Another LS1 build
 

Hi miataturbo. I've been a long time lurker/occasional poster. Ive never posted anything about my current build, but being the attention whore I am, why not now.

Ill start the story here, the car was a rods only build with a 2560r and every self made bolt-on part I could think of. The dyno runs put it a 285whp/285 torques with near instantaneous spool.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7633402781.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...50181f9bcc.jpg


Its was fun but it was time for more power. The original plan was the goto standard: EFR and a fully built engine. I spent time shopping around and got everything for the motor (pistons, valves, springs...) As I was shopping around for the oil pump and the turbo I slowly realized that the money I was spending could buy me a ls v8 drivetrain. So everything went up for sale and a month later I drove home with this:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8b8354fca3.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6b7c50ebde.jpg

It was an 04 GTO that was rear ended. 120k miles on it and a bunch of domestic rice mods. $3500 and a 300 mile drive into the Virginia mountains and it was mine. The car got stripped down and cleaned and all the standard v8 mods began. Since fabrication and welding is my thing, the plan was to build everything for the swap.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9af637fb0a.jpg

I based my subframe on the v8r subframe with some changes to make it a little simpler and in my eyes stronger. The subframe put the motor about .5" further back than the v8r kit and a little firewall clearence was in order. I decided to go a little different on the tranny mount. I went with the same approach that kmiata did with their tranny swap. The new crossmember lines up directly with the reinforcement channels inside the cab which hold the front of the seats. I figured that this is the stiffest part of the chassis in that area and bracing it across the tunnel would make things even better.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4e456c593c.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a69ddbea15.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8ab9cd8951.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...41939c3eec.jpg

I went with a holley oil pan. It needed a little bit of clearencing to fit a power steering rack in the location I wanted. This location put it about .5" above stock to help with bump steer at the ride height I am planning on:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...13993e051b.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d77a8d5547.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ef6bebacda.jpg

I decided to get creative with the radiator. I wasnt happy at how the available options either put it too close to the motor or dropped it so low that it was a speed bump detector.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...32406e7825.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e342659317.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...adacfd7cdf.jpg

And I made engine mount adapters. LS1 block to old chevy 350 bolt pattern mounts:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0745bed959.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1a385409fc.jpg

This is where the money began to flow like water.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...96f22607d0.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fe0eb9c102.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...67662965a6.jpg

I built a skidplate as a little bit of extra insurance for the oilpan:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...11e208ab02.jpg


The subframe got powdercoated and the front clip was done:
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c8de27e2a4.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...646e99f731.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b23de1c0f6.jpg

Then one day I was shooting the shit in te shop with a friend. We were talking moto bikes and moto bike suspension. He was holding a hayabusa shock I had laying around and for some reason said that this would be so cool:
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3260979e59.jpg

A light bulb went off and I had to have it.

A serious amount of measuring, design, and FEA analysis later I had this:
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5cc40f8cd0.jpg

The goal was stock like travel with a proper spring rate. The setup gave me a rising rate that went from ~550lb-in to about 700lb-in at the wheel and ~6.5" of travel at the wheel.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f2c5f289e6.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6bee7225a0.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f82669b583.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...48852ed331.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b4f650c2ed.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9ea7aae906.jpg

After a little powdercoat there it was:
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cac1116d9d.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...dab5f36aee.jpg

I knew there was going to be a little hood interference but wasnt sure until i got the hood back on. I needed a bigger holesaw:
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a16a9c4bb3.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d5e943fd29.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...849f5be896.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b1cf332abe.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7bf1c54c69.jpg

At this point I needed to make a pair of pushrods:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ba2aa4801e.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1ed6320573.jpg

I wanted to keep the valve cover mounted coils the LS1 had but the stock location was a no go with the suspension. I moved all the coils to the back of the covers:
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...41e67962f4.jpg

and added a little lipstick to the valve covers:
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ed4f8ded8a.jpg

The LS's tend to run pretty hot so cooling is very important. Im a big fan of plastic undertray under the motor for that reason and so it was time to get that solved. Im also a big fan of Cardboard Aided Design:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0bbf6a97ea.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e4188079b5.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...313a68ea42.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...32e812f7db.jpg

And time to transfer to aluminum:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7b26f067aa.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...abb83881fe.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a3d0042786.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fdc2f373a5.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c951e23d72.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...932038893b.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...50e80f6fa2.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e6a77b0b61.jpg

So this brings us to where Im at now. The car is spun around and Im working on the rear end. Im using a 3.23 cadillac getrag diff out of a srx. I decided that I wanted to build a rear subframe to match the front (the rear will also get a cantilever setup). The subframe is designed around the getrag diff and puts it as high as possible. I need as much clearence below because I want to do a single 4" exhaust. a single 4" has a cross sectional area only a little smaller than dual 3" but is way, waaay lighter.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a7626c4eaa.png

I build a Jig around the stock subframe both for assembly and to use for measurement:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e1a374451c.jpg

And this is where I am today. Making tabs and notching tubes:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a606c79c76.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...41d3ab87a0.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6b53946e9e.jpg


Sorry for the potato photos. I'm waiting for the galaxy 10 to upgrade.

Oh my.

Dayum this thread is awesome!!!

So did all of our facebook banter convince you to swap the qa1s for something deserved of this masterpiece?

"Since fabrication and welding is my thing"

No shit. That's some beautiful work.

Not yet. I'll see how they do. Internet hearsay is just that so I'll try them for myself. Afterall they are fairly cheap so no big loss. Plus qa1 now has these and a link and instructions on how to beg for sponsorship :)
https://www.qa1.net/suspension/street-performance-racing-shocks-struts-and-pro-coil-systems/custom-mount-shocks/mod-series-shocks

God damn. Subbing the shit out of this build thread.

Title should be Not Just another LS1 Build. I love how you just saw it and went for it lol.
Subbed.

This guys fab skills are incredible, really great work here.

Between ITOzann, shifti, hf-mx5t, and 4gordeev we've got some great out of the box build threads going on these days at MT.

Wow.

Yep, I need to go back to ground zero. Start all over.

Holy fuck! The craziest build I've seen in some time.. so glad I clicked on the thread!

Do you mind briefly explaining the cantilever suspension setup and what you believe it's benefits are in a miata application?

Mostly because no one else has it. This isn't a track car so I'm not concerned much with any cg effects. It does get me much better travel than traditional coilovers and a rising rate which I like but I'm not going to make any claims that it's better than a set of xidas or the like.

What in the fuck

Glad to see this finally get its own thread!

Stop that you.

I've been lazy. I've been sharing updates on instagram for a while.

The coolest thing since e-cool (TM).....subbed

woah, great appreciation for the oil pan mod welds.
Cast/sheet is fun, 15 deg tungsten grind?

I am nowhere near that scientific with my tungsten grinding plus something like this is at around 200 amps which balls up the tungsten right away. The trick with cast is to go slow and let the arc clean the metal.

Just another guy here who likes your Fbook stuff and will continue to follow the build here. Awesome work! Look forward to seeing the rear setup come together. Also incredibly jealous of finding a GTO for that cheap to start with.

The trick is to have a friend with a dealer license who is willing to big on salvage auctions.

I appriciate the kind words. The subframe is coming along very slowly. These two bars took me 6 hours yesterday!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c0f9a641a0.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0f4548d155.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...90d614c2c4.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b9758830ec.jpg

I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product on the rear subframe.

Any chance it'll make it to MATG 2019?

These subframes are giving me a chub.

Stock rear subframe is designed with the front and rear portion different heights, which is more complicated than if it was "square". I'm sure they had a reason but it was a surprise when I first found out.

Not sure what you mean by front and rear portion different heights. Do you mean the pivot axis of the top and bottom arms are not parallel forward and aft? If so that anti squat/anti dive geometry. I measured more or less zero of that on my 94 subframe. The front on the other hand had a ton, don't remember the number off the top of my head but something like 2 degrees.

Both subframes are getting built in a jig which was built around the stock subframes. I made sure they werent warped when I measured them. I built in a "0" reference into my jig and measured to every location a bolt goes through a hole on the subframe. This is all the mounting locations in 3d space:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a394151d82.png

If you built a jig based on the stock frame then it should be fine.

It was measurement from top to bottom at the front edge of the subframe was shorter than top to bottom at the rear edge of the subframe. It was discussed while I was at V8 roadsters looking at a rear tubular subframe sitting on the counter.

At least that's what I think I recall. It's been a couple of years. Ignore me while I have a second cup of coffee.

Having taken no measurements of anything on the rear subframe, but having owned a 400whp Miata, I can confirm that there is fuck-all for anti-squat geometry in the rear of a Miata. :party:

The NA and NB have relatively little anti-squat. Mazda wanted the big weight transfer- pitch and roll motions. What anti squat they do have, is dialed for 100 lbs of torque delivered through 185/60R14 300tw tires. So yeah, uncharted territory with LS torques.

Do you post any of this on Instagram, if so, what's the handle?

This is a work of art! I love what you're doing with the suspension.

Suspension setup is neato. I've driven a Miata with a cantilever rear and Busa shocks all around and loved it (Keisler's car). He always wanted to do something similar in the front but never got around to it.

@chathamcnc

That's a good person to be compared to. That guy makes art.

coming from designing off road truck suspension, I never thought MiataTurbo would be talking about anit-squat.

Subframe is more or less done. I still need to make a bolt on crossmember in front of the front lower tabs. I'll make that when I start on the exhaust as it will probably interfear. I might also add a jacking point in the very back so I can lift the rear end cleanly in one shot.

The thing was a real pain in the ass to make. I was careful. I used a jig. I had almost no gaps and good fitup. It still walked after welding. Usually it wouldn't bother me but 0.1" is a big deal on suspension stuff. I had to spend an ungodly amount of time asjusting and rewelding. Big big pain in the ass but all the arm points are within .020" and it mounts to the the car square and level. It'll do.

Overall I'm very happy with it. It's 43lb even compared to 42lb for the stock subframe. Considering that to run the getrag diff with the stock subframe you need to add the v8r kit (which has a listed shipping weight of 20lb) I finished well ahead in weight.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3a77850810.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...98772baf75.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a7f4731bad.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f2af1de3e9.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a1f02403b3.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...416d0d43df.jpg

That is incredible. What does it weigh (rear subframe)?

:D

I gotta stop just looking at pretty pictures on the internet. Wait, that's all the internet is really for right?

I thought it was for pron

You are so behind the times. Now it is for colluding with Russian pron makers.

About to mark this thread NSFW. God damn that is some beautiful work.

I was born Russian so youre both not wrong.

Progress has been slow. Machining work, day job, and travels have been keeping me away from the miata. I have finally had time to get a move on the exhaust. The plan is pretty simple. The long tubes dump as dual 3". The idea is to join them into a single 4" which has a slightly smaller area but still plenty (600hp unrestricted flow) for my needs. This single 4 saves me a whole run of tube, a set of resonators and a muffler. Back of the napkin says ~20lb savings. Does 20lb matter on my build? No, but 4" exhaust makes me pretty happy. I started building it working from the hardest point (subframe) going out from there. I decided that to avoid things from clunking about, the exhaust would be attached via 4" grommets at the subframe. This should prevent it from wagging its tail but still be somewhat OK with NVH. Bellows flex couplings to be installed before and after that "hard" mount to provide some give. Bends needed to be fairly tight; ~3" clr; so pie cuts it was.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6fdd1470db.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2a53df9d02.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c0dd88661c.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9a1ce53687.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...30fe47ff44.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fbc64fa539.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f901b0abf0.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...280a6c23d7.jpg

wow. That came out a lot nicer than mine. lol

Finished up the subframe back exhaust. Now that its donem I can add a jackpoint to the subframe and brake line mounts and the subframe is off to powdercoat. An aside, the last photo is why stainless on stainless hardware is a horrible idea. Minimal torque and the nut completely galled up.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...36c00d5712.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bd7fce0d7c.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d4ac6737de.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a741952150.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0380aef54d.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e17ecc5dc9.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8954833ff0.jpg

My god, this is so tits!

Cats! SO many cats for you!

Wow. Absolutely beautiful. Please don't paint it. Clear coat the subframe and call it a day.

The exhaust is 304 stainless and will stay as is. As for the subframe, its 4130 which rusts like no other. Clear coat by itself won't cut it if I actually drive the car. Itll get powder coated red ro match the front subframe.

Killer job on the exhaust man. Keep up the great work.

The sex is too much. I give up.

Why no updates? I hope you were busy putting it together :D.