NC Light

[Brian]

Mentioned this in a few threads and figured you guys might want to see 2.5 liters in the NC. This is my new NC LIGHT project. Love our 2007 Supercharged NC but light weight it is NOT. And "Low Weight NC" has been something of an oxymoron. So, our dream here is 300hp and 2000 pounds....normally aspirated. I don't expect to get anywhere near 2000 pounds or the 300hp....that's aspirational and we will see how close we get. Motor choice is 2.5 liter (latest Mazda3 block). Just dropped it in today...still hanging from the cherry picker but you get the idea.

[slartibartfast]

Brian,

Do you find AN fittings easy to source and work with? I have plenty of experience working with compression fittings on metal tubing but none using rubber. I might be inclined to start using them in our LeMons car if the fittings are not a pain in the rear to use.

[Brian]

yeah, no issue with them. Since we are in California, getting them in a day is really easy. Might not be true everywhere.

[grippy]

Awesome! I will be watching closely as this is exactly where I wanted to take my car, but not till next year. I don't know where you are going to find the weight, my car is 2500lbs (with me) and there doesn't seem to be much meat left on the bones.

[skeeler]

I'm also very interested in seeing how this project progresses. I'd like to do something very much like this to an NC. What do you think is a more realistic goal? 200 whp and 2250 lb?

[grippy]

That sould be easily acheivable.

[Brian]

Yep, easily. We hope to get quite a bit beyond that mark...though I won't have any idea on the real numbers until we get on a dyno...hopefully within a few weeks. I picked up a dead 2.3 Formula Atlantic motor last Saturday for various parts that are getting used on this 2.5....hopefully including the F1 style roller throttle body! Currently cleaning the foam filter, etc....but will post shots once we get that on. Yes, that means we are going old school direct cable throttle...not that fly by wire crap~!

[ptr622]

....but will post shots once we get that on.

I can't wait to see them...!

[whptgud]

Very interesting project. I'm sure a lot of us will be following your progress. One question, did you ever consider using a rotary(rx8) engine? I'm thinking that it would fit in nicely with your light weight theme.

[Brian]

Yes, thought about the RX8 motor seriously. Love the idea of 9000 rpms. Even had some light discussions with friends at Racing Beat about building a custom rotary. But, as previously mentioned, I want to skip the weight gains and complexity that come with boost...yet a normally aspirated RX8 motor does not make the torque we want on this one.

[Brian]

WARNING...AUTOMOTIVE PORNOGRAPHY below. IF you are under 18 or of delicate disposition click away now!

Here is what the F1 style Barrel Throttle looks like in the Cosworth catalog.



And here is our used Barrel Throttle off the dead 2.3 Formula Atlantic motor all cleaned up and installed on our 2.5. Can you say throttle response?








Motor mounts are an issue. Factory mounts for this motor do you no good at all and attempting to work with them leaves the motor too high, too far forward, canted a funny angle, etc, etc. Thankfully, Tony at AWR is a custom motor mount pro and makes all our upgraded NC mounts. Tony's custom mounts dropped the motor down and back...but even all the way back as you see in the second photo above you can't use the stock alternator location. This alternator is a super small race unit from Cosworth and it still hits the steering. So, alternator will move to the bottom of the passenger side of the motor (better for our weight distribution anyway).

[mykrrrr]

fantastic project. got more overall pics? can't wait to see more of this.

[Brian]

I wish I had more time to take pictures....I am sure I would like to look back later. But this is our busy season and the phones are ringing and ringing a lot more than last year. Today, I installed the brakes. Used our NC Big brake kit with two piece rotors and RX8 rear two piece....here are the product listings of what went in (will try and get shots on the car later).

http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Pe ... -0378.html

http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Pe ... -1261.html

While I was in the front brakes I got a better shot of Tony's engine mount. He made these for 2.3 install but they work the same for this 2.5 liter.

[Brian]

Brakes are in this morning (porterfield R4 pads, coilovers almost in (got a used set of Motons to try but I ordered the wrong rear swift spring diameter to go with them...). Lots of little things for Tony and I to finish up but 'hope' to have car to the dyno late next week...

[TarkMalbot]

What wheels will you run?