VW Mark VI Camber Plates Ready!

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Fair

We have made a number of camber plates for the VW Golf over the years, first for the Mark V. Then we added the Mark VII version and have just released the Mark VI Golf design.

These were installed on our tester Jeremy’s 2012 VW Golf R recently. We built them for use with either the OEM spring perch or one of three popular coilover spring sizes, all with our integral radial bearing upper spring perches. These worked perfectly on our his Bilstein PSS10 coilovers, which we had installed previously.

With up to -3.5° front camber available inside the stock strut tower opening, we were all very satisfied with the results. Caster was positive 7.9° in the stock “positive” of two locations (the additional setting would remove about 0.5 deg).

There is even more negative camber travel possible in these plates if you are willing to notch the opening in the strut tower, or remove some positive caster.

We installed the Vorshlag Mark VI camber-caster plates, corner balanced the car and gave it a performance alignment to complete the package.

Look for this Mark VI Gold R on track in the DFW area, now with plenty of “tire friendly camber” up front. You can learn more about the Mark VI camber plates here.

Posted in New Product | 2 Comments

69 Camaro Updates: Flat Floor + Exhaust

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Fair

This custom tube frame 69 Camaro track build is one of our favorites, and we are happy to share updates to this build as we go. The latest forum build thread post shows dozens of pictures of work completed after the body was re-united to the frame after both sections were partially painted.

As you will see in the build thread the first things tackled after joining the body and frame were the exhaust from the custom built headers back. This car has a unique tunnel which allows the exhaust to be run inside, completely above the bottom of the flat floor.

We then show the work involved with making a modern aerodynamic “flat bottom floor” for a tube framed car like this. Some panels are bonded and riveted in place while others will be bolted on and removable.

Thanks for reading, liking, and sharing! This car will be on display at our annual open house Saturday Feb 25th here at Vorshlag.

Posted in Build Thread Update | Leave a comment

Interior Removal for Roll Cage Construction

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Fair

We have updated our “We Make Roll Cages” forum thread to include information about how and why we remove the interior from a race car before we begin roll cage fabrication. You can read the two new posts starting here.

We illustrate the various steps of removing carpet, sound mat insulation, windows, even the roof – which is necessary to gain room to build the roll cage, in some cases.

We also cover wiring and describe how much weight can be lost when “gutting the interior. Again, you can read the updates starting here.

Posted in Build Thread Update | Leave a comment

MRS Electronic makes LS Swapping the 86 Easier!

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Fair

The engineers at MRS Electronic Inc have developed a CAN integration module to allow LSX V8s talk to the FRS or BRZ factory computer, which allows theses OEM items to function: Tachometer, Coolant Temperature, electric assist Power Steering, Fuel Economy gauge and Check Engine (MIL) notification. You need this module if you want to build a LS V8 powered FRS/BRZ and have *any* sort of normal functionality.

They developed this “black box” using our former Alpha build LS1 FR-S, shown below.

This CAN module currently works for these GM engine control modules: E38, E67 and E40. The more people that pre-order these CAN modules, the more functionality MRS will add, such as:

  • 10 Pre-Orders: Push Button Starting
  • 20 Pre-Orders: Cruise Control
  • 25 Pre-Orders: AC Requests
  • 35 Pre-Orders: ABS/VDC

Just to get their pre-order numbers up, Vorshlag ordered one for an FRS with the E38 (LS3) computer. Pre-orders are only $200, with production prices expected to be $400-600/each – which is still a bargain! Click this link to get in on this pre-order and help out the V8 powered 86 community.

Pre-order info here: https://www.mrs-electronic.com/…/brzfr-s-ft86-can-module-p…/

With the help of MRS-Electronic for the CAN integration and Vorshlag for the drivetrain mounts and headers, making your V8 powered 86 dream come true just got a lot easier…

Posted in Build Thread Update, New Product | Leave a comment

69 Camaro Build Update

Posted on December 3, 2016 by Fair

The work on the as-yet-unnamed 69 Camaro Track car has been plugging away quietly in our shop this past year. This 2-part forum build thread update we shows the work completed from January through April 2016.

This was an important phase, where the last of the body and chassis work were completed on the welding table, then the car was disassembled and the chassis removed. With the chassis on the ground the final welding work could be completed.

The body went to our friends at Heritage for some blasting, structural repair (roof replaced), priming and parts of the interior areas were painted.

After the chassis and cage was then final welded it also was delivered to Heritage, where parts of the cage and frame were painted. The fuel cell was also installed, the chassis was checked for alignment, and the final few suspension brackets were added before the entire front section was final welded.

This 2-part forum post shows all of the steps along the way – the welding, measuring, fabrication, painting, weighing, and more. Hope you enjoy reading about the build as much as we have doing it!

Posted in Build Thread Update | Leave a comment

BMW E46 Daily Driven Track Car – TWS race, MSR Testing, Winter Plans

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Fair

Bored on the Thanksgiving holiday and need something to read? Our forum build thread for the Vorshlag “Daily driven track car” BMW E46 has been updated with another big 3-part update starting here. Thousands of words, dozens of pictures, and lots of track videos are within.

In this update we discuss NASA TT classing first, and show how we ran our car 170 pounds under minimum weight for one event – legally. We also cover the race write-up for this NASA @ TWS event, where we scored two 1st place finishes in the car using 2 drivers.

Next we cover some repairs and updates after this TWS event then jump into a test day at MSR in the car, where we logged laps 2.6 seconds faster than we did here in March.

We take a quick recap of our 2017 NASA season, where we scored the TTD championship in Texas. Then we look ahead to winter updates to get ready for 2017 season, including the elusive search for 50 horsepower, aero changes, and long awaited safety upgrades in the form of a partial roll cage. It is still a street driven car, so it is a bit of a compromise. Agian, you ready read MUCH more starting here.

Posted in Build Thread Update, Race Summary | Leave a comment

Vorshlag FR-S: Suspension and Brake Upgrades + Track Testing

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Fair

Our 2013 FR-S Vorshlag shop test mule for 86 chassis development has undergone two big upgrades and several tests to prove their worth since our last post in August. Before those mods we did a Track Night in America as well as an SCCA autocross, for the last time in stock form. You can read all about the following upgrades, track tests, and more in the latest 3-part update to our forum build thread.

A long awaited camber plate design capable of use with OEM springs for the BRZ/FR-S chassis is now available, which we tested on this car – which we’re calling Agent 86. Getting nearly -3° of camber while not raising or lowering the ride height was key to minimizing front tire wear and increasing cornering grip for road course or autocross use. This design also adds positive caster as well.

The Powerbrake 4-piston front brake upgrade was one of the easiest installs we have ever done, and the 325mm x 28mm rotor fits inside 17″ wheels, even the skinny stock ones (with a 5mm spacer). We document the install and impressions of driving with these brakes in the forum build thread.

After the prototype camber plates and new Powerbrake X4ES brake upgrade were installed we went back to our local road course to test these against the clock, where we found a 2.3 second drop in lap times on the same set of tires.

We’ve barely scratched the surface on this FR-S and have PLENTY of mods left to test before it gets an LS3 engine installed. Stay tuned for more, and catch up here with the development.

 

Posted in Build Thread Update, New Product, Race Summary | 1 Comment

BMW E46 Daily Driven Track Car – Summer of Mods

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Fair

We’ve been busy this summer quietly working on our Daily Driven Track Car, this red 2001 BMW 330 (start reading here).

We’ve knocked a lot of weight out of this little E46 and it has shown in the lap times. The sunroof was replaced with a carbon fiber delete panel, the rear seats removed, and some other non-critical parts cut away.

Many areas have been upgraded: the entire cooling system was replaced and upgraded, an SFI rated balancer was installed, an oil pan baffle and oil pump driveshaft upgrade were also added.

We installed new Whiteline adjustable swaybars and continued development with the MCS TT2 coilovers.

Check out all of the details, pictures, tricks and tips in the latest update to the E46 forum build thread, starting here.

Posted in Build Thread Update | Leave a comment

Update on Project #DangerZone, our 1992 Corvette (FOR SALE)

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Fair

Another multi-year shop race car project is coming to a close here at Vorshlag. Project #DangerZone is finally finished, perfected, reliable, and painted.

That usually means only one thing – its time to sell it. We tend to build one new shop race car about every year, and after a 1-4 years of racing and development, we run out of things to tinker with. That’s when we tend to “pass the torch” to another lucky racer, if they are ready to jump in.

Before the summer paint work we did manage to develop a whole new product line and test it on this Corvette. Instead of putting another in a series of rebuilt brake master cylinders on the car after a failure at our last NASA race event we created and machined the parts above – which allowed us to replace the stock master and booster with a Tilton dual master cylinder

After the amazing paint work was completed, we put the car back together with a number of interior upgrades, including two aluminum false floors, an aluminum dash extension, and a new Momo steering wheel. Please take a look at the latest Forum Build Thread update to see more details, or go straight to the For Sale Page. Thanks for sharing this post to help spread the word on another amazing Vorshlag race car for sale!

Posted in Build Thread Update, Race Summary, Sale Announcement | Leave a comment

BMW E46 Daily Driven Track Car – Build Thread Update

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Fair

Our “Daily Driven Track Car” build thread has hundreds of pictures and videos showing work on three current E46 BMWs being built by Vorshlag, including our NASA TTD entry. This thread was long overdue for an some new content to be added to the 6 forums where it is updated, and you can read the latest 3-part entry starting here.

We show the recently added MCS TT2 coilover upgrade over the Bilsteins on our E46 330Ci, which included much firmer spring rates. We were hoping for an improvement in NASA TTD class competition and we saw improvements.

A slight tangent veers off to talk about racing wheel materials and design, which some readers might find useful. This was meant to get racers thinking about regular inspections of their race wheels – with tips on how and where to look for clues of fatigue cracks.

We show progress on the three “non-M” BMW E46 builds: our 325Ci “Jack Daniels”, the 328i Track Rat sedan, and our TTD racer 330Ci.

Finally we talk about the April NASA event at TWS, which did not go according to plan. We learned a valuable lesson at this event – FRESH TIRES MATTER! Again, you can start reading the latest entries in this E46 build thread starting here

Posted in Build Thread Update, Race Summary | Leave a comment