Ians, SLC Beachfront Build

[Ian]

hello all,

Well it has finally happened, I have been asked to send tires!

As I go through the panic of finalizing the size and manufacturer of the tires, scrambling to finish the shop I’ve built for the car, I figured it would be a good time to start my build thread.

There have been some build stuff already happening and as I figure out exactly how I want to do this build thread I will share and catch up the thread.

I am super excited and can not say how much of a privilege it is to be part of this community, looking forward to everyones advise and support!!!

LETS GOOOOOOO!!!!!

 

[Brian Kissel]

Congrats Ian. Can you please tell us where you are and which manufacturer you chose. Anxiously awaiting pictures and details.

Regards Brian

 

[Ian]

Awe, so sorry, I‘m in Greenville, SC (fun fact, there is no beach here lol) and I am building an SL-C. Am I in the right place for this thread?

 

[Ian]

Here’s the beach

 

[Joel K]

Wow, beautiful shop!

 

[Ian]

Thank you Joel! Hoping to have it finished up this weekend.

I've really enjoyed following your build.

 

[Cam]

I highly recommend you get a set of takeoffs to ship to Fran. Unless you plan to do a speed build it's likely by the time your car hits the road you won't have much time before the tires have aged out. Throw a set of cheap takeoffs on there until you're ready to really drive the car then spend the bucks for a nice set of rubber. Best of luck!

 

[Ian]

100% Cam, that's exactly what I did. Set of Toyo Proxes sport, budget but not so much that I would be fearful of doing a go kart drive on them.

I've also been toying with the idea of picking up a cheap set of beat up used corvette rims with old tires on them and then properly storing my nice rims and ok tires until its time to do test drives. After the build, the shop rims can become track day wheels.

Thank you for the well wishes, this will be a very special build for me.

 

[Kurt Hoffman]

Ian,

Welcome to the fun filled, crazy world of building an SLC.

We are in the beginning stages of planning our move from Ohio to Greenville, SC. I have been traveling back and forth every other week for the past 5 months. We will have to connect some time in the future. If you ever have any questions give me a shout. I have my SLC on the road now in a raw, unfinished state. Need to get it registered and am deciding whether I do it in Ohio or wait until it is in SC.

 

[Ian]

So while I wait on the final call for transportation / pickup instructions. Lets talk engines!

I have my engine plan about 99% in the bag, but I would love to hear what y'all think of my decisions. Just to frame the choices I am making, I am comfortable building engines, have an engine building support network around me and have an extensive motorsports background.

In thinking of my engine choice, I have two desires pulling me in different directions. The first is to keep to the standard general LS engine package, the second is to have that amazing high rpm engine noise typical of a class C racer. (I can hear some of you groaning already, don't worry, it gets worse )

The plan is an ls 6.0 iron block, custom cam and tuned valve train, aftermarket heads, machine work, and so on, with the target of matching the Audi R8 V8 4.2 power curve. ( in general 420hp at 7700 - 7800, limiter at 8200 rpm)

I understand this is pushing a push rod engine (pun kinda intended, if that was a pun lol) However

A) is it not in the spirit of the car to push the limits?
B) I WANT THAT RPM!!!!! (and I can not justify the cost or time of a Ferrari swap)
C) if done the right way, it will remove the need for a drop gear and thus add $2500 - $3K to engine budget.
D) if she decides to barf rods all over the road, I can just jam a ls3 in and enjoy the stories of my misguided exploits.

OK! all that said, what do y'all think? Feel free to roast me, I am approaching this thread with good fun loving vibes so a proper ribbing will always be taken with humor.

Time for time with the wife, y'all enjoy your weekend!!!!

Ian

 

[Ian]

Ian,

Welcome to the fun filled, crazy world of building an SLC.

We are in the beginning stages of planning our move from Ohio to Greenville, SC. I have been traveling back and forth every other week for the past 5 months. We will have to connect some time in the future. If you ever have any questions give me a shout. I have my SLC on the road now in a raw, unfinished state. Need to get it registered and am deciding whether I do it in Ohio or wait until it is in SC.

Holly smokes Kurt, That is fantastic! You will be in good company here, @Alexr59 is in the Greenville area, waiting on his SLC (about 2-3 months behind me), and @Alan L has an RCR40 on the road, also in the Greenville area. I'll dm you and hopefully we can all get together for a cars and coffee.

 

[Ron McCall]

The plan is an ls 6.0 iron block, custom cam and tuned valve train, aftermarket heads, machine work, and so on, with the target of matching the Audi R8 V8 4.2 power curve. ( in general 420hp at 7700 - 7800, limiter at 8200 rpm) Sounds like a fun car!!

I understand this is pushing a push rod engine (pun kinda intended, if that was a pun lol) However If the proper valvetrain parts are used and the geometry is correct, this should not be an issue at all. My 351C in my pantera is turned 8000 rpm absolutely every time I drive it! Since 2015.

B) I WANT THAT RPM!!!!! (and I can not justify the cost or time of a Ferrari swap)
C) if done the right way, it will remove the need for a drop gear and thus add $2500 - $3K to engine budget. This is true to a point. Please keep in
mind that the stock transfer gears ( drop gears) are the weakest part of the Graziano L140. Swaping to a set from HCF Autosport can not only tailor the gear ratio but provides the added benefit of removing the weakest part of the trans. If the power is kept to a reasonable level and the car isn't driven in an abusive manner, the stock gears will likely not ever be an issue.

OK! all that said, what do y'all think? Feel free to roast me, I am approaching this thread with good fun loving vibes so a proper ribbing will always be taken with humor.

Ian

Ron

 

[Ian]

Ron,
I have to say,the Pantera is an amazing car! There was one in my neighborhood growing up, I would ride my bicycle by and just stare at it until someone would yell at me lol.

Great point on the drop gear, I had not read that it was the weak point, thank you. My understanding is that the graz is good to 1000ish HP, the clutch to 900ish. My max goal is 800 at the crank, but only on the go fast tune, daily driver tune would be more 600hp. Do you know what the threshold is? And just to be clear, as an ex race car driver, the slc will see some shenanigans, so best to build for it now.

 

[Ian]

Well, as thing do, my engine build is changing a bit.
as of right now the goal of 7700 rpm shift and 8500rpm redline, however I think I am going to drop the twin turbos and go NA. I’m just not a big fan of the wine of the turbo. Here is the build at this point.

6.0 ls
ls3 heads
.68 lift valve springs
custom grind compcam (672in 677ex 116)
flat top forged pistons with valve cutouts and forged 6.125 rods (summit pro)
Redux ITB with short stacks

Shooting for 600+ crank hp

my big question right now is oil system, do I go dry sump?
I have read that after 7500 rpm the stock ls oil pump starts to cavitate and put air into the oil, However, this info Is from forums and I don’t really know how factual it is. Some of the LS forums can get a little reactionary.

what do y’all think, dry sump needed?

thanks all!

 

[Mark B.]

You and I have very similar taste in engines . Mine is a LS7 block with3.625 crank, low lash solid roller cam, ported LS7 heads, T&D shaft rockers. 674 crank HP / 572RWHP from 7500-7900 rpm.
You're absolutely right -- not remotely practical, but who cares, nothing about the car is practical.

I have a 4-stage dry sump on mine and would definitely recommend dry sump for an engine revving that high. You could certainly get by without it if you're not going to track your car, but dry sump gives you significantly less crank case oil windage, less oil aeration to make sure you're getting proper oiling at those higher RPMs. There are a bunch of options for LS engines including keeping the internal pump for pressure with an external scavenge pump. The dry sump does require you to figure out another way to mount your AC compressor, but it's manageable.

 

[Ian]

HA! Mark, I almost messaged you today. I have been reading your build thread, and a few of your other posts. Good to hear from ya!
I have been weighing the pros and cons of the dry sump and I just don’t see not doing it. Just the piece of mind alone seems worth it, id be thinking of my poor valve train every time I went for the money shift haha.
Now that you chimed in, this seals it for me.

I did want to ask if you ever had a chance to play with a set of C8 headers? They look like the perfect core for a custom set of cut and paste headers. I have been lusting over the custom long tube headers that Scott (S2 build) and Stephan have put together, just amazing! Unfortunately I don’t think my tig skills are there yet and the pocket book would catch on fire for what I would assume having a custom set done would cost lol.

By the way, your engine sounds amazing!
ian

 

[Joel K]

Hi Ian, the C8 headers are probably a different bolt pattern than the LS. I know the LT1 and LT4 are different than the LS. Also IMO they probably would not clear the frame or body. You may want to check Geoff’s SLC build thread out. His headers travel straight back making fitting Exhaust a bit easier.

Check out post #53..

Geoff's Build Thread

Hey just a word of advice I wish I had known. Now that my car is nearly fully put together and AC working. I get a ton of cold air that back flows from the evaporator unit onto my girls feet. I suspect I didn’t make big enough holes in the aluminum chassis and plastic housing. I made holes just...

www.gt40s.com

 

[Mark B.]

Hi Ian, thanks for the compliment! Regarding the C8 headers, I looked at a bunch of different ones online and tried to do rough measurements. I came to the same conclusion Joel did above. You can cut off the flange and weld on an LS flange, but it looks like they wouldn't clear the frame regardless of which way you flipped them. I could be wrong, but didn't want to buy a set and have to return them.

All the best on your build and if you ever want to chat, just PM me.

 

[Ian]

Thanks for the reply’s fellas!

Joel,
you are 100% right that the LT heads are very different than the LS heads. My remarks about cut and paste were meant more along the lines of using the headers as a base for a custom set. While I don’t tig weld as well as some on here, I can manage.

I checked out Geoff’s build, those are some well thought out headers! They look quite efficient for space and function. I have no doubt that following suit would be a good idea… (foreshadowing)

Mark,
did you look at flipping them upside down so that the end is low not high?

My thought is that if I take the LS7 headers I have and use them for the head side flange and adapt the tube shape to the c8 headers. The C8 headers, now upside down, would exit low with a slight up angle, much like I have see builders make for the exhaust adapter for the LS7 headers.

I am positive that there will be hiccups and issues, there always are lol. But that’s the fun right?!?

So, in all honesty, I quickly read both y’all’s reply’s this morning while working and let your fantastic, level headed advise sink in…. Then I bought some C8 headers hahaha.

I have no doubt that this is all going to result in a healthy amount of “I told ya so” for you both, but I’m the type who likes to know what hitting your toe with a hammer feels like before deciding it’s a bad idea

All that said, I picked up a set of factory C8 headers, complete with heat shields For a few hundred bucks. I think they have a lot of potential!

I think it’s going to be a fun experiment! I am a confident fabbi and this wouldn’t be the first time it all went sideways. Let’s see what we can do!

So, now that y’all know a bit more about me, let me know if ya got a bridge for sale

this is going to be fun
Thanks guys!!!!!

Input is welcome!

 

[Joel K]

Thanks for the reply’s fellas!

Joel,
you are 100% right that the LT heads are very different than the LS heads. My remarks about cut and paste were meant more along the lines of using the headers as a base for a custom set. While I don’t tig weld as well as some on here, I can manage.

I checked out Geoff’s build, those are some well thought out headers! They look quite efficient for space and function. I have no doubt that following suit would be a good idea… (foreshadowing)

Mark,
did you look at flipping them upside down so that the end is low not high?

My thought is that if I take the LS7 headers I have and use them for the head side flange and adapt the tube shape to the c8 headers. The C8 headers, now upside down, would exit low with a slight up angle, much like I have see builders make for the exhaust adapter for the LS7 headers.

I am positive that there will be hiccups and issues, there always are lol. But that’s the fun right?!?

So, in all honesty, I quickly read both y’all’s reply’s this morning while working and let your fantastic, level headed advise sink in…. Then I bought some C8 headers hahaha.

I have no doubt that this is all going to result in a healthy amount of “I told ya so” for you both, but I’m the type who likes to know what hitting your toe with a hammer feels like before deciding it’s a bad idea

All that said, I picked up a set of factory C8 headers, complete with heat shields For a few hundred bucks. I think they have a lot of potential!

View attachment 133080

I think it’s going to be a fun experiment! I am a confident fabbi and this wouldn’t be the first time it all went sideways. Let’s see what we can do!

So, now that y’all know a bit more about me, let me know if ya got a bridge for sale

this is going to be fun
Thanks guys!!!!!

Input is welcome!

Ian, it’s all part of the fun. I guess we all pick and choose where we want to invest our time and create. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!