High Performance Academy

Tuned In Podcast 114: Project Binky — Stuffing a GT-Four Driveline Into a Classic Mini. If you’ve spent any time on YouTube, you’re probably already aware of this episode’s guest and the various projects his channel is involved in — most famously “Project Binky”, a classic Mini running a Toyota Celica GT-Four engine and AWD driveline. Richard Brunning from @BadObsessionMotorsport joins us to down a few cups of tea, talk motorsport, and run through the ins and outs of neverending project cars, the business of operating a popular automotive YouTube channel, and much more. Listen here: https://youtu.be/y_2gmjxCFt0 Richard, like many guests of this podcast, has his father to blame for his motorsport obsession. Some of his earliest memories involve hanging out in old sheds while his Dad restored vintage vehicles, tickling up RC cars to get the edge in racing, and days spent on the couch watching Formula This early focus on all things automotive drove Richard towards a life that revolved around motorsport, first starting out in kart racing, before moving on to Caterhams, formula cars, and even some Formula Mazda racing in the States. In this episode, Richard spends time talking us through these different forms of motorsport, and discusses how each type of vehicle could be set up, tweaked, and modified within the rules in order to gain more speed. Eventually, Richard’s good friend and eventual partner in crime, Nik Blackhurst, enticed Richard back to the UK to help him go rallying, and it was at this point, way back in 1992, that Bad Obsession Motorsport began. Fast forward a good few years, and Richard and Nick were fed up with the car modification TV shows like Pimp My Ride, Monster Garage, and their contemporaries that were on offer at the time — none of them actually showed why and how any of the work was done. This got the pair thinking that they might be able to do better, and with that goal in mind, the Bad Obsession Motorsport YouTube channel was founded. It took a couple of years, but Richard and Nick’s channel began picking up steam, not in small part thanks to “Project Binki”, a Toyota Celica GT-4 powered and driven classic Mini. Richard dives deep into this build, answering our burning questions — chiefly ‘Why’? But also “What’s taking so long”? This in-depth discussion around the challenges of fitting so much engine and driveline into such a small package is a great look into what it takes to complete a complicated project to a high standard. Lastly, we also spare some time time to touch on the joys of motorsport wiring, ultra-budget racing in the City Car Cup, and making a living out of building cars on YouTube. Follow Bad Obsession Motorsport here: IG: @badobsessionmsp FB: Bad Obsession Motorsport YT: Bad Obsession Motorsport WWW: HTTP://badobsessionmotorsport.co.uk/ ----------------------------------------------- Don’t forget, you can use “BAD100” to get $100 OFF our HPA Motorsport Fabrication Package: https://hpcdmy.co/fabpackageb ----------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 4:04 How did you develop an interest in cars? 7:00 Did you learn anything from racing RC cars that could transfer to driving a go-kart? 8:10 How was your experience driving karts? 17:46 What is it about karts that makes it such a good learning platform for racing? 22:53 What is a cost-effective way to get into racing? 25:26 What other motorsports have you been involved in? 32:49 Transition from racing to Bad Obsession Motorsport 36:23 Automotive skill set before starting Bad Obsession Motorsport? 40:20 What were you thinking when you decided to start a YouTube channel? 43:32 When did you start to think this YouTube thing could really go somewhere? 50:21 What services do you offer? 55:06 What is Project Binky and how did it start? 1:00:05 What have been the biggest challenges 1:09:28 Why has Project Binky taken so long? 1:18:42 Would you have 3D-modelled the car if the technology had been available at the start of the project? 1:24:40 Why isn’t Project Binky finished? 1:34:32 Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? 1:37:39 What’s project Binky going to be used for when it is finished? 1:39:09 What is Bargain Racement? 1:45:59 How much does it cost to go racing? 1:59:10 Final 3 questions #badobsessionmotorsport #projectbinky #classicmini #celica #highperformanceacademy #buildtunedrive #learndriveoptimise #learntotune #enginebuilding101 #dontletthesmokeout #wiring101 #datanerd #racecraft #cars #motorsport #racing #boost #3sgte

Tuned In Podcast 113: A “Mil-Spec” Wiring Harness is Total Overkill for Most People. Looking to up your game with a super-informative masterclass on professional-level motorsport wiring? This episode of Tuned In featuring Erik Reinertsen of Hardwired Performance is exactly what you're after. Listen here: https://youtu.be/H4bSZqQhm9I Erik specialises in building top-level motorsport wiring harnesses, choosing to focus primarily on the demanding offroad racing market — but wiring wasn’t always on the cards for this Californian. Despite growing up around hotrods and motorsport with a father who built cars for a living, he was actively discouraged in following his Dad’s footsteps, instead being pushed towards a more conventional career. The problem was, you can’t really expect your kid to not become a diehard car guy when he spends all his time messing around in your shop full of cool builds and weekend after weekend at the track. So, straight after school, Erik walked into an apprenticeship at a hotrod shop and began building his skills in fabrication, engine building, and nearly everything else in the car building world — but it was wiring that he excelled at. Many years later, Erik is a self-taught maestro building ultra-high-end motorsport looms for some of the most impressive race cars and trucks out there. In this episode, we dig deep into Erik’s huge bank of knowledge and experience, discussing a big range of wiring-related topics — from the art of concentric twisting, autosport connectors, which tools are worth the investment, the correct gauge of wire to use for different applications, and a whole lot more. Erik also weighs in on the myth of “Milspec”, discusses the many cases in which a pro motorsport wiring harness is complete overkill, and the lessons learned from running his own wiring business — particularly when it comes to the challenge of accurately quoting work and turning down jobs that you know just aren’t right for you. Vicious Mustang: https://www.instagram.com/viciousstang ----------------------------------------------- Don’t forget, you can use “HWP50” to get $50 OFF our HPA Motorsport Wiring Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/wiringstarterb ----------------------------------------------- #wiringgangster #hardwiredperformance #highperformanceacademy #buildtunedrive #learndriveoptimise #dontletthesmokeout #wiring101 #datanerd #racecraft #cars #motorsport #racing #boost #ultra4 #trophytruck

Set wastegate duty cycle table with sufficient RPM zones.

Confirming the base boost level of the wastegate.

Performing a full power run on the dyno and logging the results.

Setting the wastegate duty cycle table to zero.

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Tuned In Podcast 111: Building a BIG-POWER LS That Actually Lasts. #chevls #chevy #lsx #highperformanceacademy #buildtunedrive #learndriveoptimise #motorsport #learntotune #enginebuilding101 #dontletthesmokeout #wiring101 #dieseltuning #datanerd #gofasterwithdata #racecraft #auto #carmods #automotive #motorsports #racing #dragracing #endurance #circuitracing #roadracing #boost #rootsblower #drifting #s13

Tuned In Podcast 110: He Wasn’t Impressed With The Engines On Offer, So He Built His Own. Simon Longdill wasn’t impressed with the engines available to him in his class of racing, so he built his own. On this episode of Tuned In, we catch up with the man behind Synergy’s small-capacity, ultra-high revving, 400+hp V8s to talk through the ins and outs of these screaming motors and much, much more. Listen here: https://youtu.be/evPS8w3l5Po While “building your own engine” in the literal sense might sound like a more-than-daunting task for most, with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, this was something that Simon Longdill was more than capable of. Limited to 2.4 litres in his Speedway midget class, Simon hatched an idea that would go on to become a full-time business. Using two sets of 1200cc Kawasaki ZX12R cylinder heads and barrels, Simon got to work creating a vicious 2.4-litre V8 that would go on to crush the competition on its debut in New Zealand, before doing the same in Australia, then doing so well in the US that the rule book was changed and Simon and his team were never invited again. These days, you can find Synergy V8s of differing capacities and power levels motivating all manner of race (and a few street) cars across the globe. In this conversation, we get down into the weeds of this fascinating engine’s story, answering all the big questions around the 11,000 RPM screamer’s inner workings and development journey. Simon didn’t just stop at the first iteration either — these motors have been continuously developed over the last decade as the tech has improved, new lessons are learnt, and big improvements are made. With some fascinating looks into Simon’s side projects that include a 400hp BMW 1000RR two-litre V8 built for Bonneville, an 800hp twin-turbo Synergy V8 for Pikes Peak, hydrogen power systems, and plenty more, this is a tech-heavy episode that’s going to please anyone with an interest in serious automotive engineering. Follow Simon here: HTTP://www.prototipo.co.nz/ , HTTP://www.synergypower.co.nz/ ------------------------------------------ You can use“SYNERGY50” to get $50 OFF our HPA Engine Building Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/enginepackageb ------------------------------------------ Timestamps: 4:27 How did you develop an interest in cars and engineering? 7:24 Where did you see your studies taking you? 8:40 Tertiary education continued 13:20 Does EGT form a big part of two-stroke tuning? 16:39 Is the two-stroke dead? 20:29 How did you go from a two-stroke Ph.D. to owning your own business? 23:05 What does the term BMEP mean? 24:15 How can we make a high performance 2.4L engine 30:54 Is it as simple as a larger bore and shorter stroke equals more efficiency? 32:37 What additional parts were designed to merge the two 1200cc engines? 34:31 What software are you using to model the engine? 35:59 What was the most challenging part of this project? 40:19 How did the engine perform once you got it running? 45:49 Overview of Prototipo 46:16 Working on amphibious vehicles 48:18 Trip to the Chilli Bowl 55:53 Synergy V8 GT86 package 1:02:49 Unequal trumpet lengths 1:08:30 Developments from gen 1 synergy engine? 1:17:08 Direct injection in sports bike engines 1:21:13 Were you tuning the engine differently for land speed records? 1:23:49 2.3L turbocharged V8 1:25:35 Rod to stroke ratio 1:30:24 Hydrogen fuel Pros & Cons 1:37:18 Developing your own dyno #synergyengine #synergypower #prototipo #speedway #highperformanceacademy #buildtunedrive #learndriveoptimise #motorsport #learntotune #enginebuilding101 #gofasterwithdata #racecraft #auto #carmods #automotive #motorsports #racing #dragracing #endurance #circuitracing #roadracing #boost #kawasaki #zx12r #bmw1000rr #speedwaymidget

Tuned In Podcast 109: Is Ford's Coyote Better Than GM's LS? The Snot Rocket is here! This week on Tuned In, we welcome @brett_lasala , the owner, builder, and driver of 2024’s Sick Week-winning Mustang, Snot Rocket. In this episode, we find out what it takes to secure the outright win at a drive-and-drag competition like Sick Week, how he’s extracted over 3000hp from his Coyote V8, why he prefers Ford machinery, and a whole lot more. Listen here: https://youtu.be/g52fe57bQgE Ever since trading an old washing machine for his first car as a teenager, Brett Lasala has been obsessed with making vehicles go faster. This led to a lifelong career in the automotive industry, first learning the ropes through local shops, then becoming an accomplished Mercedes Benz tech specialising in AMG products, to then moving full time into the aftermarket space working with legendary companies like Real Street. Over that time, Brett has absorbed the knowledge of everyone around him, and is now in a position where he’s able to perform much of the work himself — although with that said, the level of success this car has seen is only possible thanks to the wealth of talent found in the other members of the team. In this conversation, we first discuss drive and drag events like Sick Week, and the unique challenges in tuning, engine building, and setup that a brutal day-after-day race and road trip presents. Competing is one thing — but winning outright is a whole different ball game entirely. This brings us to Brett’s well-known ‘Snot Rocket’ bright green Ford Mustang. We dive deep into the build, discussing its beginnings all the way through to its current state as a consistent low six-second pass twin-turbo monster. Powered by Ford’s Coyote motor, the Snot Rocket has allowed Brett to really get to know everything there is to know about the 5.0-litre DOHC V8. In this conversation, Brett is kind enough to share some of that knowledge with us, discussing the motor’s strengths and weaknesses, how to get good results from them, and if they’re actually better than GM’s ubiquitous rival motor, the LS. With conversations around engine and transmission tuning strategies, CO2-regulated boost control, and much more, this episode is jam-packed with quality information! ---------------------------------------------------- Use “BRETT50” to get 50% OFF our HPA Practical Engine Building Course: https://hpcdmy.co/practicalengineb ---------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: 4:44 How did you develop an interest in cars? 9:00 Where did the passion for drag racing come from? 10:26 Have you got any formal qualifications? 13:03 Spinning spanners on modern vehicles? 15:02 Fabrication skills? 18:21 What was your position at Real Street? 22:05 What is a Drag and Drive event? 26:15 Overview of original car 29:15 Why did you start from fresh rather than further modifying the original car? 32:15 Why turbos over supercharger? 33:34 Coyote vs LS3? Pros and cons. 34:36 What have you done to the Coyote engine? 47:59 What’s your head gasket sealing solution? 56:25 Do you think you’ll need to move to a billet block? 1:00:01 What is the electronics package in the car? 1:08:22 What is DA in Drag Racing? 1:11:03 How does your wheelie detection work? 1:18:06 How has moving up turbo sizes affected drivability? 1:22:25 Are you using traction control? 1:27:43 Transmission 1:32:20 How much faster would the car be if it was a dedicated drag car? 1:36:35 Final 3 questions #snotrocket #ford #fordmustang #fordcoyote #highperformanceacademy #buildtunedrive #learndriveoptimise #motorsport #learntotune #enginebuilding101 #gofasterwithdata #racecraft #auto #carmods #automotive #motorsports #racing #dragracing #twinturbo #sickweek2024 #sickweek #boost

Tuned In Podcast 108: The Gap Between Reflashing and Standalone is Only Getting Smaller! As cars become more and more complex and ECU reflashing technology becomes more advanced, the gap between sticking with a vehicle’s factory computer and going to an aftermarket standalone only gets narrower and a little less clear. On this episode of Tuned In, we dive into this topic, along with many others, with @PCMTECTuning 's Roland Harrison. Listen here: https://youtu.be/JJPFvC-N7ZA As a co-owner and founder of PCMTec, Roland is extremely well versed in the world of reflashing, with the company traditionally focusing its efforts on the Australian market Ford Falcon platforms, which of course includes the famous four-litre Barra straight six. Recently though, PCMTec has been moving into the more global Ford market, offering advanced tuning options for Mustang, F150, and Explorer models. It wasn’t always all about cars for Roland though, having spent a good majority of his working life in the oil and gas industry, calibrating and maintaining massive industrial engines and electrical systems. After learning all he could from the business, Roland, along with a business partner, decided to turn his hobby of messing around with reflashing into a business and full-time career. Roland takes us through the whats, whys, and hows of making this transition — even spending some time discussing some of the more surprisingly interesting aspects of his work in oil and gas. With that said, the real meat and potatoes of this conversation come when Roland and host Andre Simon move into the world of reflashing, discussing all aspects of this sometimes very complicated field. There’s a lot to learn here as Roland breaks down the process of creating a reflash solution for Ford’s sometimes extremely complex ECUs, as well as how they’ve added an impressive array of custom functionality to these computers, and more. You’ll also find a great discussion around one of the main differences between most reflash options and standalone ECUs — live tuning, as well as map switching on the fly and plenty more. PCMTech is currently offering solid discounts off its US DIY and Workshop Editor editions, and the deep dive development blog mentioned in this episode can be found here. You can use “PCMTEC50” to get 50% OFF our HPA Practical Reflash Course: https://hpcdmy.co/reflashb

Tuned In Podcast 108: Twin-Charging — Good Idea or Unnecessary Complication? Anyone with even a passing interest in Time Attack has likely heard of @Norrisdesigns , a UK-based tuning company probably best known for its insane north-south oriented, twin-charged, short-wheel base Evo IX time attack monster. On this episode of Tuned In, we sit down with founder Simon Norris to get some insight into this brain-melting build, plus much, much more. Listen here: https://youtu.be/_YGyjTuIduA Like many of us, Simon Norris began his love affair with cars and motors early in life, pulling apart engines on the kitchen table as a child. While there was a slight detour after leaving school to study engineering, it wasn’t long before Simon spied a new opportunity in the burgeoning JDM aftermarket tuning scene just as he was cutting his teeth working in a Nissan dealership in the mid-nineties. So, after seeing how others were starting to mess with tuning ECUs, Simon decided he could do better, and promptly opened Norris Designs way back in 1998. Nearly three decades later, Norris Designs is one of the biggest names in the UK tuning scene. In this conversation, we first kick into the business side of Simon’s life, finding some great insight into what works and what doesn’t when it comes to building a company in the motorsport industry. We next get into tuning in general, where Simon discusses different ECU options, dyno styles, and the many factors that can cause discrepancies between individual dyno runs. From there it’s on to the real meat and potatoes of this episode — Simon’s incredible Mitsubishi Evo IX. With its north-south-orientated billet supercharged AND turbocharged 4G63, the AWD Evo is an engineering masterpiece that absolutely tears up any race circuit it’s unleashed upon. Simon does his best to answer the many questions we have about this car in an attempt to get to the bottom of what makes this shortened and roof-chopped weapon tick, and why Simon made the choices he has with this build. Even if Time Attack cars and Mitsubishis aren’t your thing, this episode drops some great knowledge and is well worth a listen regardless of your chosen motorsport or what type of car you’re into. Follow Norris Designs here: IG: @norris_designs FB: Norris Designs YT: Norrisdesigns WWW: www.norrisdesigns.com Use “NORRIS100” to get $100 off our HPA Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/starterb #norrisdesigns #evo #4g63 #evoix #twincharging #highperformanceacademy #buildtunedrive #learndriveoptimise #motorsport #learntotune #enginebuilding101 #racecraft #auto #carmods #automotive #motorsports #racing #dragracing #endurance #circuitracing #roadracing #boost

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