Alfano Racing LSX Hatch

[JJ Alfano]

Ok, so some of you may know me, and most probably dont. I've campaigned my orange hatch last year as a competition car, and will be doing so this year as well (Well, whats left of it anyways.) I had a fully built SR20DET with 320whp/290wtq but I was still getting left in the dust by even the stockest of LS cars.

I always wanted a v8, even before the fad, but never had the budget to do it. The full SR swap was $1500 from my friend and Enjuku gave me some sweet ISIS T28 stuff to test out, so I had very cheap 300hp to play with and so I went with that to get me on the track.

After I finished up the 2012 season, had a few podiums, and had lots of fun. I knew that v8 was next. I knew that I could sell my SR for a good chunk of the build, and that after I paid off my school debt and my credit cards, I'd have lots of money to play with, and plenty of time! (So I thought.)

So after doing all that crazy crap, I started making some short term investments that proved really promising at first, until the big hit took away my financial progress (not in life, but I was betting with my build money)

So this set me back some and I had to start from basically 2 grand, and try to live a non-boring life and build a racecar on the same budget.
That works out... not so well when you don't save hahahaha.

Anyways, long story short, here I am. Half the season is done, and its actually kind of refreshing. I've been taking my time and learning the motor, and so far I'm liking it. Hoping to have it crank by middle of July, if I feel like working on it then.

Anyways, here are the specs of my engine.

2002 Cadillac LQ9 with 90k on it.
317 heads
Comp Cams Trunion upgrade
Dual Titanium Springs and retainers
LS7 Lifters
Vengeance Racing VRX5 Camshaft (232/236 .605 115)
Katech timing chain
Melling High Pressure Oil Pump
Canton LS swap oil pan
Hooker Headers
Custom made motor mounts/ Sikky Transmission mount
Sikky driveshaft
Sikky Clutch kit
T56 with Hurst Shifter
Competition Clutch Stage 5 clutch





Before the v8:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/301860_10150781993131456_1134933439_n.jpg


Extracting the SR for the new buyer. (I took him for a ride around the block and he gave me the money before I even got back home.)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/530184_10151045731076456_1430188601_n.jpg



Engine Stand (where it sat for months)
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/61948_10151124967741456_1486674594_n.jpg

New parts!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/544863_10151348921041456_1560019463_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/12617_10151175028236456_1325343323_n.jpg


Fuck this thing.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/549891_10151311061931456_1607561557_n.jpg

Here is my friend Ish's orange s13 with LS. His is Sil Front convertible, and he's also kind of famous now thanks to Hoonigan!
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/64203_10151312293476456_1850459190_n.jpg

Smell the America in there.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/601052_10151322209301456_212987725_n.jpg

Re-doing the engine bay:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/625604_10151326170556456_1276216161_n.jpg

Engine bay finished, and other things put back in place:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/562444_10151354619366456_1078951396_n.jpg

Converting the drive by wire LQ9 harness into the the weeded and trimmed LS1 harness. Not hard, but damn is it tedious.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/163552_10151358641236456_1725281505_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/401370_10151361591811456_851999474_n.jpg

Boxes!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/935758_10151359296711456_1648278108_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/554612_10151359722211456_1345338030_n.jpg

New Chinese intake manifold! 96mm and I ported it to 101mm. We will see if the increase flow makes a difference on the dyno. I painted it too.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/72137_10151362528376456_1535862200_n.jpg

Was 99% ready to get this rebuilt T101A 4 speed dogbox from a race shop in North Carolina (NASCAR capital of the world!) but the guy backed out. Apparently some Australians keep buying the fuck out of these and now the prices are going up!!!! So I settled for a cheap t56 instead.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/484500_10151367130736456_584832332_n.jpg

Re-assembled the motor, did some custom designzzzzz to it too:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/944420_10151393763856456_208115653_n.jpg


Finally, getting the motor in. Took about 10 minutes easy as pie!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1003110_10151463112391456_439201998_n.jpg



So there you have it, Ill update more later.

[westky240]

You will like that cam! I have the same in my ls1 240, and makes good power!

[rawgarage]

Way to step it up...

[Eric_Conkling]

What is the brand of the intake manifold and how is the build quality? Is it similar to like a "Freedy" for an SR or RB?

[JJ Alfano]

What is the brand of the intake manifold and how is the build quality? Is it similar to like a "Freedy" for an SR or RB?

Its from an older Edelbrock design, and numerous people have had good things to say about it. The only negative is that it "heat soaks" because its metal, but as a guy who's ran boosted cars with metal intake manifolds... i doubt its going to make a difference on this N/A build.