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More parts...

Still in the hunter-gatherer mode for the project.. Recently fellow Locost member John Snyder (his build is at http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtop ... =35&t=6245 ) posted up a free intercooler to a good home- it arrived yesterday- thanks John!

-ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

What about the computer/harness?

Admittedly one of my weakest areas, I wanted to deal with the harness/electrical right away.. At this time (May 2014) I have only seen a handful of LNF engines made to stand alone.. not that it can't be done, but it seems to have taken awhile to figure it out.. Two important resources I've found to help make this power plant work are http://www.enginewiring.com and http://www.trifectaperformance.com (you might also look into http://www.hptuners.com).

First the harness- I shipped mine off to enginewiring.com and although it took quite a while (I told them I was in no hurry) and they sometimes don't answer their phone, I've gotten the modded harness back and am quite happy with it.. Very clean, and clearly labeled so a guy like me can get it to work.. They've removed the body control module, and now the LNF doesn't know or care what it's plugged into- nice! (btw, the wires/features they add/include are a fan relay, fuel pump relay, obdII plug, and leads for; A/C, starter, battery, check engine light, clutch pedal, brake pedal, ignition, and (6) accelerator/drive-by-wire leads)
***footnote- if you're good with a wiring diagram, this job has been done by others without having to pay for it as I did- it's just for me, it was over my head and one of those rare things that made more sense to pay someone else to do..

Next, the tune- None of the above will matter until the ECM is reworked, and for that I found Trifecta- from what I've read, Vince is the man over there, and can get this lump to run standalone.. I haven't ordered my tune yet because I'm not yet to that point in this build, but there are a couple of interesting features I'm looking forward to with this tune/motor..

-Jeckle and Hyde.. Trifecta can get your transplanted engine to run, and put an 'everyday' tune on it... for me, it will be a mild, fuel efficient, peppy level of torque/HP.. BUT, they can also give you a 'performance' tune that you simply flip a switch to access.. for me, this will be a very aggressive tune, with no regard for mpg- I want max Torque/HP (just short of endangering the engine) on pump gas. None of this is free, and the internets say Trifecta can be a bit slow if you're in a hurry, but for me, it's a better option than going up the steep learning curve of say, HP TUNERS to get to where I want to be..

-NLS.. another cool feature on this LNF is the No Lift Shift... At this point I've never driven a car with this, but GM has it as an option in several of their turbo cars.. the idea is that the computer will control the RPM (as if you lifted to shift), but you keep your foot in the gas/turbo and it doesn't spool down as you shift-- pretty cool- I look forward to relearning how to shift and take advantage of that one.

-ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

How is the tune adjusted once the car is running? By you, or do you send datalogs to the company and they make adjustments to the map?

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

The latter; as I understand it, you give them your basic setup (intercooler or not/ turbo size/ injector size, etc.)and they give you a tune that will pretty much just get the car running.. Then you must do a bit of data logging and send it in (this is all done through email).. They do this back and forth until you're happy (or there are just no more gains to be made), and then you're done..

Later, If you make any changes to your car (change headers/intake- whatever), then they'll make changes in the tune (through data logging again, but I'm pretty sure an additional fee applies for 'major' changes)..

Again, I haven't gone down this road yet, so if it ends up being different I'll post it up..

-ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Summer 2014...

Still plugging away, but restoring/painting the old 79 crew to sell it took over 1/2 of the summer.. took a few pics of the truck and 'new to me' 63 Volvo I picked up for this project (the truck is now gone).. more to follow of course..

ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

A midlife crisis of sorts...

This build has sparked a most unusual development at my house..

For years I've dabbled in old rusty cars, bikes, whatever, that very few people care about; least of all my wife of 23 years. She's just happy that although I'm ignoring her and the kids while I'm wasting all of those hours in the garage, at least I'm not off doing who-knows-what with some Jezebel Hussy Town Bicycle type.. That's right, if I'm going to neglect my family, I'm going to do it right here from home!

Anyway, at some point she asked me from what car did this project's engine come? So I showed her a picture of a 2009 Chevy Cobalt.. Meh... she was not impressed..

Then she asked where the "special" rear-wheel drive transmission came from that suddenly appeared in the garage.... So I showed her a picture of a 2009 Saturn Sky.. All motion stopped right then and right there, as she said "I want that car."

If you've been married awhile, you've figured out that what Princess wants, Princess gets; so the search for my wife's midlife crisis, red roadster began. She got the 'new to me' car fever like I've never seen.. suddenly she was obsessed with these super-impractical, 5 years old, dead nameplate speed demons... It took a few months to find one matching Princess' list of demands- but finally one surfaced in Detroit, MI (you know, the Detroit ALL the way across the country). We were able to sell her old (now 'yucky' car quickly), and we struck a deal that has the world's least practical car in our driveway as seen in the picture below..

After spending some time behind the wheel (she lets me drive it sometimes), I can say I'm pretty impressed.. I post this up in this build log because this car has the same LNF Ecotec engine that's going in the 63 Volvo.. Even though her Sky has an automatic, at 3,000 lbs, it still has way more than enough power (I insisted she get a turbo for resale value later... No consideration whatsoever was given to my enjoyment of said turbo in the event that I would sometimes be allowed to drive what is so very obviously my wife's car)...

So the car is a hoot, and it reaffirms my power train choice for the Sexy Volvo.

Oh, btw, her last car was a 2006 VW Beetle convertible (now known as the convertible 'gateway' car) which was complete with a little vase with pink flowers in the dash-- It reaffirmed masculinity every time I drove it- much like I suspect this car will

-ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

And you can tell her I said that

_________________
"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

Good lookin crisis car. A coworker has one and DAMN they'll scoot.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

The Sky is a Pontiac Solstice, mildly rebodied. Ecotec 4-banger, etc. Even more rare than the Solstice.

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.

You're right, that will be one sexy Volvo.

Since you are deep into the LNF engine let me bounce a little "common knowledge" I got off a friend in an auto parts shop about the LNF and see if any of it is true.

I have the Honda S2000 engine that I can use in mine, but I'd like to hit the magic 5 lbs/hp mark and that's not going to happen with the Honda motor, but 300 hp is an easy thing for the LNF.

I am told I can get everything I need to install the LNF turbo motor in my car including transmission for around $1,000.

He also says that the blocks are the same on all of them so if I blow the turbo engine I can go get a $300 block out of any of the FWD cars and put my RWD goodies, heads, cams, ecu, turbo, etc. on it and have the exact same engine.

I see your wife has the automatic so I guess you can't help me with how the transmission feels, but I'm wondering how it feels in comparison to something like the Miata or Honda S2000 transmissions. I found out the V8 transmissions feel huge and clunky by comparison and I'm hoping that's just a V8 thing and not a GM thing.

I am supposed to be given the source for the $1,000 motors, $300 blocks and drive a Solstice Turbo, but things keep delaying us getting together.

_________________
mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

That particular transmission GM 5L40E falls into the category of "autotragics" in the BMW community. They feel great for the first 60k, they tend to die around the 100k mark.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

There are a lot of V8 transmissions and they have a lot of linkages, so that might be too broad a brush.

_________________
Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Ok carguy... here's what I know/don't know...

-You'll get your 300 HP with just a tune on the LNF (265 stock)- no internal or external mods needed..

-I just don't see getting "all in" to an LNF/tranny/wiring/unlocked for 1K- It is just not possible-- my experience collecting bits says plan for closer to 3K minimum... A complete engine/harness will be AT LEAST 2K (online wreckers)... Tranny (manual) about 4 or 500.00.. -- flashing the ECM just to unlock/eliminate the BCM is about 350.00... / Paying someone to mod your harness about 350.00 (I had to do this- you may not)...

-Interchangeability.. I'm not the best source for this... I do know the Cobalt SS/ Pontiac Solstice/ Saturn Sky stuff is all very agreeable with each other.. There are many versions of the Ecotec motor, and many, many bits do interchange, you just have to know what you're doing..

-GM RWD manual tranny.. A knock on GM is that they used a parts bin truck tranny in the Sky/Solstice.. this is the tranny I'm going to use.. I was told to get a later version (post 2007) as they changed the 3rd gear ratio.. You driving that Solstice 2.0 manual will help you make a choice.. I'm optimistic that I'll be happy with this tranny.. I'm not sure what model it is, but I thought I'd read about a 6 speed manual that bolts up-- certainly worth looking into..

-A last thought- if you cannot source and LNF for the 1K as you wish to, you might look at an Ecotec LSJ... cheaper, less complex, and easy to get the 300HP you seek--- in hindsight, this is a route I should have taken a closer look at I think..

-A final thought.. At SEMA last week GM rolled out the LTG Ecotec turbo direct injected crate motor-- 275hp without a tune (certainly there's more there)... Sit down... Just 9,000.00 gets you turn key with a transmission! -- at very least it seems GM is quite serious about big power and torque out of these 4 bangers- I love it!

-ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Nope I've driven quite a few lately plus grew up on V8s and by comparison they are all huge and clunky. But I guess that's to be expected as they have a lot more mass to move and power to control. Plus a misstep on a downshift or clutch engagement and you have a lot of engine to cause you to break traction.

The issue is that the easier the transmission is to use the more likely you can and will use it without messing up. All the V8 cars I've seen tend to try to run an autocross course in a single gear instead of trying to get the most out of it by shifting cause shifting takes too much time and there's too much chance you'll upset the chassis. I'm not just talking Locosts I'm talking Vettes, Tangs, GTOs, etc., etc.


ccrunner, Ecotec LSJ? What does that come in? Is that the new 2.5 that comes in the Caddy?

And yes GM is serious about getting power out of these things. This is the engine that they tested to destruction multiple times and then wrote the book on the proper way to get up to 1200 hp out of it.

I can get 300 hp out of the Honda motor, but it's not cheap. The only reason I was looking at the Ecotec was because I was told it was cheap. If it's not cheap then I might as well play with what I've got.

If I wanted 300+ hp then the Ecotec would definitely be the easiest way to go on a 4 banger that I know of. One day the Ecoboost motor will be a good candidate, but today it's as expensive as the crate GM motor.

Hopefully our schedules will align soon and I can find out the secret handshake to getting the motor cheap and get to try the transmission out.

_________________
mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

ccrunner, Ecotec LSJ? What does that come in? Is that the new 2.5 that comes in the Caddy?

The LSJ version of the Ecotec came just before the LNF... It's 'only' rated at 205 HP, but the 300 you want is quite easy to get and reliable..

They're supercharged OEM, but guys after more power convert to turbo..

They're sourced from 2004-07 Saturn Ion Redline, and 2005-07 Cobalt SS

I still don't think you can go turnkey for just 1K, but total cost will be less than the LNF route.


BTW- I ask because I don't know- your goal of 5lbs per HP... is that much power manageable/ useful in such a light car? I've never driven a car with your goal power-to-weight, but that's gonna be downright scary

-ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com