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Gilbs' custom VS

GTP 85

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Looks like you've put a bit of time and effort into this car! I'm curious, what made you build a ecotec and stay N/A?

217rwkw is a very respectable output for a 3.8L ecotec,to put it in perspective at 8psi my 3L supra made 212rwkw, I would have thought it'd have a hard time breathing over 200rwkw n/a,

You don't have the 60' times from heathcote do you?

It's had a lot of development over the last 7 or more years. People would give me the "why bother with a six? Get a v8" line all the time. So i bought a v8 daily (used to be a VN 5L, now VR SS). Still to this day i get more satisfaction from modifying the v6! I much prefer the challenge of making somthing slow go quick.

I dont think i kept my heathcote time slips. over the last 3 trips there ive done almost 100 passes, so i threw a lot of the slips out. Will have to search for it. Might still be hiding in the car.
 

GTP 85

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Nice car mate :)

A lot of work done to the 6.

Its not running a shot of NOS is it ?

Thanks. No NOS, no forced induction.. just pure v6 grunt lol. New dual plenum manifold is in the making. so more efficiency and more power on the way. I just want to see how far i can push 3.8 naturally aspirated. I've got a spare low km ecotec and manual in the shed that i mite put into a VP and go turbo on that
 

PaRaDoX

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It's had a lot of development over the last 7 or more years. People would give me the "why bother with a six? Get a v8" line all the time. So i bought a v8 daily (used to be a VN 5L, now VR SS). Still to this day i get more satisfaction from modifying the v6! I much prefer the challenge of making somthing slow go quick.

I dont think i kept my heathcote time slips. over the last 3 trips there ive done almost 100 passes, so i threw a lot of the slips out. Will have to search for it. Might still be hiding in the car.

There is quite alot that can be done to squeaze power out of them as most people know the heads are the most restrictive part. I guess the reason people go for the 8s is because power is easier had. Eventually you'll hit the limit of HP per CID. Either way it makes more power than my 5L ever did and my L67 VT

I had to same thing when i built my 7mgte, everyone goes 1JZ/2JZ and i wanted something different, makes over 300rwkw+ on several dyno's :)
 
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New dual plenum manifold is in the making. so more efficiency and more power on the way. I just want to see how far i can push 3.8 naturally aspirated.

Interesting thread and nice car.

I built a NA 3.8 for my Ute end of last year and am about to convert it to manual.
Soon I'm going to make a twin throttlebody manifold of some description similar to the VL-VN Group A and fit a slightly more aggressive cam.

How's the new manifold coming along?
 
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GTP 85

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Interesting thread and nice car.

I built a NA 3.8 for my Ute end of last year and am about to convert it to manual.
I'm also going to fit a slightly more aggressive cam and make a twin throttlebody manifold of some description.

How's the new manifold coming along?

So far just planning a few things out with the tuner. Deciding whether to cut the LIM runners rught down to the base plate, and work from there... or to start from where the plenum bolts up to the LIM, and go from there. Will most probably be the latter so that everything is removable and able to be returned to stock plenum if need be.

Also discussing with another contact whether to go stainless pipes or ally. I like the idea of stainless... would look tough as
 

VS_Pete

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Some very nice work mate. I like the idea of stainless too.
 

GTP 85

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234 hp was with totally stock internals (apart from big cam) with 163 xxxkms. I reckon the very last tune up on the stock engine with cam PLUS a bigger exhaust made 250hp at the wheels, but i cant find that dyno graph amongst all my piles of graphs
 

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Hey mate, what were the biggest things for power gain in your car?
I'm hoping to get a pretty quick N/A Ecotec, would be happy with low 14's but would like to break 13.
Got a few mods on there atm, just wondering what some recommendations are?
I prefer my low end power too if it helpos
 

GTP 85

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Thats pretty hard to answer specifically... The power jumped substantially with the extra compression and ported heads. There's also been over 20 hours on the dyno testing and tweaking the tune up to get THE very best from the combo.

to make a quick car its a combination of many things... its not necessarily power as you should know.

Before i went totally extreme with this car, i did basic mods that were very effective. CAI, Extractors, twin cats and free flowing exhaust. shiftkit, 3.9's LSD, 1.8 rockers. It was a demon on the street and the 5L's were a pushover. With these mods you should be in the high 14's at minimum.... 14.7-14.9

Then i wanted to go faster and make more grunt, so roll on stage II. ground up engine build, purpose built cam, all new valve train etc etc. I'd say that most of the time on the engine was spent on porting the intake and exhaust tracts. There's still more power to be had out of this combo, but im saving for my house.

Preserving low down urge is a tough one.... as most engine mods on v6's are most effective at mid to top end. IMO the v6 is the best down low when they are bone stock! You can get cam grinds that are suited to low end? sticking to a single 2.25 exhaust will keep it 'pokey' around town. definitely fit a shiftkit. with 3.9s and LSD in it too it'll be a snappy street car.

Hope that helps :)
 
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