Alfa Romeo ONLY please!
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MD
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by MD »

We had a lot of fun with this initial setup learning the tracks and our shortcomings. After a year or so, it was decided to experiment with a budget go at boosting the engine with a Toyota SC14 roots blower. Eventually this was done and we had about 7,5psi boost from this blower. Originally the pulley calculations were for about 12psi but we didn't know that the intercooler couldn't flow any more! It wasn't until 18 months later that we suspected something was wrong because of other changes we made that produced the original results.

Here's some pics of the blown engine:
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1Supercharged engine intake view_cr.jpg
1Supercharged engine intake view_cr.jpg (124.3 KiB) Viewed 8487 times
2Supercharged engine front view_cr.jpg
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3Supercharged engine exhaust view_cr.jpg
3Supercharged engine exhaust view_cr.jpg (121.54 KiB) Viewed 8487 times
4Supercharged engine rear view_cr.jpg
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

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Initial tuning produced peak torque around 3800 rpm and fell away fairly quickly. This result would be great for a street car that didn't need to be revved to the limit all the time and it would do a great job in standing starts from the lights..

The second tuning flattened out the torque to be more useful on the track and at the end of the season after using it for about a year or so, it produced the quickest time for our car at Lakeside Park raceway. The time was sub 63seconds which is meaningless to anyone who is not familiar with the track. Suffice to say, it would place it in the front runner stakes amongst other Alfas. So that is pleasing result.
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Alfetta GTV Supercharged dyno results resized.jpg
Alfetta GTV Supercharged dyno results resized.jpg (219 KiB) Viewed 8485 times
Torque & Power Orange Cab Dyno May.2014_cr resized.jpg
Torque & Power Orange Cab Dyno May.2014_cr resized.jpg (96.46 KiB) Viewed 8485 times
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by MD »

So for 2015, we have a fresh engine, new supercharger, new intercooler, new Hankook tyres, new dashboard instrumentation, some suspension revisions, a hydraulic handbrake, bit of aero and a tuning headache. It may need water injection to cool the detonation issues and we will work through that as time goes on. Lots of other detail changes too many to list.

So new challenges but a sheitload of fun. Can't wait to se how it runs when we finally get the tuning right. Notwithstanding this little setback the car goes hard and its a great buzz to drive it. The Hankook Ventus Z214 tyres stick like sheit to a blanket.

More to come..
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Rear.JPG
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New Dashboard.JPG
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by Duk »

That's a sweet set up MD! :D :D :D

And the Cab looks even better with the white wheels.

But we all know that's a nice new Sprintex twin screw hiding under there. :wink:
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by Duk »

Oh yeah, I should have asked before....................

Do you notice any changes in the car's balance now that you've added the supercharger and the intercooler?
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

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Well Duk that's actually a difficult thing to quantify as there has been many changes along the way just tweaking things here and there. Things like front geometry settings, different tyre sizes and compounds, revised rear watts links etc and so on all impacting on the handling.

I am not avoiding the question it's just that as I say, at which point do I say this or that has made a material change. Having said that, personally I don't feel that there is any noticeable degradation to the handling of the car owing to extra frontal weight. There is a likelihood that there must be some and if I was a formula 1 driver, I would be able to tell you categorically what that it. In the end does it really matter? How well does the car corner, brake and accelerate remain the interest to all of us. I have to say from the days of first building the "Flying Brick" and the eventual culmination of the Cab in it's present form, it is a very satisfying project that continues to engage me everyday. Not bad for a 1978 tin top. And yes it handles great.

What I can say? There is horsepower and there is torque. Before this project, I have never experienced with less than spectacular hp, bags of torque. You have to change your driving style to make use of it. I have never had a 4 cylinder car that would lay rubber and want to axle tramp out of the block simply by placing it in 1st gear and flooring the throttle from idle. No slipping of the clutch and building up some big revs first and then dropping the clutch- anything sheitbox will do that. No spooling up necessary. Rootes blowers are awesome.

The twin screw blower that is installed now is a departure from the previous approach mainly to flatten out the torque curve and lift it at the top end of the revs which it does do. Our present challenge is to lift the overall power and torque but control the detonation without resorting to exotic fuels. Once that is done I believe we should have some crisp power to go with the natural great handling characteristic of these transaxle cars. It will never be a firebreather but that was never my intention anyway.

Now it's my turn to ask a couple of questions:-

Is the 75 up and running?
Are we going to catch up at Alfesta next year in SA. I am going. Are you? Send me a PM.
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by kevin »

Certainly an eye catching car . I bet it draws a lot of attention with its pace and colour scheme . Looks great ! . Can you hear distinctly their is a supercharger or does your exhaust mask the noise .
Any on the track action pics ?
With all that torque I'm sure it must be huge fun as you don't have to constantly keep it in the peak range and also allows for errors . But I'm sure with your F1 skills you don't make any :D
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by MD »

Thanks for the compliments Kevin. I am only a jet pilot in the bedroom. :mrgreen:

You are right however, the Cab does draw it's share of admirers especially from ex Alfa owners who perhaps have had one in the past or are engaged in working on a current project and like to see how the business is done. Much the same as folks on this Forum except that you can walk right up to it and have a squizz. Always happy to chat with people who rock up. Some just want the basic info and others want to know the minutest details which you don't always have time for on the track.

There is no hiding the fact that something lurks under the bonnet. Makes an unusual combination of gear whine and induction noise especially as I have the throttle body on the pressure side adjoining the plenum as opposed to the more conventional position on the intake side which potentially masks some of the induction noise. I live with the noise as my set up produces the least amount of lag possible.

I have some camera set ups in the car and will put up some footage on my YouTube channel once we get the tuning finalised. Just in the process of installing a water injection kit which I am hoping will control the detonation issues and allow some better timing and AFR's currently possible. That's when the full potential of my efforts should come together.
Not looking for massive power output but more so just a good solid and reliable engine that if and when it dies, I know it was from simply working its butt off and not due to a premature detonation death. Seen a brand new engine do that on a dyno from using cocktail fuels. I am working the Cab on straight 98 RON pump fuel.
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by Jim K »

I am only a jet pilot in the bedroom. Too bad you ran out of fuel years ago.... :lol: 8)
Nice car there dude! Good piece of work for an old geezer! You're lucky there are no 1.8T's in Oz.... Enjoy your 'Fetta until one good example shows up... :twisted: Now that you're done with an SC engine, how about also building a 1.8T and compare them? It DOES make sense, aren't you intrigued? :?:
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

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Ah, good people of the Forum. It should be getting clearer why I have a tradition to stick it to the Greekster whenever a chance for some stupid wit arises. We have been passing the bucket of merde to each other for years. I wish he'd just lay down and take his medicine but he keeps coming up for more much like a gopher sticking his head up to see WTF is going on and so what can a guy do under the circumstance, I ask you? What's that I hear? Give him heaps? Is that what I am hearing.

Very well, JK, consensus has it, I am sending you a true blue Ozzie cleansing device. It is both simple in its make up and also extremely simple to operate. It consists of a piece of string and a green pineapple. The kit is known as a pull-through.

Using the pull-through is very simple.You swallow the string with the pineapple attached. The next morning when nature calls, just keep tugging on the string until the pineapple says hello. Guaranteed to work and you wont need to see your gynecologist for at least 12 months if not more.
BTW if you don't like pineapples, just swap it for a 1.8T but don't bite off more than you can chew I always say. :D :D :D
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by Jim K »

Pineapple for starters, huh? Rumor has it you worked your way up to water-melon... Ouch! :mrgreen: Is this your idea of 'porting'?
Some devious booze-crony of yours stuffed the SC idea in your miniscule intoxicated ...brain (will explain elsewhere what this is) and you fell for it! Too bad I'm not rich enough to send ya a good 1.8T to prove a point and put a smirk on your homely toothless snout! Who the hell wants to drive in the track at 2500rpm? You must be an oddity of sorts (what an understatement!). Have you ever heard of alloy blocks main bearing web distortion under low rpm pounding, or does this not apply in the southern hemisphere? Gees, wonder why no-one else has bright SC ideas for track Alfas! Wonder why 99% of 4sfed engines are snail... You are the happy 1%... Aaahhh, go hand-feed a shark blindfolded! :twisted: 8)
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Post by MD »

Hahhaa, listen dicknose, I keep telling you, forget subtlety, it's not your best profile.. :D
Good to see you are awake and not foraging for empty aluminium cans in the shopping mall bins to make an extra buck as usual but I do support your environmental conservation motives.

Anyway, I don't think Hans Bjurman would agree with you. Check out the TORQUE in this video that pulls the rabbit out of the hat by starting in position 6 and gets to the front by the first turn !!

That's pure SC torque fella. See and weep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MFKMYN6xZw

No hair driers for this bunny.
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by Jim K »

Typical BS doctored video. (a) He paid everyone off to fall behind and make him look good 'cause he's trying to sell the shitbox and/or (b) he's being towed by a 1.8T, that's why you only see the rear view. Who you tryin' to fool Ozzie? 8) Come up with something serious, please!
So, out of 1000 reacecars, 400 are na, 599 are turbo and 1 is, well, SC. Speaks volumes for your choice! Give up, will ya? You stand out like a turd on a white ceiling... everyone wonders how you got there, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! :wall: :lol:
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by kevin »

Ha ha ha ha ! I heard turds can land on the ceiling down under - something to with supernatural Ozzie powers or the pineapple porting technique . Jim I am afraid to argue with these guys after I witnessed one then punching our great white sharks in SA a week ago . So let's assume for time being the video has not being modified .
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Re: The Orange Cab -MD's New Racer

Post by MD »

Thanks for your sense of humour Jim.

Lots of sharks in this world Kevin, Not all of them are in the water...
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