Save the Viper Keep up with the quot Jones s quot

[Pappy]

The only way I was going to keep up with the "Jones's", (AKA AZ) with my ACR was to mod it heavily and beat it to death, so I decided to finish an old track car project to preserve the Viper. Basically, it is a 56 Corvette body (stop laughing until you hear the rest) on a sophisticated, high-travel/low-roll fabricated suspension, 515 inch all aluminum BBC moved back 14 inches, 335/18 and 345/18 tires/wheels, big StopTechs. lots of aero mods and carbon fiber, and hopefully weighing in at 2600# dry. I am replacing my current IRS with a Detroit Speed DecaLink (for strength) and Larry's Engine and Marine (known for his offshore BBC race motors) is building a stout BBC: big bore/short stroke aluminum Brodix (4.6 bore/3.875 stroke), Calles crank and rods, 13:1 JE's, Comp Cams solid roller, TD shaft rockers, Daily billet dry sump, and a Hogan fabricated sequential injection intake system. Shane Tecklenburg is integrating the MoTec ECU (computer, sensors, injectors, harness, tune) and AZ convinced me to add a stand-alone BMW ABS system which will provide inputs to the MoTec for traction control, if I decide to go that way. The clutch is a Tilton triple-disk carbon assembly and I have a TKO 600 extreme built by American Speed (rated for 950 ft/lbs) with a .82 fifth gear. Should be a ball.

Pappy

56 and 62.jpg
56 Corvette Decalink 2.jpg
56 Corvette Tilton.jpg
Sweet Rack.jpg
56 rear.JPG

[99RT10]

That is a very cool project. Great compromise!!!

[TA Two Oh]

Nice to see that car come together, especially with such a top quality build!

[1of1TA1.0]

Badass! Can't wait to see the finished project and hear how you like it on track!

[BrianACR]

That's gonna be nasty!

[Pappy]

A few parts starting to roll in.

Pappy

56 Corvette Dailey Dry Sump.JPG

56 Corvette Hogan Intake.JPG

[Special Ed]

I knew your engine builder, Larry, forty years ago when we drag raced boats on the Colorado river. A very nice guy and great engine builder. Wow I suddenly feel old.

[Pappy]

Motor progress.

Pappy

Motor 2.jpgMotor 1.jpgMotor 6.jpg

[Pappy]

Who says you can't put a 12 inch wheel with a 335 on the front of an old C-1 Corvette? Wheels came in today - Forgeline GA-3Rs, 18X12 front, 18X12.5 rear.

Pappy

56 Corvette Forgelines.jpg

[Arizona Vipers]

Badass Pappy! I didn't even know you were doing this thread until today! When is the dyno?

[Pappy]

The harness for the Motec ECU was finished and shipped last Thursday. Shane T. is doing the tune. We might be able to get the motor on the dyno this week. In the meantime I am finishing the install of the Detroit Speed multi-link rear suspension (Decalink) - that will complete the suspension.

Pappy

56 Corvette Decalink install 3.jpg

56 Corvette Decalink install 8.jpg

[Arizona Vipers]

I love the color of the Forgelines, what color do they call that?

[Pappy]

I love the color of the Forgelines, what color do they call that?

Satin Gunmetal. I talked to Forgeline about "titanium", but they told me that rubber sticks to that coating, and that the satin gunmetal was more forgiving and easier to clean. We'll see what the motor makes, but should be around 850 at the crank, so 750 whp is possible. It is a big bore (4.6 "), short stroke (3.875") 515 C.I. 13:1 race gas motor with a big road race solid roller and sequential injection on a Motec, so it should make good power for a NA motor. As for weight, with all the changes (aluminum motor, light weight Tilton clutch assembly, and probably a heavier rear suspension set-up) I've kind-of lost the bubble. I'm hoping for 26-2700 lbs dry, but 2800 would not surprise me.

[Pappy]

Short update. Still working on installing the new rear suspension. A couple of progress photos attached. Getting closer to hunting a 9-liter in Arizona - LOL.

Pappy

56 Corvette DSE 9.jpg

56 Corvette DSE 12.jpg

[Arizona Vipers]

So what are we talking here, 2700 lbs, 750whp? That's the feeling I get! hehe. Next time I see your wife I need to remind her to up your life insurance

[Martyb]

Awesome project, my all time favorites are the 56 and 57 Vettes. Can’t wait to see it at the track!

Marty

[Pappy]

Finally got the motor on the dyno. 852.71 peak HP @ 7100 rpm, 685 peak torque @ 5900 rpm. Should be enough.

Pappy

Motor on dyno 3 (2).jpg

[steve911]

That is Really cool build! With all that Aero in the rear, what are you going to use in the front to hold the nose down?

[Pappy]

That is Really cool build! With all that Aero in the rear, what are you going to use in the front to hold the nose down?

It has an air dam, splitter with tunnels, belly pan, and there are diffuser tunnels outside the frame rails but inside the rockers. Here is an early photo of the air dam, but I have since changed the splitter configuration - made it larger and added tunnels underneath. Since I moved the motor even further back (out of necessity to deconflict the lower control arms and the dry sump pump), I am also now able to vent the radiator upward out the hood, which should help.

Pappy

56 splitter.JPG

[Pappy]

Here is the dyno sheet for the new motor. The AFR was a little fat, especially from 3500-4500, and the timing was only at 34 degrees, so there is a little more to gain with tune. I'll look at that once I get it installed and on the chassis dyno.

Pappy

56 Corvette Dyno.jpg

[Pappy]

For anyone looking into a fuel cell, I highly recommend Fuel Safe. They custom built this one for me to my specs, and it came out exactly as ordered. Scott at Fuel Safe was very responsive. The cell is 19+ gallons with a 1.76 gallon fuel trap for road racing. It is FIA certified and has a .063" aluminum powder coated can, pro bladder, internal Aeromotive A1000 pump, -10 outlet, -8 return with a Setrab fuel cooler built into the return line, and a -12 vent with roll-over protection. Forced cooling air comes from side scoops to the fuel and differential coolers. One step closer to getting on track.

Pappy

56 Corvette Fuel Cell 1.jpg

56 Corvette Fuel Cooler 2.jpg

56 Corvette Fuel Cooler 3.jpg

56 Corvette Trunk 4.jpg

[1of1TA1.0]

Super bad ass Pappy!

[Arizona Vipers]

What's the latest Pappy?

[Pappy]

What's the latest Pappy?

As you know I got slowed up installing the fuel cell. It had the wrong flapper valves in the collector, so I had to wait for the correct ones - NASCAR billet aluminum with O-rings. I am finishing up a little fiberglass/carbon work installing a fuel filler door in the trunk lid so I don't have to open the rear deck lid every time I refuel. Still hope to finish this thing this summer.

56 Corvette Fuel Safe 1.jpg56 Corvette Fuel Safe 2.jpg[

Then I went to Sonoma to watch a buddy's new TTU, tube-chassis, LS-powered TTU car. It was a combined TransAM/NASA event and the field was packed. I saw a couple of Vipers - one Comp Coupe and a white Gen V.

TTU Mustang.jpg

Pappy

[Arizona Vipers]

Post pics of the pics of the custom fuel filler through the trunk!