Cuda at SEMA

[Steve Chryssos]

....Where is the Preston's Mustang thread?!....

Happened many moons ago. Sadly, no magazine editor has been willing to find his way up to Seattle and grab some decent images. Photography does not seem to be Preston Peterson's forte'. By that I am referring mostly to photo quantity--not quality. I for one would love to see more pix--preferably out from under that car port.

[evo69]

Happened many moons ago. Sadly, no magazine editor has been willing to find his way up to Seattle and grab some decent images. Photography does not seem to be Preston Peterson's forte'. By that I am referring mostly to photo quantity--not quality. I for one would love to see more pix--preferably out from under that car port.

Sounds like it has been around here a lot longer than I have but without seeing it in person I think the magazines are missing the boat on this one. How may cars like this get homebuilt in the DRIVEWAY!

[Steve Chryssos]

It works like this: Editors are shipped off to car shows where they take pictures of.......? Anyone? Bueller? The correct answer is A.): "Show Cars". Then, most of them complain that the only thing being built is show cars.


File that one under Duh.

[Steve1968LS2]

It works like this: Editors are shipped off to car shows where they take pictures of.......? Anyone? Bueller? The correct answer is A.): "Show Cars". Then, most of them complain that the only thing being built is show cars.

File that one under Duh.

True and not true.. Editors are shipped off to EVENTS such as car shows, cruises, drag races and such. Unfortunatly not many PT cars show up at drag races, so we shoot what does. PHR will be at Maxton and Year One.. is year one a car show or driving event?? hmm

A few times a year an Editor might fly to a location to shoot 5-6 cars (lets say Texas) and then spread out those cars over the next half year.

Of course local cars (or those willing to meet us halfway) have it the easiest.. especially in winter.

[Steve Chryssos]

Yes, but if a non-so cal big name builder puts together a mind blowing ride, then the trigger gets pulled for an on-location shoot. So it does happen. All I'm saying is that more effort should be made on the part of publishers to seek out special cars, rather than waiting for these cars to fall into their laps. I learned that lesson when I put on a baseball mitt for the very first time: "Get under the ball". Preston Peterson's Mustang is one of those cars in my opinion. So maybe you should put out a cattle call for a bunch of cars in Seattle.

Don't take that personal. It's a bean counter problem where deadlines and budgetary concerns stifle creativity.

Confucious once say: The key to really great car magazines is really great cars.

[Steve1968LS2]

Yes, but if a non-so cal big name builder puts together a mind blowing ride, then the trigger gets pulled for an on-location shoot. So it does happen. All I'm saying is that more effort should be made on the part of publishers to seek out special cars, rather than waiting for these cars to fall into their laps. I learned that lesson when I put on a baseball mitt for the very first time: "Get under the ball". Preston Peterson's Mustang is one of those cars in my opinion. So maybe you should put out a cattle call for a bunch of cars in Seattle.

Don't take that personal. It's a bean counter problem where deadlines and budgetary concerns stifle creativity.

Confucious once say: The key to really great car magazines is really great cars.

This is true.. for a car like Bob Johnson's 'Cuda the saying "the early bird gets the worm" comes into play. The only way to justify flying out to shoot one car is if you can get a ton of ink out of it.

What's that link to those shots of Prestons car? I have a couple saved to HD but not many.

No worries Steev'o on taking it personally

A North West photo shoot would be cool.. when doesn't it rain up there???

[evo69]

This is true.. for a car like Bob Johnson's 'Cuda the saying "the early bird gets the worm" comes into play. The only way to justify flying out to shoot one car is if you can get a ton of ink out of it.

What's that link to those shots of Prestons car? I have a couple saved to HD but not many.

No worries Steev'o on taking it personally

A North West photo shoot would be cool.. when doesn't it rain up there???

Cars like Prestons are what really make this hobby/sport/profession tick....they are the backbone...looks like a good one to search out. If that thing was on the cover "Driveway Built" I can't help but think it would sell, but that is just me!

[Damn True]

Sep/Oct are your best bets in the PNW. Portland gets far more sunny days....and it has Portland International Raceway!

Cheap Southwest flight from LA too!

[Damn True]

wierd double post

delete this if'n ya want

[Steve Chryssos]

Cars like Prestons are what really make this hobby/sport/profession tick....they are the backbone...looks like a good one to search out. If that thing was on the cover "Driveway Built" I can't help but think it would sell, but that is just me!

Exactly! The driveway build is as important as the car. And many people will hate the DTM flares, but they send a clear message: That no mere Mustang body can keep that chassis from busting out. It's like Jayne Mansfield on wheels!

Formula for Success
Driveway Build + Supercar = Cover Story

[Damn True]

Rybar over on Lat-G is in Burbary, BC. Not too far from Seattle.

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=3560

[preston]

Hot Rod (well, Matt King) had me "semi-scheduled" twice for a photo shoot but it didn't happen. In their defense I was always like "let's do it but I'm tearing the car apart again on this date". I coordinated one of my track days for them and everything but they were a no show. It'd be cool to get some national ink, but I made the decision a while ago that I wasn't gonna go too far out of my way for it - it doesn't validate the car for me to have it in a magazine. But it would be a cool feature not just because its another 18" wheel, twin turbo big hp muscle car, but because its really got a lot of trick stuff on it like a flat bottom with rear diffuser, Trans am style space frame and suspension, hydraboost power boost with dual M/C's, full interior - all hand built with cheap ass tools. "Well designed, crudely executed" is my motto. Anyway, this is the Cuda thread and the Cuda F'in rules !! (if those wheels will turn more than 10 degrees inside those wheel wells that is). oh yeah, chassis #3 is very similar to chassis #2 just 40 lbs lighter and with a little more foot room, and the cage is gonna be very very tight to the roofline, I even got a rusty old roof I'm using to fab the new cage.

[Damn True]

Preston, you are far too modest.

Stylistically your car is every bit as ground breaking as the Cuda. Not better or worse just different. Though my personal taste tends to prefer your particular "flava".

The fact that you built the darn thing, not in one of the best shops in the country, but in your driveway.......in Seattle ads to the chache of that car.

[evo69]

Preston, you are far too modest.

Stylistically your car is every bit as ground breaking as the Cuda. Not better or worse just different. Though my personal taste tends to prefer your particular "flava".

The fact that you built the darn thing, not in one of the best shops in the country, but in your driveway.......in Seattle ads to the chache of that car.

[Bob Johnson]

Hot Rod (well, Matt King) had me "semi-scheduled" twice for a photo shoot but it didn't happen. In their defense I was always like "let's do it but I'm tearing the car apart again on this date". I coordinated one of my track days for them and everything but they were a no show. It'd be cool to get some national ink, but I made the decision a while ago that I wasn't gonna go too far out of my way for it - it doesn't validate the car for me to have it in a magazine. But it would be a cool feature not just because its another 18" wheel, twin turbo big hp muscle car, but because its really got a lot of trick stuff on it like a flat bottom with rear diffuser, Trans am style space frame and suspension, hydraboost power boost with dual M/C's, full interior - all hand built with cheap ass tools. "Well designed, crudely executed" is my motto. Anyway, this is the Cuda thread and the Cuda F'in rules !! (if those wheels will turn more than 10 degrees inside those wheel wells that is). oh yeah, chassis #3 is very similar to chassis #2 just 40 lbs lighter and with a little more foot room, and the cage is gonna be very very tight to the roofline, I even got a rusty old roof I'm using to fab the new cage.

Alan has adjusted the turning radius on the front end. We've picked up a lot on the right turns..and a little more to the left..turns pretty good now..we lost a lot when we put those big ol brakes on it..the caliper clearance ate a lot of our wheel offset up..It's a lot better than it was in Vegas, Orlando and when we shot the commercial in Nashville..

[Steve Chryssos]

So? Ditch the brakes. I'm sure they'll look real purty hangin on the wall in your living room. You can have them stuffed and mounted. Or leave me alone with them for a little while and I'll mount them for you.

[Steve1968LS2]

Hot Rod (well, Matt King) had me "semi-scheduled" twice for a photo shoot but it didn't happen. In their defense I was always like "let's do it but I'm tearing the car apart again on this date". I coordinated one of my track days for them and everything but they were a no show. It'd be cool to get some national ink, but I made the decision a while ago that I wasn't gonna go too far out of my way for it - it doesn't validate the car for me to have it in a magazine. But it would be a cool feature not just because its another 18" wheel, twin turbo big hp muscle car, but because its really got a lot of trick stuff on it like a flat bottom with rear diffuser, Trans am style space frame and suspension, hydraboost power boost with dual M/C's, full interior - all hand built with cheap ass tools. "Well designed, crudely executed" is my motto. Anyway, this is the Cuda thread and the Cuda F'in rules !! (if those wheels will turn more than 10 degrees inside those wheel wells that is). oh yeah, chassis #3 is very similar to chassis #2 just 40 lbs lighter and with a little more foot room, and the cage is gonna be very very tight to the roofline, I even got a rusty old roof I'm using to fab the new cage.

Shoot me a few pics to my work email at [email protected] and I will see how much influance I have.. lol

Cool car.. definetly makes a statement..

[Bob Johnson]

We're getting the Cuda ready for Maxton..finally got the ignition working right..The halls effect seemed to cure the Edist distributorless system problems we were having. Our problem now is shifting the car at high RPM under full power. It doesn't want a fast shift and it isn't easy to get in the next gear. When you stop and the whole set-up is heated up it doesn't want to go into gears easily either. It seems to work easier when you first crank it up and the clutch and trans are cool. We have 5W 30 Synthetic lube in the trans. Amsoil also provided us with some 75/90 gear lube (which Viper guys run in their T 56 Trans). We're thinking of trying it to see if that might work better. We've never really gotten the trans very hot yet since we've only driven it on short bursts. Rockland built the transaxle/trans..T-56 C6 Z06 set-up. It has G-Force gears in it..It is their opionion that our problem lies in the fact we have a twin disc clutch..10.5" and we have too much inertia, due to the weight of the discs. We have a aluminum flywheel and pressure plate, and the discs and spacer aren't that heavy, especially from the hub of the clutch out. The outer extremities of the clutch is light, since the material they use is light..hubs are a little heavy but that's not that far from the center.. Now remember this is a trans axle with the driveshaft going into the clutch and going back to the trans. So we also have the inertia/weight of the driveshaft rotation going to the trans that you wouldn't have in a conventional trans set up. We are running a 3" steel driveshaft since it goes thru the tunnel with the exhaust. We wanted to run a carbon fiber one but carbon doesn't like temperature above 250 degrees F. We felt like we couldn't keep the tunnel that cool at all times even with the ceramic coating OD &ID plus exhaust wrapping to hold the heat down. We were afraid with that 3" OD tube, aluminum might not be strong enough, even though the driveshaft isn't but 2.5 ft. long or so. He's also saying that a light flywheel adds to the malady since the engine rotation is very sensitive to the throttle since it revs and drops quicker. Like to get some more opinions. This seems like BS to me. I'm going over to Alabama to drive it this week-end for really the first time since we had a throw-out problem the last time I was there. Going to be pretty goofy carrying it to Maxton with about 2 days of seat time. That's if everything goes OK. Problem with all this one off set up stuff, getting everything to work..working thru your problems. We've had to put all that safety stuff that Maxton requires..roof rails, secure the glasss, which required making new one piece door panels with lexan windows, 2 fire systems, chute, etc. Every Vendor tells you how to set everything up but it just doesn't work out that way. Love to hear your input..got to get this shifting faster.

[Steve Chryssos]

Bob,
This is the best I could come up with on short notice:

"These guys ought to get with Lou and figure out what clutch works with that power level. We swapped the clutch out on the new Z06 (ours makes 624hp and works perfectly).
That gear oil isn’t even spec for a stock T56—we just looked it up. Our Redline Oil MTL or D4 ATF is far more suited, I’d let them know that. LG Motorsports in Dallas would be a good resource for the clutch stuff.
I’ve CC:d LG on this one. Anthony, this comes from the protouring.com website. "

Contact Anthony at LG Motorsports

http://www.lgmotorsports.com

[Bob Johnson]

Bob,
This is the best I could come up with on short notice:

"These guys ought to get with Lou and figure out what clutch works with that power level. We swapped the clutch out on the new Z06 (ours makes 624hp and works perfectly).
That gear oil isn’t even spec for a stock T56—we just looked it up. Our Redline Oil MTL or D4 ATF is far more suited, I’d let them know that. LG Motorsports in Dallas would be a good resource for the clutch stuff.
I’ve CC:d LG on this one. Anthony, this comes from the protouring.com website. "

Contact Anthony at LG Motorsports

http://www.lgmotorsports.com

Thanks for the referral Steve..he was very knowledgeable..it's according to whom you speak, the T-56 trans has recommended fluid of ATF from GM to 75/90 for Vipers...thank Cameron Evans for his assistance also. anyone else with input would be appreciated. I think I know what it is but I don't want to say until I'm sure. I'm pretty sure the weight and type of our fluid is NOT our problem. We haven't run it hard enough to even get the fluid very warm..