LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 How to get your Econobox into the 14's **A MUST READ** compliments of scc SCC Technical Assistance Program By Dave Coleman Photography: Henry DeKuyper Dear Sport Compact, First off, let me just say that your mag is the best my friend is subscriber and I steel his copy every month before he even reads it now he wants to kick my ass but I told him instead of fighting we should have a heads up doorslammer only problem he has a Mazda MX-6 with the turbo motor and my Sentra cant keap up I mean my car is fixed up and all but I spend most my money giving it the looks I have full aero and pearl paint and lower three inches and even sub dubs for rims I spend so much on paint and body I have not money left to beat my friends turbo and now he says if I loose hes going pound my ass into the ground can you help me go faster thanks you guys rock. Scared to Race El Monte, Calif. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 1: Free Speed Every month we get hundreds of tech letters varying from the simple "how do I fit a supercharged Prelude engine in my '73 Civic" to the nearly impossible "how do I get vanilla milkshake stains out of my back seat." Of these hundreds, our tradition is to cherry pick the easiest to answer, write a trite response, print it in our letters column and go home early. No more. Our new editor is afraid that if he doesn't bark a few orders every now and then, nobody will know he's doing his job. And so we launch the new Sport Compact Car Technical Assistance Program, wherein we cherry pick a far more difficult letter and not only offer a suggestion, but actually take on the task of solving the problem ourselves. So much for that afternoon nap. With this letter, we launch our technical assistance program as this is such a common problem. Looks come first and performance (and your wallet) suffers. Hoping to save a faithful reader from a serious ass pounding, we take Mr. To Race's car to the track for a day and let three engineers and an art history major give it their all. The only limitation given to our crack technical assistance staff has a total budget of $0. Step 1: BaselineBefore suggesting modifications, it's critical we know where Mr. To Race is starting. His car is a 2001 Sentra SE with the venerable SR20DE powerplant. This is the newest variant of the SR20, with a close-coupled cat, roller rockers, and a four-counterweight crank. None of this matters at all, because without money, you can't extract the tremendous potential of this engine. The car also has heavy 19-inch wheels, cut springs and one of the most aggressive body kits we've ever seen. We find three kittens and a squirrel cowering in fear inside one of the massive front air intakes. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared26_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared27_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared28_zoom.jpg Step 1: Baseline Curb Weight: 2,762 lbs 1/4 Mile:16.3 @ 84.0 mph 60-foot:2.9 sec. 0-60 mph:8.6 sec. ======================================= Step 2: 15-inch wheels The 19-inch wheels are the first obvious problem. With a 225/35ZR-19 tire at each corner, each of these giant, round testaments to Mr. To Race's masculinity weighs a shocking 46 lbs. In addition, their tall, 25.2-inch rolling diameter effectively makes the gearing taller. Now, before you point out that changing wheels costs money, let us remind you that Sentras don't come with 19-inch wheels. Therefore, it stands to reason that Mr. To Race has a set of smaller wheels and tires sitting in his garage somewhere. Since Mr. To Race has a Rottweiler, we couldn't actually get into his garage, but we did manage to pirate a set of 15-inch Infiniti G20 wheels from an uninvolved third party. Wrapped in 195/60R-15 Firestone rubber with a treadwear rating of 500, these rocks are only slightly smaller overall, at 24.9 inches, but they're 13 lbs lighter at each corner. The reduced weight and rotational inertia drop the quarter-mile time by 0.3 seconds. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared04_zoom.jpg Step 2: 15-inch Wheels Curb Weight:2,707 lbs 1/4 Mile:16.0 @ 85.5 mph 60-foot:2.8 sec. 0-60 mph: 8.1 sec. ======================================= Step 3: Stripped InteriorAsk anyone who has ever drag raced Mom's Accord and you'll learn our next trick. A stripped interior not only saves 273 lbs, it also lets everyone know you're serious. Many amateur drag racers stop at simply removing the passenger's seat and spare tire, but we remove everything: headliner, sunroof, carpet, dashboard, six-disc in-dash CD changer. For expediency, we leave the tar paper stuck to the floorboards, but Mr. To Race will find another 15 lbs of weight savings if he takes the time to chisel it off. As an added bonus, we also remove the antenna to reduce aerodynamic drag. The mods are good for another 0.5-second improvement. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared06_zoom.jpg Step 3: Stripped Interior Curb Weight:2,434 lbs 1/4 Mile:15.5 @ 82.5 mph 60-foot:2.7 sec 0-60 mph:7.5 sec ======================================= Step 4: Free Horsepower Whoever said horsepower costs money just didn't have the kind of clear-thinking, innovative tuners we unleashed on Mr. To Race's car. The intake, exhaust and underdrive pulley are three standard first modifications to any car, but our crack team figured out how to get all the benefit of these expensive parts without spending a dime. The most obvious free horsepower mod is to remove the exhaust. This makes the engine extremely loud and, as you know, noise equals power. The catalytic converter is integrated into the exhaust manifold, however, so technically, this is a CARB-legal modification. Next, in the grand Pontiac tradition, we fashioned a ram-air intake by removing the bottom half of the air filter box, taping the filter into the upper half, and sticking the whole thing up into the airflow. Finding airflow, of course, means removing the hood, but no hood at all is even lighter than a carbon-fiber hood, so we think Mr. To Race will appreciate the aesthetic one-upmanship of this ultra-extreme race mod. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared38_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared29_zoom.jpg Finally, in an effort to reduce parasitic losses from the belt-driven accessories, we simply remove the accessories themselves. The air conditioner, obviously, is unnecessary on a racecar, but less obvious is the redundancy of the alternator. When the car is only running for a quarter mile at a time, there's no need to constantly charge the battery. To reduce the electrical load on the battery, we also remove the headlights and taillights, leaving more voltage for the engine itself. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared03_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared32_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared35_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared02_zoom.jpg Were this a normal project car, we would dyno test each of these modifications, but dyno testing would make this test run well into the evening, and as you know, the "Dukes of Hazzard" comes on at 8 p.m. Fearing our increased power might turn our Firestones to smoke, we air them down to 25 psi to increase the size of the contact patch for better launches. Even with the giant contact patches, our 60-foot time increases by 0.1 seconds, but the added power and reduced aerodynamic drag from a last-minute removal of the windshield wipers knock another 0.3 seconds from our e.t. Step 4: Free Horsepower Curb Weight:2,252 lbs 1/4 Mile:15.2 @ 89.6 mph 60-foot:2.8 sec. 0-60 mph:7.1 sec. ======================================= Step 5: Chop Shop Nobody said this was going to be easy. The MX-6 Turbo is some stiff competition, and with Mr. To Race facing bodily harm if he loses, we decide desperate measures are justified. Say goodbye to the body kit. We're sure to check every orifice for puppies and kittens before carefully removing the air dam with a nearby curb. Feet, saws and angst-ridden fists make very effective tools for quickly and efficiently removing the rest of the body kit. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared21_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared33_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared07_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared10_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared14_zoom.jpg With the aerodynamic accoutrements out of the way, we return our focus to weight. Fenders don't weigh much, but the sight of your smoking front tires just sitting out there for all the world to see really intimidates the competition, so naturally we remove them. Power windows and side impact beams have made modern doors exceptionally heavy, so again, they have to go. So does the trunk. And the hood latch. And every brace and bracket we can find. And the horn.End result: curb weight drops below 2,000 lbs, the e.t. hits the 14s. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared05_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared09_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared19_zoom.jpg Step 5: Chop Shop Curb Weight:1,904 lbs 1/4 Mile:14.7 @ 90.7 mph 60-foot:2.8 0-60 mph:6.3 http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared23_zoom.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 ======================================= Step 6: Details At this point the car looks thoroughly stripped, but close inspection reveals countless unnecessary items can still be removed. The relays for the fan, horn, fog lights and HVAC fan, for example, are still in place, even though there's nothing for them to switch on. The windshield and rear window are easy to forget, being clear and all, but they are, in fact, quite hefty. And then there's that entire car just hanging out there behind the rear wheels. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared16_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared12_zoom.jpg Nothing actually happens back there, there's no engine, no suspension mounting points, nothing of any performance value. We can't find any reason why the car shouldn't just stop existing after the rear wheels. If you ever want to make something stop existing, the Milwaukee Sawzall is the tool. Oh, the satisfaction. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared11_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared08_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared22_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared34_zoom.jpg Uh, anyway, while we're back there, we notice the rear tires are bigger than they need to be now that there's nothing for them to hold up. Space-saver spare tires are great budget skinnies, but Mr. To Race only has one in his car. Again, we're able to pirate a second from a G20. Think about it: The G20 needs four spares now that we have its tires, so the one spare left in the trunk isn't doing anybody any good. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared15_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared30_zoom.jpg Step 6: Details Curb Weight:1,760 lbs 1/4 Mile:14.4 @ 92.2 mph 60-foot:2.6 sec. 0-60 mph:6.0 sec. ======================================= Step 7: Styling Running 14.4 in the quarter, we're pretty sure Mr. To Race's ass is safe from pounding, but now we've created another problem. Because of how his car was originally equipped, his goals were obvious, and now, looking like a theft recovery, women will not be impressed. A solution that causes another problem is no solution at all, so we convened for a brainstorming session. From this swirling cloud of brain, Dan Barnes emerges, Sawzall in hand, and utters three simple words. "Chicks dig convertibles." http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared18_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared31_zoom.jpg Step 7: Styling Curb Weight:1,674 lbs 1/4 Mile:14.3 @ 93.2 mph 60-foot:2.6 sec. 0-60 mph:5.8 sec. http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared24_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared25_zoom.jpg http://digitalsushi.com/midashi/website.mirrors/car-14s/index_files/0208scc_scared20_zoom.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 That is how my Legacy is set up. Notice that it is still slow? Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hey, If I cut 1100 pounds of my GT and put 12 inch tires on I'd run 9's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAC5.2 Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 How does it do in the rain? [URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/proper-flip-key-interesti-159894.html"]Flip Key Development Thread[/URL] "Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped." - E. Hubbard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 id say fine until things start sparking... LOL Its a trailer queen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 How does it do in the snow Fixed. Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAC5.2 Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Fixed. http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/wordwb7.png Thanks. [URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/proper-flip-key-interesti-159894.html"]Flip Key Development Thread[/URL] "Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped." - E. Hubbard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boostin1657615274 Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 I read this article in the original release of this magazine. One of the funniest articles I have ever read. My question is, how did they compensate the owner for completely destroying his car?? On the search for a new DD... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 who knows. maybe they bought it cheap on craigslist or something. Who knows but thats some funny shit right there. I stil had that issue for the longest time. I miss their articles"Suck Squish Bang Blow" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAC5.2 Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 There is a very good chance that the vehicle was destined for the crusher and the local PD donated it to the magazine expressly for the article. Since the car was getting detsroyed anyway, they made it a public awareness campaign. [URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/proper-flip-key-interesti-159894.html"]Flip Key Development Thread[/URL] "Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped." - E. Hubbard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 who know how or why they got the car. What they did with it is automotive hilarity on a scale I doubt we will ever see again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRSCobra Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 who know how or why they got the car. What they did with it is automotive hilarity on a scale I doubt we will ever see again. Don't be so sure about that! Article: http://www.hotrod.com/projectbuild/hrdp_1011_corvette_hack_track_test/index.html Video: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfpQTAFoTU4]YouTube - Hot Rod Corvette Hack - The Long Version[/ame] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 more fun. Post MORE... that corvette was great. Still liek the sentra better. Cause it is the bigget turd possible and with the body kit made it funnier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeblow Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 I can imagine the guy sitting near the pits crying as he watches them strip his car of all the unnecessary "aesthetic" crap he wasted his money on. It's cool; I'm with the band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byronchrisp05 Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 That weird cause my FWD SR20 powered car went 12.9's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Marker Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Awesome thread. 2011 Volvo S60T6 & 2013 Volvo XC60T6 Polestar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planelazy Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 That weird cause my FWD SR20 powered car went 12.9's Is that a SR20 or the SR20DET? Most B15's came with the SR20 or the 1.8.. neither which where turbo.. but a lot of people did DET swaps or slapped a turbokit on it. Even the QR25's in the '02+ SE-R's couldn't do much better.. better 0-60 times but the engine lacked top end power. The best I got on my QR25 (non-SpecV) was 15.3, that was only with an AEM CAI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Most B15s did NOT some with SR20s. Most were the 1.8 GA i beleive. Others were the 2.5 QR B13 and B14 SERs had the SR20 and i think just the 2.0 SE B15s. My personal best in my old B15 SPECV 2.5QR was 14.7 Intake/Header/Exhuast. No US sentra as far back as I know came with a turbo motor much less the SR20DET. It was often swapped or turboed SR20DE/VE models that made the B13 a popular car for performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planelazy Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Yeah you're right I shouldn't have said most. The 1.8 was the standard choice, I think even before 2002. For some reason I was thinking the Sentra SE was the standard model before 2002 when the QR25 came out. And I think you're right.. I don't recall any stock USDM SR20 with a turbo.. the popular thing was either a turbokit or a bluebird swap. I don't know too much about the pre-B15 Sentra.. I was only interested in the B15 SE-Rs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 My old B15 http://www.th3forgott3n.com/axalon/EP009_021_l.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 I have a ODD car history... Very NON loyal to a brand. 95 civic hatch with a B18B LS swap 04 SER SpecV I/H/E and had a turbo kit purchased but not installed when totaled 05 LGT Stage 2.5? 06 CTS-V I/E for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planelazy Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Mine isn't any better... 1990 Chevy S10 1998 Chevy Malibu 2002 Sentra SE-R 2009 Mitsu Lancer ES 2006 LGT (Soon to be another addition.. either a truck or SUV) The mods I did to the B15 was intake, header, suspension, wheels and tires. Then I sold it before I moved to China. Mine was red.. I wish I had pictures but I lost them when I deleted my server 5 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyGTBiggie Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 I was SpecVBiggie on those forums. And i was pretty deep into the sentra scene for a long while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planelazy Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Which forum? The only one I was on was B15sentra.net.. there was another one that was aimed around the Spec V but I never joined it.. I forgot my forum name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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