Still plugging away at this... getting lots of little things done here and there but an hour here and a half hour here doesn't feel like it moving fast enough..... i'm sure many of you can relate.
1.) No pics yet but going with a stock XTS-V vacuum operated boost control actuator and "CAD"ing out mounts for it.
2.) Got everything hooked up outside the car, short of fuel, using the spaghetti monster technique, turned the key and whiiiiiiiiz!! Shit... never had the flywheel/pp balanced, torque plate cut and installed
3.) Got the fw/c/pp trio balanced by a local machine shop, as well as the XTS-V flexplate machined into a torque plate, and along with NoMad installed everything. ARP flywheel bolts are for a Ford Cosworth which fit perfectly with the additional 3mm torque plate. The clutch is the Spec Stage 3+ and curious to see how she drives and if all the Spec hubub about load holding and drivability really is true.
Also had the heater return port capped and tig'd shut on the thermostat housing. Pulled the other two ports and NPT tapped them.
4.) Used my old 86GT pedal box to restore the clutch pedal hardware and fabricate a bracket for the ATS-V clutch position sensor. All installed cleaned up, Dickman bushings, and all ready to go. There's a special routine supported by HPTuners for the E96 ECU that enables a learning session to store the clutch pedal movement range, etc... Unlike the Fiero which has a hard switch to enable the starter circuit, this CPP sensor tells the the ECU to enable a relay to allow the starter to energize.
5.) While pulling the steering column for a manual column, I pulled the intermediate coupler and found that this fiero was 'going' to get a power steering setup as it came with a rag-joint. Found a rag joint eleminator kit used on Camaro's and Firebirds. Bolts right up... easy peasy...
6.) Pic of the TapoutTuning higher tension springs and MACE fuel cam through TapoutTuning. 30% more fuel out of the mechanical fuel pump and no valve float up to 7500rpm. The stock LF3/LF4 have a 6500rpm redline and see valve float around 6000rpm at stock upper end OEM boost levels ~17-19psi based on favorable conditions. The plan is to pull the engine up to 7000rpm to make a little better use of the headroom alotted by the 8374EFR but still at OEM boost levels.
7.) NoMad and I also rebuilt our shifters with the Rodney Dickman kit, a quick sand, degrease, and slop of POR15 ... mine with the FieroGuru F40 reverse lockout spring.
Thanks to NoMad mentioning it to me and to get my butt moving on the swap I decided I'm going to go for the Optima Batteries Ultimate Street Car Challenge... "might" make the July Atlanta event but definitely the 2022 event.
Having said that, I took a deep look at the rules and what class I'll be competing. There are several events, design and engineering, autocross, road course, go-turn-chicane-stop, and 100mile road rally over street roads with judges. The aero rules a pretty strict. No rules on splitters, probably going to copy much of what Steven did on his however if needed, however no rear wings allowed over 6" above body.... gurney flaps / wicker bills allowed but must still fit within the height limitation. Thinking about going with the IMSA whale tail on a second decklid for the competition as it measures out theoretically within the rules limitations and does provide downforce and "clean" up the air behind the car and on the decklid at speed.
This is still speculative and not going to spend any time on it until I get to the shakedown phase but I'm still looking for ways to vent heat effectively out of the engine bay "without" losing the trunk. I have enhanced Aus Fiero scoops on the sides of the car so air in "shouldn't" be a problem unless there is an unknown aerodynamic situation waiting on me there...
I Eyeballed the chrysler lebaron vent, or similar, PPG used toward the rear of the lid, those moderately hideous louvers people have glassed in over the engine... Reversed NACA ducts will have no functionality back there due to the flying butresses..... maybe on the rear hips from the engine bay through the trunk?
Fans under Mr2 MkII type louvers?
Any other ideas?
Outside of the Optima challenge it will see occasional track time and 400-600hp will probably need some form of additional heat dissipation out of the bay...