ECORS Race VX

I attended my first race Saturday in my VX and I must say I was very impressed. I beat this thing within an inch of its life and it just kept going! I placed 9th out of 22, not that I passed anything but because there were Jeeps breaking everywhere. So here are some build and race day pictures.

The bumper is a full winch bumper prototype that Joe will be offering soon. It is a work in progress. As a matter of fact I we didn't even have time to grind all the welds off. We will add brush guards before the next race.

Installed without the winch:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/bumper-6.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/bumper-7.jpg

To install the bumper you have to cut and cap the front frame sections:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...mper-mod-3.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...mper-mod-1.jpg

Spare tire mount:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...pare-mount.jpg

OME 919 springs (my only suspension mod)

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...progress-5.jpg

BFG KM2 33 x 10.50 x 15

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...progress-6.jpg

I was full of nerves! When I saw some of the hills we were going to climb I said " you're f'ing kidding me right????".... they weren't kidding. You have no idea how tough these trucks are... I certainly didn't! At one point in the race I went off course. I was nose down on my side, the back wheel of the truck was over my codrivers head. He said revers and floor it! I did and backed out and continued with the race.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...race-day-1.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...race-day-2.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...race-day-4.jpg

We named the truck the Mars Rover!

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...race-day-5.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...race-day-8.jpg

And here is what the VX looked like after 2 grueling hours of racing:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...ost-race-1.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...ost-race-2.jpg

Here is where I was rear ended and got tire tracks on the back cladding...

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...ost-race-3.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...ost-race-4.jpg

And here are a series of pictures showing just how tough the bumper is:

scroll down to see the VX taking some punishment it took...

http://www.nc4x4.com/forum/index.php...2-pics.121725/

damn the little guy did did take a beating and kept on ticking. ; )

Dude... just think what you could do with a 5-speed in there! ;) Those airborne pics are awesome! :thumbup:

Sounds like you left a great impressio with those guys! Nice job!

Love the NASA "Moon Rover" decals!!!

There rest ain't bad either!

89V

freaking awesome!

Nice work Buffy, looks like a ton of fun.



:) Someone wrote this on NC4X4 forum. Very awesome:

"The little 3 photo series of the vehicross was so brutal to see in person. I was the only one around and was cheering out loud at the top of my lungs! They slammed the rig around so much it killed the motor. I thought for sure they were done for the day but the thing fired right back up and away they went!!!"

Looks like you had some fun! Awesome build, I can't wait to see more.

Next up is a full roll cage, for obvious reasons. :yesb: I had fuel issues all day where the truck would shut down when the RPMs got high. I will be swapping out the gas tank for a much better one and maybe having some injectors cleaned and tested. Actually the tank will be from VT_Mavericks old VX and the drive shafts are from it too. So his old VX is living on in my race truck. We are trying to come up with some suspension mods to take the bumps better. It is a work in progress. As you have seen the bumper can reall take a beating! :smilewink

The funniest part of the race was when they were releasing the groups of 3 trucks. Each time they would announce the driver and make and model of vehicle. Then he came to me and said..... Driving a uh.... What the hell is that thing?? What's that??? An Isuzu thing of sorts??? By the end of the race he just said here's the Mars Rover back again! Very funny! I lost a lot of time working on it by having to stop and tell people what it was. Everyone that is was very cool.

Awesome job! I love how close to stock it is yet can take that beating. That's two of you competitors who have gotten air in the last few days! The temptation is strong....must...resist...

Man that is fantastic. Wish I'd known about the race. Would love to see that in person. When/where is the next one? And yeah - suspension mods are badly needed when you hang that much additional weight off the front. I think stiffer torsion bars are available and if you do that you'll need to increase the rebound damping. Actually given the weight of the tires and the limited suspension travel and the pounding to which this VX is subject, you need to increase both compression and rebound damping. But hey - shims are cheap!

I've had Sway-A-Way heavy duty torsion bars on order for almost 2 months now. Unfortunately they have been on back order. They keep saying next week..... Next week..... But that comes and goes with no bars in hand. :mad: looking into installing longer travel shocks but that will require some modification to accommodate the larger body. We have a lot of ideas for improvement just not a lot of time to get it done.

Triple bypass's! :)

Oh yea!!! Now we're talking...... Shock porn!!:smilewink

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buffy

Next up is a full roll cage, for obvious reasons. :yesb: I had fuel issues all day where the truck would shut down when the RPMs got high. I will be swapping out the gas tank for a much better one and maybe having some injectors cleaned and tested. Actually the tank will be from VT_Mavericks old VX and the drive shafts are from it too. So his old VX is living on in my race truck. We are trying to come up with some suspension mods to take the bumps better. It is a work in progress. As you have seen the bumper can reall take a beating! :smilewink

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Lol... never imagined my parts would end up in a race truck. But glad to hear she's still putting smiles on people's faces even in the afterlife. :)

Never knew she was an organ donor did ya! And everything was in excellent low mileage shape too..... imagine that!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buffy

looking into installing longer travel shocks

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Are shocks the travel-limiting component?

You know, after I pecked out that message about changing the shims it occurred to me that since you need to increase both rebound and compression damping, you could just go with a thicker shock oil...

Scrap the tbars and set up some coilovers!

I am getting ready to start my second season racing ECORS. The last race of the season beat the VX to an inch of its life! Totally destroyed the passenger side, bent the passenger side frame, almost lost the rear bumper and tore the farelead off the front bumper.

I was tired of getting lapped by Jeeps, Sammies, etc... the IFS just didn't have enough travel to take the abuse. So... out it came and in goes a Dana 44 with 5.38s and ARBs front and rear. I am still in the mock up stage but this thing is going to be a beast. I will be running RaceLine beadlocks and 35x12.50x17 tires. So here's some pictures.....

Mocking everything in place. Ths suspension is in full compression here.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2831.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2832.jpg

Love the size of this tire/rim combo.... these are just mock up tires but the races tires will be the same size as these....

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2833.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2835.jpg

More pictures and posts to follow. I have lots of work to be done by the first race March 24th!

That is awesome!

How's the oil pan clearance with the D44?

It has plenty of clearance. It actually looks like it should have come stock with the solid axle in it. I was very pleased with how everything lined up. Like I indicated ealier the pictures are of the suspension in maximum compression and I still have 4 or 5 inches of clearance for the oil pan. The steering will be the real trick.... to be determined!

I'm glad to hear that about oil pan clearance. You know there's always full hydro :D

What are you doing for transmission, 4l30e?

Hey Buffy, were are you racing. I live in Lexington and would like to check it out. Thanks

I am going to be converting to the AR5 manual trans. Oh I've been researching full hydro but for now the cost is getting out of reach of my budget. The system I would want is 1.75 turns lock to lock but costs around 3k. But I may do a hydro assist system. Going to be mapping the steering out tonight, I hope!

This year we will be in TN, AL, Marion, NC, possibly GA or KY. Should beat interesting season. I'm interested in how the truck will handle with 5:38 gears and ARBs front and rear. Oh and 35s on beadlocks! Can't wait to try out the improvements.

Got any updates?

I knew VX builds were going to get more interesting!! Is that a wide-track Wagoneer 44? Think you might have to go for cross-over steering? Keep the updates comin!

You are simply AWESOME!!! Holy FLYING VEHICROSS!!!

No recent pictures but I have the motor and trans out. I am working on getting the AR5 prepped for installation. I am building all aluminum rear links and steering links as well. It is going to be nice when I get it all together. Also working on installing the guessets on the rear axle to I can get that back in. Still lots of work to get done, so much so that I will not be ready for the first race. I will get some more pictures up soon. Especially when I get all these nice new parts installed.

As promised, solid aluminum lower links and steering links:

These things are seriously beefy and weigh about 3 times what my last set weighed....

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100b2860.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100b2870.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100b2880.jpg

Here are some more parts pictures.....

Custom motor mounts by a fellow racer who owns a fab shop. You send him the motor plates and your mounts and he transforms them into this....

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2881.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2882.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2882.jpg

Making the final "adjustments" to the front end. The core support will be removeable. The inner fenders have been removed to make room for the larger shocks and roll cage extension.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2885.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2886.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2887.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2888.jpg

Hey there Buffy....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buffy

Here are some more parts pictures.....

Custom motor mounts by a fellow racer who owns a fab shop. You send him the motor plates and your mounts and he transforms them into this....

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2881.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/9...e/100_2882.jpg

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....any chance he wants to make another set, assuming they'd fit a stock engine situation?

I've got one mount fubar'd...would be interested in a whole new set at the right price.

thanks

jo

His price is 175.00 for the pair I think that includes the shipping back to you. Your mounts would be returned looking like the picture. This is the second set he has made.

Nice progress. You should just put a 5.3l in since you've already got everything removed.

Any interest in building another set of links?

Ah, OK...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buffy

His price is 175.00 for the pair I think that includes the shipping back to you. Your mounts would be returned looking like the picture. This is the second set he has made.

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...cant be without my mounts as she's also my DD.

Thanks anyway Buffy.

jo

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hatfield

Nice progress. You should just put a 5.3l in since you've already got everything removed.

Any interest in building another set of links?

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I would love to upgrade to a 5.3 BUT that would put me up into a different class and I don't have the budget to run class B...... YEY.... :bgwb:

I can get you a price for some links for a stock application. Mine are a little longer than stock for obvious reasons. Plus I plan on centering the wheels in the wheel wells, if you notice the tires are a little further forward stock.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JoFotoz

Ah, OK...



...cant be without my mounts as she's also my DD.

Thanks anyway Buffy.

jo

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I have a spare set of mounts and plates that I can send off for you. She you get your new set installed just send me the ones you take off. Just an option. Maybe help me out with shipping my set to Andy.

Hi Buffy..

..PM'd ya!!

:thumbup:

Jo