Progress on the bmw1602.com car ...** UPDATED 09/16/24 *

[bmw1602.com]

At world famous @edpinkracingengines getting ready to run her on the dyno!! So...... any guesses??!! Closest person wins a cold beer at the next race

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Check out all the monster horses I’m taming with my right foot ??? On the bright side since I’m in a glass half full kinda mood today.... the results mean that I MUST be driving better than even I realized to be lapping at big willow @ 1:43 (with an easy 1-2 sec more in there IMHO) and 2:11 at buttonwillow with at best 113hp! The torque curve is nice and flat and fat.... which makes for a great street/auto-x type engine but nothing amazing at the track. If you calculate a 12% drivetrain loss it’s reasonable to think it’s making 125-130crank hp. Nothing to be excited about for sure.... I’d say it’s a fun street motor....which is in line and expected I guess ....with a 304cam and a 121head and a 38/38 carb. SO..... anyways, that’s my baseline I guess. Not much where else to go but up I guess ?‍♂️ Next step a proper header, ordered me more jets and we will be back to see if we can pick up a few more ponies. Maybe play with timing a bit. ... 

[bmw1602.com]

We made some jet changes and made some slight improvements but then I ran out of jets... no big deal as I am just looking for a baseline..... I’ll be adding @roninautowerks new race headers and make a few more jet changes... but I don’t expect that much more from this motor/setup. Compression, big cam and a e12 race ported head is really where it’s at... so.... maybe someday I’ll setup to a proper “race” engine. For now .... I’ll focus on my driving and try to squeeze as much speed from the car as it is...... I know I have plenty of areas to improve on driving wise. But taking a look at the power curve give me some great insight into my shift point and a few other things I might try next time I’m at the track. ...

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First time working on the car on the trailer.... worked well. Enough room to jack it way up, put jack stands and remove my very cracked and leaky IE headers for the last time!! In a few days I drive down to @roninautowerks to pickup my new stainless, TIG welded work of art. Can’t wait to get those beauties on my car. 

[bmw1602.com]

Today is the day I have been waiting for.... @roninautowerks Stainless Steel Alpina Race Headers are finally ready. Beautiful work of art if I may say so. Proud to get them in my car. As you can see it’s a 4-2-1 design much like the S14. Primaries are 1-3/4”. More info contact Matt @roninautowerks he still has a couple in stock I think. I think my car is the first one to get it installed and running. Let’s see how it goes! Now to the install.....

[bmw1602.com]

 

Now @ocmufflerman for the install, a tight fit and lots things the headers have to work around but somehow magically it all works out...

[bmw1602.com]

Nothing is ever easy and simple on a race car it seams.... also being the first car ever to install the brand new @roninautowerks race header there was a few small hiccups.... the guys had to gently “massage” one the tubes a bit to clear the idler arm a bit... luckily it didn’t take much. Also had to clearance my frame rail a bit. A ‘74 frame rail was used during mock-up and so my early 69’ frame rail has a small lip that the later cars don’t have. In any case no biggie..... I’m just happy to have some proper high quality stainless race headers that can handle any future race motor I might build. Big shout out to Matt @roninautowerks For going thru all the work to make these a reality and big thanks to the guys at @ocmufflerman For working out the kinks and welding together a beautiful system. 

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@ocmufflerman cutting up and welding me up a solid system now from the header back. Need a bing for my oxygen sensor then a high flow muffler and then a short turn down..... nothing crazy. Not as loud as you would think but roudy as hell when you get on it

 

Oxygen sensor port and then into the muffler and a short turndown.... all stainless...

 

 

[bmw1602.com]

You know what’s cooler than stainless headers? Glowing red stainless headers at full song !! ?? Reminds me of those M12/13 videos on YouTube that I drool and dream over .... who thinks I should put my GoPro pointed at my headers next time I go to willow ?? I can only imagine going thru turn 8-9 then the front straight they will be.

 

 

Video on my IG @1602racer

[bmw1602.com]

Very productive dyno day today.... discovered my fuel pressure gauge was reading 2-3psi lower than reality, which meant I had a measly 1 psi at full throttle.... so with that fixed we decided to check the timing also and to my surprise I was at 20degrees!!! Once we turned it up to the recommended 36 degrees all of a sudden the engine woke to life!! Imagine that!! Boom!! Instant 20hp gain! Learned a lot today as we continued to adjust the jets and experimented with timing. Now 134rwhp is more in line with what I was expecting to see!! If you add a 12% drivetrain loss that’s 150 crank hp. Not bad for a “budget” engine build. Certainly will be night and day compared to my last outing at willow. I had so many issues at that race from a wacky carb, Mia-adjusted throttle linkage ( no WOT), a dying fuel pump(I didn’t know about), wrong fuel pressure and now I know also wrong timing!!! (Time to buy a timing light) With all that going wrong I still managed to have fun racing with Scott Parsons and managed a 1:43.... I literally can’t wait for the next race to see what I can do now with a much more sorted engine, proper throttle response and 20 or so more hp....going be fun!! ....

[bmw1602.com]

Found a nice organizer for my growing investment in little brass jewelry at Harbor freight. I like the individual little containers for the jets because in case I drop the case and it pops open all the jets don’t get all mixed up.... slowly getting more organized..

[bmw1602.com]

 

Doing a little “cross-training today” ??? I had 10 year old Toyo’s I didn’t know what to do with..... what better way to burn off and kill some old tires?! Time to kill some cones!!

 

 

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What do get when you mix 12 year old tires with a freshly tuned angry little M10? Smoke, opposite lock and smiles ??? I spun and managed not to hit any cones.... still a clean run!

 

 

 

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First AutoX in 13years!!!

What better way to shakedown my car before my race and get rid of old tires? AUTO-X !! Was a fun course and I managed to put in a decent run, now I feel like going back with some not so old tires to see if I can fight for the top 3. I competed in historic class with a “pax” modifier on my base class which is FSP. Who thinks I should go back with fresh tires and go for the win?

 

 

 

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Labor Day harbor freight sale score!!....little upgrade for the trailer.... because racing a vintage race car means sometimes having a non operable car to get onto the trailer..... next trailer upgrade will be some work lights...