Tuned In

No matter how you feel about electric vehicles, there's no denying the incredible performance that can be achieved with these impressive driveline systems.  With more and more rapid EVs hitting the streets every day, inevitably, enthusiasts are now beginning to ask just what can be gained when working with them.

This week's HPA Tuned In podcast guest is Sasha Anis of Mountain Pass Performance, someone who has dived deeper than most into the world of high-performance EVs.

Use 'SASHA100'  to get $100 OFF HPA's Wiring Starter Package: hpacademy.com/hpa-wiring-starter-package/

Sasha is an accomplished driver and tuner who has, in recent years, refocused his efforts into the EV world, and his insight into this fairly new and constantly changing field of hyper-performance is invaluable.

In this episode, Sasha first breaks down the basics of how an EV system works, and spends time clearing up a few misconceptions around what is and isn't possible, the constant compromises that need to be made, and the future of EV tuning. MoTeC's M1 Build platform and how Sasha uses it in his EV builds is also discussed.

More of this new breed of vehicle on the roads equals more people crashing them, and that means some seriously enticing drivelines have begun popping up at the local wreckers. Sasha was an early adopter of EV swap exercises, and takes us through the process of swapping these monster drivelines into conventional ICE vehicles, and details what needs to be considered, eliminated, and purchased before the first spanner is turned. Mountain Pass Performance's Blue Lightning — a Tesla-swapped Lotus Evora package — is also picked apart.

Sasha also spends time discussing the braking and handling upgrade options he provides for Teslas, as well as a deep look at his well-known Nissan 350Z time attack car that uses a monster NA VQ engine working in tandem with a custom hybrid KERS system that Sasha has spent years developing and improving himself.

It doesn't matter how you feel about electric vehicles, this conversation with Sasha Anis of Mountain Pass Performance is genuinely fascinating and well worth the listen.

Follow Sasha here:
IG: @sashaanis14, @mountainpassperformance
WWW: mountainpassperformance.com

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The RZ34 Z is the newest offering in the Nissan Z line, and AMS Performance was quick to set a world-first 9-second pass using (by today's standards) relatively basic upgrades.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Back in 2022 9.92 at 137mph was the first run in the 9's in a RZ34 Z 2023 Nissan Z Proto Spec and Nick Cassara of AMS Performance gives us some insight into the similarities and differences of this new platform compared to Infinity Q50 and Q60 models when it comes to the 3l V6 twin turbo VR30DDTT engine, and Nissan 370z on the chassis front.

The car is running upgrading turbocharges, a bigger DI fueling system, drag slicks and not much else to make 719hp with the aid of EcuTeks reflash tuning software capabilities. The biggest issue to overcome with this platform, party due to its very compact packaging, is heat soak and cooling complications making it the first port of call for any owner looking to make more power with aftermarket mods and tuning.

On this week's episode of the High Performance Academy Tuned In podcast, Andre is joined by an absolute legend of the import scene.

John Shepherd has been around since the very early days of import drag racing. Through campaigning his AWD Eagle Talon, John lead the first charge and pushed the boundaries of just what was possible with a Japanese performance car.

Use ‘SHEP100’ for $100 off the HPA Tuning Starter Package: hpacademy.com/hpa-starter-package/

John talks about his early days and the many workarounds and bodges that were necessary during the sport's infancy. The Ohio-based racer and car builder was squeezing record-setting high-ten-second quarter miles out of his 4G63-powered Talon, and as the game progressed, so did the car. Andre and John track the development of the Eagle through to its retirement, at which point it was running 7.7-second quarters — all still in a time well before billet blocks, proper race transmissions, and modern turbo technology.

John has since moved on to Nissan GT-Rs and Audi R8s, and lays down his recipe for what he considers to be the "perfect" street car when working with these platforms. Easy to live with, perfectly fine to take on long road trips,... and capable of mid-seven-second quartermiles.

Finally, the guys dive into the world of dual clutch transmissions. These DCTs have become ShepTrans' bread and butter in recent years, and John goes into detail on how the clever gearboxes work and how we can make them far stronger in order to put up with the massive torque figures modern performance engines provide.

There's plenty of nostalgia to be found in this episode, and if acronyms like DCT and TCM have always left you scratching your head, you definitely don't want to miss this one.

Don't forget, you can use ‘SHEP100’ for $100 off the HPA Tuning Starter Package: hpacademy.com/hpa-starter-package/

Say goodbye to the old saying "cast ain't fast" with Dart's 2JZ cast iron engine block.

When it comes to the many limitations factory cast blocks have when we try and take them from 200-300hp to 2000-3000hp or more, the go-to option in the aftermarket is generally a billet alloy block that offers more strength and improved design (sometimes application specific), but at a substantial cost given the nature of manufacturing.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

On display at SEMA, @DartMachinery  has come to the rescue with their newly developed cast iron engine block which gives us a middle option where we can gain many of the advantages we get with billet offerings, namely design improvements that address known weak points, for a lower cost,. This allows us to safely produce more power and also gives us a reliable source for replacements if the worst does happen as secondhand factory 2JZ blocks become more scarce with time too.

As Mike from @racewinningbrandsautomotiv766 explains with this aftermarket cast block you can expect added thickness to the bores and deck surface, reduced core shift, and a billet 4-bolt cap (centres are 12mm, outers 10mm) for improved strength as well as screw-in freeze plugs helping prevent a blow out which OEM press-fit versions sometimes do after a head lift. Additionally, the block can be clearanced on order to take alloy rods, making it perfect for those running stroker combinations and it retains the ability to run your factory accessories when it comes to oil and water pumps etc.

While at the moment we can still source factory-cast 2JZ blocks from Toyota, Dart's more accurate casting process ensures consistent rather than unpredictable wall thicknesses and they don't force you to purchase accompanying factory components that you will never use in your performance build. Yes, this is the angle you can take with the wife when you tell her how much you are SAVING when you buy this block. It's foolproof, honest.

We're hoping to see these on the market in late 2023 for around $4,500 USD, but note no price has been confirmed yet.

What makes a good intake plenum? How do you fabricate one to ensure it can handle 100+psi of boost without blowing itself to pieces? And why do we even need to fit an aftermarket intake plenum in the first place? This week’s episode with D’Arcy French of Plazmaman answers these questions and many more.

Use “PLAZMAMAN50” for 50% off our HPA 3D Modeling & CAD for Motorsport course here: hpacademy.com/courses/3d-modeling-and-cad-for-motorsport

D’Arcy started his journey in the motorsport world as a machine shop apprentice, but it wasn’t long before he stepped up in a serious way by joining the crew of a Top Fuel team as the blower tech. Eventually, this translated into full-time work designing and CNC milling parts for highly-regarded Australian performance part specialist, Plazmaman.

Plazmaman is well known for its ultra-high quality intercoolers, throttle bodies, and intake plenums and this is naturally where the conversation heads, as Andre and D’Arcy discuss the process of designing and fabricating these works of art that do a great job of attaining an ideal balance of form and function.

Throttle body sizing, the intricacies of plenum design, CAD modelling of parts, 3D printed prototyping, expected results of fitting an aftermarket intake manifold, and much more are all covered in this episode.

Follow D’Arcy and Plazmaman here:
IG: @biggercncguy
IG: @plazmamanracing
FB: Plazmaman.com
YT: PlazmamanAus
WWW: plazmaman.com

Don’t forget, use “PLAZMAMAN50” for 50% off our HPA 3D Modeling & CAD for Motorsport course here: hpacademy.com/courses/3d-modeling-and-cad-for-motorsport

Converting a FWD Honda to a RWD platform is not easy task, but it does come with some solid benefits as we will discuss looking at this F20c powered space framed Honda Prelude [TECH TOUR].

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

With an Ethanol fed, 24-26 PSI boosted, 9,000 RPM 750hp Dandy Engines F20c boasting Eagle Rods, factory crank and camshafts (because they're that good), aftermarket pistons, SuperTech valves and a new Garrett G35-900, this Fastr sponsored RWD converted Honda Prelude is no slouch in its regular appearances in the ACL Race Series.

Professional driver Brett Dickie took a few moments while at the World Time Attack Challenge to discuss his build (with the help of his skilled father) discussing the some of the advantages the rear wheel drive (RWD) conversion gives a driver behind the wheel along with his thoughts in passing on EMtrons torque management system.

As you might have guessed, the car runs an ProWire Performance Wiring fitted EMtron KV8 ECU along with a MoTeC CDL dash for some extra logging bandwidth and driver display duties which Brett felt was the best combination he could get for performance and his requirements without blowing out the budget too far. 

We caught up with Brett just before his first run with the new Garrett G35-900 turbocharger which is replacing a 3076 and we look forward to getting his thoughts on a comparison next time we chat along with some of the data this system can and will provide him with as he and his team gets it all dialed in with the help of a Turbosmart E-Gate (electronic wastegate), DBW blow off valve, MAP sensors pre and post the throttle body and an exhaust pressure sensor.

With no bolt-on solution available, the dry sump setup is a mix of BDG dry sump components and a custom sump, with Brett sharing some thoughts on what he has learnt and would do differently second time around. 

Tucked behind the F series engine is a 6 speed TTi GTO sequential gearbox and Motorsport Services strain gauge lever which feeds a GJ Drivelines driveshaft and R200 LSD diff center nicked from a Nissan Skylines rear end. The Nissan parts list also includes the uprights, with 300ZX ones used to help try and reign in custom work and give more bolt in part options, and of course being something that physically worked with the package.

Also touched on are some of the boost control strategies employed, but Brett is pretty straight up that his knowledge is more focused on being behind the wheel than behind the laptop, and with 20+ years of it his no doubt his feedback goes a long way to help dial things in for race day.

You can catch Brett and this build racing in the ACL Race Series, and you can catch Brett racing other cars like the previous title winning Elusive Racing DC2 Integra at the World Time Attack Challenge as well as other cars in Global Time Attack and Pikes Peak Hill Climb events.

The 2JZ-GTE isn’t Toyota’s only iconic tuner engine — before the famous straight six was anywhere near production-ready, enthusiasts and racers were already years deep into the development of the venerable 1600cc four-cylinder 4A-GE. In this episode, we sit down with Matt Trevena of MT Performance Engines to discuss everything Toyota 4A-GE, engine building, and much more. 

Use “MTPERFORMANCE50” for 50% off our HPA Engine Building Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/enginebuild

As a teenager, Matt Trevena fell in love with a neighbour’s 4A-GE powered KE70, and that exposure, combined with a healthy dose of Initial D, started Matt on a path that would shape his entire career, culminating in where it is today, building some of the most hardcore 4A-GEs around — including a genuine holy-grail Formula Atlantic motor.

Matt spent the first few years of his career building everything from lawnmower engines to massive car-sized 16-cylinder train engines before jumping on board with Sydney’s Maatouk’s Racing to put together big-power RBs and everything else in between. Now running his own performance engine building company, Matt has become the go-to guy when it comes to hardcore Japanese motors — but especially the Toyota 4A-GE.

As you probably already guessed, this episode goes way deep into the weeds on all things 4A-GE, covering the differences between the available variants, the best combinations of parts and generations, how to extract the most power, revs, and longevity out of them, as well as a deep dive into the ultimate 4A-GE — the Formula Atlantic motor.

This conversation also covers plenty of general performance engine building information, so even if this classic Toyota motor isn’t of particular interest to you, the knowledge found in this episode makes it a must-listen for any self-respecting enthusiast.

Follow MT Performance Engines here:
IG: @mtperformanceengines
FB: MT Performance Engines
YT: 199niko199

Don’t forget, use “MTPERFORMANCE50” for 50% off our HPA Engine Building Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/enginebuild

It's a competitive market, but the standout R32 GTR build at the last SEMA in our opinion is right here. Take a look!

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Running a Nitto 3.2l stroker kit, this RB30-powered R32 GTR Nissan Skyline runs a nice mix of low stress off the shelf parts along with some unique custom features as Josh Ray from Driver Motorsport explains in this [TECH TOUR] from SEMA.

Power wise the RB runs 650hp on pump gas, 1100 on an E85 ethanol blend, and is expected to see 1400hp using nitrous with the aid of a Precision 6875 turbocharger at anywhere from 15 to 30psi depending on fuel. 

Engine and chassis control is handled by a Haltech NEXUS R5 which simplifies the wiring when it comes to the fact this car has no fuses or relays as we traditionally expect. One tradeoff is the use of a mechanic fuel pump to manage the finite amount of electronic input and outputs, but when 1400hp pushes are planned that is certainly not a bad insurance to have.

An RB26 pocket ported head has been used with a Supertech valve train, GSC Power Division billet cams and Kelford Cams cam gears for added adjustability. Nissans 360 degree optical cam sensor is in the rubbish bin with a Platinum Racing Products electronic crank trigger replacing with the reason explained by Josh.

The car still runs a wet sump but the known issues have been addressed in regards to the oil pump and oil flow restrictors added. Underneath a Platinum Racing Products block brace has been utilized along with a Holinger 6-speed sequential, DriveshaftPro single-piece shaft and aftermarket axles all while retaining the AWD system which is also controlled by the Haltech ECU/PDM/Swiss Army Knife.

Over the last year, we’ve seen a handful of well-respected manufacturers teasing something brand new that pushes against the idea that billet is the only way to go — aftermarket high-performance cast blocks and heads. On this episode, we have Platinum Racing Products’ Herman Urriola, one of the figures driving this new development, to talk us through the design, manufacture, and use cases for aftermarket cast engines and much more. 

Use “PLATINUM50” for 50% off our HPA Engine Building Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/enginebuild

Platinum Racing Products is well known worldwide thanks to its ultra-high quality parts for a range of high-performance engines that deftly walk the fine line between form and function.

Billet rocker covers, crank trigger kits, fuel rails, RB sump adapters, and much more are PRP’s bread and butter, but recently we’ve seen teases of an ambitious new product from the Australian company — an aftermarket cast aluminium RB26 block and head that doesn’t just reproduce the factory item but improves on it in numerous ways.

In this conversation, we dive pretty deep into Herman’s reasoning behind putting the huge amounts of time and money required into this new product and we touch on who it’s for, why it’s better than billet in a lot of situations, and why an enthusiast would want one in the first place.

Herman also gives us insight into his thriving business and details some of the mistakes he’s made, as well as what he considers the key to operating a successful aftermarket parts business.

A large part of the Platinum Racing Products process involves hundreds of hours of market research, R&D, design, CNC manufacturing, and testing — Herman gives us a really interesting look at what can be quite a high-stakes way of doing business. After all, it can easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to take one new part from idea to product on the shelf.

This is going to be a great listen for anyone interested in part development, CAD, CNC manufacturing, engine building, or business development in the aftermarket industry.

Follow Platinum Racing Products here:
IG: @platinumracingproducts
FB: Platinum Racing Products
YT: PRP - Platinum Racing Products
WWW: platinumracingproducts.com

Don’t forget, use “PLATINUM50” for 50% off our HPA Engine Building Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/enginebuild

What is the most common mistake we make when learning how to set up our dampers and which ones we should buy?

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Frank Vasquez from KW Suspension answers these questions and more around high and low-speed compressions and rebound, driver feedback and why buying the most expensive dampers might be a waste of money.