[Lewisracing]

After a few years of club racing and many track weekends in competition, I decided that I should make a build thread for my car. Though I'm sure I won't keep it up to date or have nearly enough pictures if anyone were to read this and have questions. Feel free to find me on Facebook or IG with questions.

So my story: I bought this car brand new in September 2018 as a 1SS 1LE with only the battery protection package, because I had the intent to build it into a road race car. 2 weeks later after following the break-in procedure and all of GMs recommendations, it saw it's first track day. I then fell in love. A few events into the 2019 year I had a brake failure into T1 at Summit Point main. Caliper/pad failure(NDA). From then I caged the car and turned it into a racecar. and paid it off in 2020 before it's first official race.

So idk where to start with it. I will probably misspell many things and also forget things, if you know my car feel free to add onto the thread.

Engine:
At the moment it is a mostly stock LT1 motor. I did the Katech oil pump upgrade out of fear due to hearing the oil pump horror stories. I added a LT2 manifold and cold air in 2021 for more top end if needed. I also did the katech lightweight flywheel and it has kooks headers cuz vroom noises r gud. (The engine is currently no mas as it recently (sept 2023) suffered a lifter failure after 15k track miles. GM crate motor planned). A/C was removed and the dumb intake to inside car tube thing... I also have ducting to my lower grill with my upper grill taped off to try and

Transmission, differential, and driveline are stock.

Exterior/aero: Front to back. The car has the long discontinued Z/28 style front splitter from Anderson Composites(AC) with custom end plates on it(I've tried getting AC to reproduce the splitter but they refuse and say the tooling was destroyed). It now has front canards, ACS composites? Had them in the garage for like 3 years but finally just put them on. The car also has an AC carbon hood, I think called the T2 or something. AC carbon fenders that are wider than the stock SS ones, they also have race louvers top and rear on the fenders. Completely gutted AC doors that are nice and light compared to stock. Pressed carbon "flat floor", it is not completely flat under the car but over 80% besides some cutouts for exhaust/trans/diff cooling. I want to improve on that and get it close to 100%. Carbon trunk from AC with holes and fitment for a chassis mounted Klaus Composites 72" swan neck wing. And to finish the aero on the rear is a cut bumper from a past mod with the AJ Hartman modular diffuser under it. I also have ducting to my lower grill with my upper grill taped off to try and help with channeled air and overall airflow.

Interior: Gutted almost entirely besides wiring, a shell of the dash and some of the center console. Sabelt GT Pad seat and the GT enduro(I think it's called) harnesses. Of course a roll cage for road racing with extruded door bars for impact protection and room. Not much else really.. Stock steering wheel cuz I still want the rev match button and ok button, I haven't figured out how to retain that yet without the wheel. It has a AIM Solo 2 DL and a Smartycam3 in it now, various GoPros that I also use when I remember.. A purple duck cuz why not, and a large mirror to see behind easier. Oh and I repositioned my backup camera and it stays on permanently for and extra rear view while on track.

Suspension/brakes/wheels/tires: The car is currently running on the ZLE DSSV struts and has been since 2019, along with the adjustable rear sway bar. SPL FLCA, tension rods, rear toe links w/EL, and rear upper camber links. The car has the AP Racing 372mm front brake kit with the 25mm pad and Agile Automotive brake cooling ducts to keep the brake temps down in a race. DS1.11 brake pads front and rear, and Endless RF650 fluid. I run a variety of wheels, Apex and BC forged. 18x11 front and 18x12 rear. Hoosier R7s - 315/30 F and 335/30 R. I have yet to run A7s but one day the budget will allow me to do it. Hoosier wets, 305/30 sq.

So the car was built with the intention of racing in NASAs Super Touring 3 class. A class that has an average power to weight ratio of 10lbs to 1hp, so 10:1. Yes, my car is detuned quite a bit to achieve this since I wanted to make it as light a possible. The car with driver and fuel weigh roughly 3550lbs and I make an average of 355whp. Average meaning it the hp is taken over 7 data points in the rpm range and then averaged out. My current peak is roughly 370whp. I technically can run ST2(8:1 ratio) with NASA also and have in the past. But I can't get to the maximum of the class so I'm at a natural disadvantage and often do not run it. One thing to toot my own horn.. Tommy Milner has drove this car and said it drives like a treat, so that felt good.

So in short:
3350lbs no driver - 3550lbs w/ driver & fuel
370whp max and 355 average for ST3 - 422whp max for ST2.
Hoosier R7 315/30F and 335/30R on 18s.
Decentish aero and brakes?

The car is maintained by Agile Automotive in Forest Hill, MD. Build help has come from Agile, Sam Strano, AC, Motul and my absolutely destroyed wallet.
Find me on Instagram if you are interested in where I post the most of this car: @Lewisracing1018

[The Chief (tm)]

Some *excellent* photos there. Bravo!

[keep_hope_alive]

awesome. would love to see more photos of the rear aero modifications. any additional gauges in the interior?

[6spdhyperblue]

If you lost a lifter why not just katech heads cam the motor you have

[Lewisracing]

Originally Posted by keep_hope_alive

awesome. would love to see more photos of the rear aero modifications. any additional gauges in the interior?

I just use the aim for additional guages

[Lewisracing]

Originally Posted by 6spdhyperblue

If you lost a lifter why not just katech heads cam the motor you have

With the cost of doing a cam and with the lifter scattering metal all over, for me and my budget it makes sense to replace the engine for the cost. Plus with 15k track miles, it makes sense for me anyways. The risk/reward isn't there

[eimarshall]

In for the AERO!!!! I've seen your 2021 spec overview on YouTube! You should shoot an update!!
Any chance you have pics of the flat floor? Also I spy some front tire blockers.... any details/pics of those?

[Lewisracing]

Originally Posted by eimarshall

In for the AERO!!!! I've seen your 2021 spec overview on YouTube! You should shoot an update!!
Any chance you have pics of the flat floor? Also I spy some front tire blockers.... any details/pics of those?

I appreciate you watching! I definitely need to do an update, been awhile. I do not have pics, but once I go back to the shop and see the car on the lift again I'll remember to take some pics.
Tires blockers yes, they are custom from Agile Automotive, been a test car for those and brake ducting for them to make sure they work before they consider selling some kind of kit. I can check with them to see if they have enough data now to consider a kit.

[SSEssence]

What a beast, that thing looks menacing!

[Lewisracing]

UPDATE: The shop that maintains my car has pulled the engine out and it looks like the bottom end is actually in great shape. The oil pump never picked up any fragments from the cam/lifter. So we are going for a top end reuild with a custom cam from BTR. I will continue to save for a crate motor in a year or so, but for now this will be a more budget friendy for me.

[Lewisracing]

Custom grind cam has officially arrived!
Motec will be ordered soon. Trans going to a trans shop to be rebuilt and getting new 5th/6th gears while that happens!

[raidator]

those pics from WGI? background looks familiar...

[Lewisracing]

Some of them are, yes!

Originally Posted by raidator

those pics from WGI? background looks familiar...

[That1guy_tim]

You going to be adding inputs with the Motec? What features does it have that you are looking to gain with that ECU?