk front lowers,

More info on these please.

 

[pkieley]

Yup, that's the DSS active rear toe eliminators-should compensate for the extra binding of a beefy bar.

http://www.diamondstarspecialties.com/

If you can't get ahold of anyone there try:

http://www.gprparts.com/index.asp

That's the company operating DSS right now. If you still can't get any satisfaction I will dig through my correspondence when I get home.(at work)


The Polk cromoly control arms I fluked onto while surfing the classifieds at 3si. I think they drop unsprung weight by #6 a side? Along with making a couple of mount points solid/spherical bushed, instead of rubber. PLEASE talk to Don Polk at Polk Performance, and if there is enough interest he may make another run of these, maybe even some entire k-members like Shep is using! If you do, mention that there is at least one other interested in a k-member-lets get that weight off the struts! BTW, I had mine powder coated.

If I install all these suspension mods at once I won't know their individual effects. I don't have enough seat time to make an informed opinion anyway. I HAVE done enough research to know the weak points of the 1g suspension and how to combat them(somewhat). I also know of someone who DOES have alot of seat time in a 1g AWD, AT the same track I will be driving-he could be a big help.

Phil

 

[underradar92]

Those front control arms are VERY interesting. If Polk does make another run, I'm in.

 

[Greg Collier]

You certainly look like you’re doing it all up right the first time Phil. I know all the guys must be drooling with envy with your assortment of modifications. My only concern is your powder coated valve cover. I had one sent to Mitch during the engine build and this is what he discovered hiding in the interior oil channels of the top of the cover:

http://www.engintecs.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=3356

If you notice the progression of photos, once the rivets on the interior plates are removed you can see all the debris that will eventually descend into your new motor. I especially like the last picture with the baggy of crap. The problem is that the covers aren’t properly cleaned before they’re powder coated… It definitely woke me up when I saw this
Hell... I even got my own little space on the Engintec site for my possible screw-up!

Greg

 

[Turbo Shogun]

I like how they named every photo after you. I might have to check mine while it's out, too. ...

Ahhh, damn, those are nice parts. I want!!! Unfortunately, I have some head/cam issues, so I'm going to have to run the first event here in Chicago in my brother's Miata. Which, by the way, is on average 3-4 seconds slower in the cones than my "heavy AWD" with "laggy" turbo and "no steering feedback", says my bro.

Good luck, man. Show them what 1Gs can do.

 

[Zero Bar]

I'm interested in the front control arms as well, those look amazing.

 

[pkieley]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys.

You certainly look like you're doing it all up right the first time Phil. I know all the guys must be drooling with envy with your assortment of modifications. My only concern is your powder coated valve cover. I had one sent to Mitch during the engine build and this is what he discovered hiding in the interior oil channels of the top of the cover:

http://www.engintecs.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=3356

If you notice the progression of photos, once the rivets on the interior plates are removed you can see all the debris that will eventually descend into your new motor. I especially like the last picture with the baggy of crap. The problem is that the covers aren't properly cleaned before they're powder coated... It definitely woke me up when I saw this
Hell... I even got my own little space on the Engintec site for my possible screw-up!

Greg

This is great info Greg, Thanks! This been niggling around in back of my brain also. I bought a used cover for my Stealth that looked great on the outside but was black and cruddy inside. I wouldn't use it and put my crappy looking original back on. Ordered freshly powdercoated ones for both cars. The Talon one has several busted rivets on the baffles which I have to fix anyway. What did Enginetec use to clean it out?

Anyone can buy parts...I need seat time! Certainly doesn't hurt to be anal about the car though. Here's a photo update:


Labour. (Paper templates are your friend)

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Spoils.

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Head torqued down and getting ready to pull transmission.

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Phil

 

[pkieley]

I'll post a few teaser shots:

The new backup car:

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Only complant is the brakes:

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Notice the missing bolt on the cam gear cover!?

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When I get the chance I'll give you the full blog!

 

[pkieley]

Please tell me that the two aluminum-looking cylindrical objects in the center of the second picture, with heim joints sticking out of them are to replace the rear toe adjusters. If that is what they are, who makes them and how do I get a set? I just re-read your list, are those the DSS rear toe eliminators?

Now didn't I do better than that!?