COMING: The Rally Beast

[Joe_Black]

The Asian rally teams managed to do it and I'll be takin' pictures and postin' news as we do it.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

Hey Joe,

I caught a glimpse of this little beastie on the Science Channel when they were discussing radical automobiles in history:

[Joe_Black]

Ah, the Lancia Stratos! In a previous life I was a FIAT/Lancia freak. Okay, I still am. Especially since I've still got three twin-cam engines and a handful of 5-speed trannies around the shop. LOL!

This is by far my most favorite Lancia...

[Hotsauce]

T25 will give instant response, and good boost up to about 12-14 psi, then you will run off the map and make just heat. You will probably get away with 550cc injectors at that level.

If you want to run high boost(25-30) you are going to need a bigger turbo, like a 16g or 20g, but I doubt our block will take it.

Are you allowed to mount the radiator where the rear seat was, and duct the heat out the back? It would simplify the intercooler install, and make the radiator invoulnerable to rocks.

John C.

[Joe_Black]

Yeah, we're not planning on big boost. Since we're going with a one-piece tilt nose the radiator will pretty much be in the OEM location. There's little likelyhood of anything whacking the radiator unless it's enough to stop the VX altogether.

The intercooler will be horizontally mounted over the engine, like in a Subaru. That will allow for very short runs from both turbos (dual inlet) and and to the throttle body. Simple, simple, simple!

Going with the one-piece front end opens up the engine bay considerably as all body structure ahead of the firewall will be completely eliminated. We're hoping to shed nearly 1000 lbs. of the stock curb weight and distribute the remaining mass more evenly.

[TEN36VX]

One piece front end... How's that?

[Joe_Black]

One piece front end... How's that?

We're going to pull a mold from the IronMan's front end to create a FRP tilt-forward nose. Basically, the whole front end ahead of the windshield and doors. It will tilt forward using hinges mounted at the front of the frame rails that have quick-pins so the whole nose could be removed in an instant.

Here's a similar tilt nose...