The Garagenous Zone

[keperkey]

I love the SL-C. End of the year for me - I hope.

Are you doing a build thread anywhere?

 

[Vernmotor]

All yea thats so dirty LOL

 

[FranktheTank]

Lovely, thanks for sharing!

 

[e-tek]

Wow! Fantastic! My favorite!

Could you do us droolers a huge favor and detail the contents of your drawers? (The Lista ones, that is.... )

While I'd love to see pics of each and every drawer's contents (to see how you laid things out in the foam), I realize that's insane, but it would be great to know basically what the labels are on each drawer, for instance, one 2" drawer of pliers, two 3" drawers of sockets, etc. Obviously your toolbox is well-proportioned, and the distribution of drawer space to various tools, and how you are organizing them is very interesting and educational!

Anyway, kudos, and thanks!

^^^You really need to get your OWN life!

Kidding of course - very nice space you have there. Well appointed too!

I wish I had time to cut foam and make wrench caddies - I just throw everything on top of eachother, 'cause when I get shop-time I'm working on my cars! Maybe when I'm older....

 

[mrb]

wow, that garage is incredible. I like the commercial kitchen sink -great idea.

you need one or more of these in there -in the garage, not the sink

 

[bmwpower]

Holy smokes....an SL-C?!?

 

[a3tripod]

Why does that SL-C remind me soo much of an Ultima?

Ultima:

 

[JMURiz]

Saw some pics of the Ultima chassis at the Barret Jackson auction, the SL-C is head-and-shoulders above in terms of technology....same basic idea though, light-weight mid-engined chassis that you can shove a huge motor in.

 

[keperkey]

In terms of styling the SL-C is head and shoulders beyond the GTR. The GTR is due for an update.

The only advantage I see in the GTR is years of development through the many builders. It will take the SL-C a little while to catch up, but once it does - hang on.

 

[BoostAddiction]

In terms of styling the SL-C is head and shoulders beyond the GTR. The GTR is due for an update.

The only advantage I see in the GTR is years of development through the many builders. It will take the SL-C a little while to catch up, but once it does - hang on.

I see the SL-C as a kind of Ultima GTR Mk2, which is a compliment.

The SL-C has a far more sophisticated chassis (as Nathan and others noted), much better suspension, and is probably stiffer. It also looks better from every angle, at least to most eyes.

On the other hand, there has been a lot of development of the Ultima. But it's getting long in the tooth, and it shows, everywhere.

My SL-C will be as developed as I can make it, so it won't be one of the first builds on the street. But I think it will be pretty good when it's done.

We'll see. But in the meantime, you know where I'll be!

 

[bmwpower]

What made you go with that engine? Gonna be stock or $$$? HP?
I could really get into something like that. Would have to see if I could wedge a german powerplant in there though.

How hard has the build been to date? How much more do you have to go?

Is this going to be strictly a street car for you?

 

[a3tripod]

Sorry...didn't mean to hijack the thread. It's hard not to talk shop =D

 

[BoostAddiction]

What made you go with that engine? Gonna be stock or $$$? HP?
I could really get into something like that. Would have to see if I could wedge a german powerplant in there though.

How hard has the build been to date? How much more do you have to go?

Is this going to be strictly a street car for you?

I wanted to use a Cayenne TT, or a BMW V10 or an Audi S4 V8 or similar powerplant. I love German cars and have 3 of them right now. But every time I did the numbers, they just didn't add up. The LS7 has a conservative 500 HP out of the box, and with just a cam kit and decent exhaust it can easily put out 600+ HP. What was worse, is the weight problem. THe LS7 engine, out of the crate, weighs less than 370 lbs-- the others are as much as 2-300 lbs heavier, so there is a tremendous amount of power they have to put out to just get even from the HP/Lb perspective, and of course you still have to lug that heavy lump through the turns.

So the LS series engines, as "dumb" as they might appear, just seemed to be the clear value winner. The LS7 may not have as much bling factor as the others, but "bling don't impress the timers".

Finally, performance aside, they are pretty cheap, when you compare new-to-new. You could buy crate LS7s all day for under $13K when I bought mine. You don't want to know what a crate Cayanne TT engine costs.

It will be stock for phase 1, then we'll see whether I need more. Remember though, as it sits it will have a power-to-weight ratio better than the current GrandAm prototype cars. Not too shabby for a street car.

As far as the car is concerned, it really is a great kit, though clearly not as mature as the Ultima. There are still plenty of opportunities to develop the car, including the expected lthings ike hinges and interior details (though the SL-C interior looks far better than the GTR will ever look, based on the many Ultimas I've seen).

I'm still in the early days with the car, trying to work out issues of engine front dress, plumbing, etc. It should be a 2 year project, longer if things like the AC turn out to take longer to develop than I plan for now.

The plan is strictly street duty with an occasional track day a possibility. It's too expensive (in terms of money and time) for me to use it as a race car- I just couldn't afford to ball it up, which is how you have to approach real race cars.

 

[wagonmaster]

I have the more mundane LQ4 6.0 version of the LS motor sometimes found in SUV's and trucks, in my 1939 Chevrolet, with the computer and matching 4L80E transmission. With a very slight computer tweak and headers with a decent air intake it makes well over 400 horsepower and gets 25 MPG! With similar camshaft changes and the LS6-7 cylinder heads it's 500-550 hp torque monster! These engines are the deal of the century right now!!

 

[voetsek]

I've been looking for a commercial sink without backsplash, but I have been unable to find one. I found a bunch of regular kitchen type sinks, but they're not really what I'm looking for.
Thanks,
Eric

For those cheapskates like me out there:

Restaurant Auctions are a great place to pick these up. That and stainless steel tables for workbenches also. They can usually be had pretty cheap.

-Richard

 

[cyclopsblown34]

For those cheapskates like me out there:

Restaurant Auctions are a great place to pick these up. That and stainless steel tables for workbenches also. They can usually be had pretty cheap.

-Richard

You're not a cheapskate, you're frugal. I'm economically challenged so I have to scrounge most everything.

 

[GregJW]

Part of cleanup is access to a ready supply of towels. I had a nice pull-down dispenser but didn't like any obvious mounting solutions- it always seemed in the way. So my crew chief and I had the idea of just installing the pull-though part of the dispenser right IN the overhead cabinet. Works fine, looks trick. The Mustang magnet with a line through it is from my days when I had a GMC Typhoon.
Apologies in advance for the blurry pic....

[/IMG]

Haha I remember the mustang buster magnets! Back in the early ISTA days!

 

[BoostAddiction]

Wow- that's a blast from the past. I was just looking over some of my old pics and found a cache I shot of the Typhoon just before I sold it. Note the ISTA sticker on the rear window...



And a pic from the front:

 

[R1chy]

BoostA - Any updates on the latest project?

R1chy

 

[BoostAddiction]

BoostA - Any updates on the latest project?

R1chy

I figured out the AC, mounted the new, smaller evap in a new place in the chassis, and am trying to finish up the headlight mounting bracketry. So far, I'm on Ver 3 of the headlights. The last attempt, painstakingly crafted from thin 304SS, twisted like a pretzel when I welded small SS nuts to it. I knew better- but thought I could control the heat better using low heat on the torch. Back to the drawing board on that.

Next up is finalizing the new wiper setup. I have to make brackets to hold it as well, and haven't really figured that out just yet. I've already taken the wiper motor I sourced apart to modify the swash plate so I had just the right amount of sweep. That part only took two attempts to get a perfect 94 degree sweep.

It's taking more time than I expected, but then I'm doing lots of stuff my way (as opposed to the sensible, easy, simple, cheap, etc way that the car was designed to be put together). But that's just how I roll!

Thanks for asking!

-Will

 

[GregJW]

Wow- that's a blast from the past. I was just looking over some of my old pics and found a cache I shot of the Typhoon just before I sold it. Note the ISTA sticker on the rear window...

And a pic from the front:

I see Guy's RR sticker back there too. I remember going to gatherings from the mailing list back in those days. Actually, the first GLG was at my house. Lol

 

[BoostAddiction]

I see Guy's RR sticker back there too. I remember going to gatherings from the mailing list back in those days. Actually, the first GLG was at my house. Lol

I went to the SyTy nats a couple of times, and enjoyed it. Were you there in 99 and 2000?

And I spent a little time and a lot of money at RR with Guy. He treated me well, and did most of the go-fast stuff on the car. Mine had the usual mods: bigger turbo, KB exhaust, upgraded IC and pump, multi-program chip, etc.

The truck surprised a couple of Corvettes, and after a while, none of the Mustangs wanted to go from a dig. Don't know why, though..

 

[marty_p]

RE:

Excuse me while I bow, and then faint...

Love the name!

 

[abstamaria]

Now, that is a very nice garage, BoostAddiction. And a very clean floor, too! I will read your thread carefully tonight. Andres

 

[walker450]

I just read through this thread... Wow! Thanks for sharing everything!

How it the car build coming along?

 

[Linda@Lista]

Because I live in an area with cold winters and hot summers, I wanted a way to control temps.

The garage is heavily insulated (even the Wayne-Dalton doors have foam insulation and anti-leak contruction); I calculated that a 2-ton unit would cool the garage adequately. I chose the most efficient mini split unit I could find. From Daikin, it installed very nicely, and is extremely quiet.

I also wanted to be able to move tools to the car when needed, so the center (of five) Lista cabinets on the window side is on locking casters. It moves around very easily and is a pleasure to work on.

There is much more, but three pages should get the point across!

-Will

Wow Will! awesome garage!

Is there any way I could share your pictures and story on our Facebook Page?
Here's a quick link to it. I'm trying to blow out our galleries with people's every day applications. http://www.facebook.com/ListaInternational#!/ListaInternational
Linda@Lista

 

[BoostAddiction]

I just read through this thread... Wow! Thanks for sharing everything!

How it the car build coming along?

The car is moving along. Currently have the chassis out for some improvements at a local race fab shop.

It'll still be a while until it is finished, but I am enjoying the process.

-Will

 

[madmikeee]

Apologies in advance for the blurry shot, but here is a shot of a drawer using tooling foam to locate some pliers. When a tool is removed, a section of RED foam below shows the outline of the missing tool-- so you know to look for it before you button up the job. This technique is used extensively in the military where they won't let a plane out of the hangar if there is a tool missing to eliminate the possibility of FOD.

I was going to do that as well. Being a former Crew Chief on the F-15s I found that to be invaluable when on the flight line. When I saw how much it was in the private sector I just went with making sure I double and triple checked my work areas instead.

IE this "kit" comes in at $60.00 without shipping
1 piece of 1/2" foam (26-1/4" x 39")
1 piece of 1/4" foam (26-1/4" x 39")

60 bucks for about 1.50 worth of material, no thanks (I have worked as an MIS sys admin for plastics companies for almost a decade so I know what this stuff costs including producing it.)

That being said, you have what amounts to my dream garage, Excellent work!!

 

[Jase007]

Beautiful Garage Will.

Looking around at Nova related threads ... getting ideas together for my "some day" garage.

 

[BoostAddiction]

Thanks for the compliments.

We are having a NoVA GTG this weekend. PM me for details.

 

[e-tek]

Your garage is one of the "prettiest", yet useable on here. It's show quality is barely outdone by it's planning and layout. I love it.

 

[BoostAddiction]

Thanks- it's a working garage. The Superlite is a major project (for me, anyway), and I use every inch of the garage in the build.

I do enjoy working in it, though. It's fun to work in a nice space.

I could use more space, but then, so could everyone.

 

[northern33]

I gotta add to what everyone else has said; very tastefull and functional garage!!


Nice to see Legends still alive and well. I raced from about 1999 to 2002 throughout Western Canada with a few trips into Montana. Made lots of great friends and really enjoyed the racing.

 

[dezigninmotion]

I see I am bringing up an old thread here. How is the progress on the SL-C? Was wondering if you are chronicling this anywhere?

 

[BoostAddiction]

I see I am bringing up an old thread here. How is the progress on the SL-C? Was wondering if you are chronicling this anywhere?

I have a web site for the purpose, just haven't really done anything to it.

The SLC is moving along, just not fast enough. I never have enough time on the car, and that is exacerbated by my uncanny ability to look at a simple problem and imagine a more complex, more expensive, but more cool solution.

I'm deep in brake plumbing mods, and will tackle the coolant plumbing next. Already have a good start on that with a custom coolant tank I designed.

Need to make some better shielding/sealing parts for the radiator area, and fit the new CF race splitter that just arrived.

Also, figured out how to use an Android tablet for music, navigation and other purposes, and a buddy is working on a FG bezel. The tablet is programmed, and now I am working on the wiring to control it and the hidden headunit from the new steering wheel which just got back from a major makeover.

Here's a pic of the steering wheel:



The CF trim goes with the CF seats, and the black Alcantara is used elsewhere in the interior (seating surfaces, for example).

I'm having fun with it, and recently had custody of a completed track version SLC for a couple of months to play with. Here are some pics of it:

At a car show...



In the driveway:





And another at the car show:



This one has an LS3/376 with about 500 HP and is brutally fast. With no TC or other nanny-state helpers, you have to stay up on the wheel all the time.

 

[m5hor]

wow love the garage and the car is sick.

 

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Nice shop love the slc...

 

[freedomgli]

I'm so happy I stumbled onto your garage build. Lots of clever ideas I'll have to keep in mind for a future garage build. I look forward to seeing your completed SL-C one day at the Great Falls C&C meet up. Here's another build thread about a Toyota powered SL-C that first introduced me to RCR and Superlite Cars. Good stuff!

 

[BoostAddiction]

An update- I am working on the SLC most every day now, and hope to have it done by the end of the year.

Building it the "normal" way would have been so much faster, but I have a very specific vision for this car, and that takes longer.

Just did the engineering for the parking brake, and ordered the linear actuator that will control it. All electronic, and working off a dedicated rotor mounted on the transaxle.

Here's a pic of the factory race SLC at VIR last year, leading the race until the clutch fork failed...

Also, look for a new car- a replica of the Cadillac LMP1 car circa 2001-2002, which we will debut this year. Should be a screamer.

 

[aggierailroad]

I've been considering building the "lite" version of this, the Razor, for quite some time. My biggest holdup is the lack of documented and complete builds... I want to be able to have a forum of guys to go to for ideas for building the odds and ends. Lastly, I see so many Ariel Atoms that I would almost rather go that route, except for the fact that I just find them ugly compared to the gen II Razor...

I assume you can recommend the guys at SLC? Any quick advice to a guy looking to build one?

Thanks for sharing your build and your garage, I really like your attention to detail.