Tuned In

Creating a turbo manifold isn’t THAT hard but creating one that doesn’t fall to pieces in harsh motorsport conditions is a different story. In this episode, we sit down with Full Race’s Geoff Raicer — someone who understands turbocharger and manifold development better than most and is more than happy to share what he’s learnt... plus a whole lot more.Use RACE50 to get $50 off HPA’s 3D Modelling & CAD for Motorsport course: https://hpcdmy.co/CADbFull Race has been around for a long time and has always been known for building some of the best turbo manifolds and turbo kits available — primarily for the Honda, Mitsubishi, and Nissan markets. Geoff and Full Race were even instrumental in bringing Borg Warner’s line of EFR turbochargers to the aftermarket and yet, despite that successful history, you won’t find a single fabricated exhaust manifold for sale on Full Race’s shop these days — so what happened?In this episode, we chart Geoff’s journey towards founding Full Race just as the modified import scene began to explode, how his business evolved through some challenging years, and what it’s morphed into today — a very different beast from its early days.This is a fascinating story that saw Geoff and his team pivot in an interesting direction during the 2008 financial crisis, involving themselves directly with Borg Warner and later Ford in the development and testing of the 2.3 inline-four and 3.5 V6 EcoBoost engines years before the public saw them. This relationship has continued and we now see a completely different Full Race that puts the majority of its eggs in the Ford basket, pumping out some of the best Raptor 3.5-litre Ecoboost go-fast parts seen anywhere in the world. This episode touches on a wide range of subjects that touches on a wide range of subjects — from the limitations faced by Geoff in the early days of turbocharging, to the secrets to building manifolds that don’t fail, to some seriously technical discussions around turbochargers, working with OEMs, the ins and outs of Ford’s EcoBoost 3.5 litre V6, plus a whole lot more. Follow Geoff here:IG: @fullracemotorsportsFB: Full-Race MotorsportsYT: Full-Race MotorsportsWWW: full-race.comDon’t forget, you can use RACE50 to get $50 off HPA’s 3D Modelling & CAD for Motorsport course: https://hpcdmy.co/CADbTime Stamps:3:28 How did you get into cars?6:43 Why were earlier turbo manifolds cracking and how did you fix them?19:02 Supporting the turbo22:55 Road to starting Full Race, building turbo manifolds27:28 Why did you go down the road of robotic welding?30:02 Where is Full Race at today, Ford Ecoboost?33:51 What is turbo lag?36:38 Twin scroll vs single scroll40:40 Why do OE manufacturers still focus on the aftermarket?50:23 Building relationship with Ford continued56:02 OEM’s relationship with aftermarket and performance upgrades.58:53 Weak points of the 3.5L V6 Ford Ecoboost engines1:06:24 What does Full Race’s product line look like for the F150?1:11:32 Challenges involved in casting products. Big upfront costs.1:15:45 Why did you completely change Full Race’s direction to solely focus on the Ford Ecoboost platform?1:19:24 What’s the difference between Gen2 and Gen3?1:21:13 Are there any other trucks you’re looking to make kits for?1:26:00 Where do you see turbo technology heading

Home Built EJ25 Swapped MiniRex: A Subaru-Powered, Mid-Engined Mini MasterpieceUse ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-inWe've seen our fair share of engine-swapped Minis, from Honda's B and K series to Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle engines, but this EJ25-powered Mini takes things to the next level. Steve from ‪@DutchysGarage‬ has crafted something truly unique: a 1961 Morris Mini transformed into a mid-engined, RWD beast, all thanks to the heart of a 2010 Subaru WRX EJ25.This 'MiniRex' stole the show for us in the World Time Attack Challenge carpark, with Steve personally handling 99% of the build himself —impressive work, especially given Australia’s strict vehicle regulations, which was one of the reasons for using an older pre-1973 chassis. The impressive 1-man-band craftsmanship and road-legal engineering make this build a real standout, combining eye-catching aesthetics (who doesn't love a sunroof!) with serious performance potential.Key Build Details:1961 Morris Mini – Mid-engined, RWD conversionSubaru EJ25 engine: Essentially stock, producing 250hp and 400Nm of torqueHaltech Elite 2500 ECU with an iC7 dash, sensors, and wiring harnessProcess West intercooler for added cooling performance3.9 final drive ratio for optimal gearing and acceleration of the 15" wheelsMazda MX5/Miata suspension, hubs, and subframe integrationViking coil-oversSubaru inner CVs, custom axles, Mazda outer CVs2003 BMW Mini panoramic sunroof – because style matters too!An unbelievable power-to-weight ratio, making this Mini a true sleeperIf you're into unconventional engine swaps and unique performance builds, this one is definitely for you. Watch as we dive into the details of this incredible Mini and why it’s got us so excited!

Base maps are one of the first hurdles in any tuning project, and while they often seem daunting at first, with hindsight and experience, they’re actually much simpler than we expect but some people become so overwhelmed they throw in the towel before having the chance to get that far.Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-inTo help car enthusiasts worldwide reduce stress and have a greater chance of easy success with their tuning projects, Haltech has developed a new app for their Rebel ECU range, specifically targeting the LS community (for now). This app, called Haltech Connect, offers a simple 7-step process to wire your V8-swapped project, get it running on a Haltech ECU, and even potentially driving with minimal further input (exceptions and common sense apply, of course).Why a phone app instead of the typical Windows OS software?What information is needed for the 7 steps, and where can you find it?Are system checks included to ensure everything is correct before firing up?With various LS engine variants, how is the wiring made universal?All these questions and more are answered in this quick interview from the World Time Attack Challenge paddock.What Haltech Connect can do:Connects via WiFiAndroid and iOS supportedView and clear DTCsView data display functions and monitor engine parameters in real-time on your smartphone, tablet and, in some cases, head unit.Change basic settings and adjust basic engine parametersWhat Haltech Connect can't do:Advanced tuning calibrationsFreely access any and all functions and settings (although it should let you get to most!)Data loggingSo who is the Haltech Connect app for? Someone who just wants to get their basic LS swap project up and running with minimal fuss and isn't worried about getting all the power possible out of their LS V8 engine. From there, they have the option to pull out a laptop and dive deeper if they wish.Who isn't the Haltech app for? Those with highly modified engines using aggressive aftermarket cams and/or high boost applications, as well as those using race fuels or ethanol blends who want to make as much power (reliably!) as possible.Basically, any setup that a 'self-tuning' function will be out of its depth on/dangerous 🤘

Many enthusiasts want to build something unique simply for the sake of “being different”. And while that’s fine, different doesn’t necessarily mean better — or even good, for that matter. Morgan Clarke of MCD1 doesn’t have that problem, though. What he creates is definitely different… But it’s also very, very good.Use MCD100 to get $50 off HPA’s Motorsport Fabrication Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/fabpackagebMorgan Clarke isn’t your typical vehicle designer and fabricator — he tends to avoid CAD and 3D scanning, he doesn’t have any formal training, and he’s certainly had a rough road to get to where he is today — yet he’s a highly regarded and sought after builder in the world of offroad vehicles. Starting his career in industrial fabrication, cars were only an occasional side hobby for Morgan. That is, until people in the industry started to recognise his design and fabrication talents and enticed him away from the boring 9-5 and into a motorsport-focused fab shop. Morgan talks us through his challenging journey from directionless troublemaker to the owner of a successful and very much in-demand design and fabrication shop.In this episode, Morgan takes the time to drop some great advice on how we can all improve our fab skills, and discusses why he doesn’t feel the need to use CAD or 3D scanning in his work, bucking the industry-wide trend towards harnessing tech in the build process.We then get into the juiciest part of the conversion, as Morgan goes deep into the details on his most well-known build, an incredible Lamborghini twin turbo V10-powered Range Rover Velar Prerunner, known as the MCD1 Dakar Prototype.This machine is a testament to the idea that beautiful form follows well-executed function, and every inch of the jaw-dropping build is an absolute work of art, from the chassis, to the suspension, to the mid-rear mounted boosted V10 capable of 2000hp. We’re able to dig deep into this project’s inner workings and the concepts that make this desert-destroying weapon what it is. With great discussions around the pros and cons of different materials, off road suspension system choices, what makes his vehicles so fast and capable and plenty more, this episode featuring Morgan Clarke is a must-listen.Follow Morgan here:IG: @morganclarkedesign1YT: MORGAN CLARKE DESIGNTK: morganclarkedesign1WWW: shopmcd1.comDon’t forget, you can use MCD100 to get $50 off HPA’s Motorsport Fabrication Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/fabpackagebTime Stamps:4:03 How did you get into cars?7:00 Where does your engineering knowledge come from?13:26 What sort of off-road vehicles are you building?17:47 How did you learn to fabricate?23:32 Welding Chromoly31:25 How did you get into motorsport fabrication?37:06 Tips on how to develop fab skills41:48 How and when do you use CAD?47:15 Fabricated vs billet50:34 What is the Dakar Prototype and how did the concept come to life?58:56 Pros and Cons of Independent rear suspension vs live rear axle1:05:09 Engine package1:09:45 Drivetrain1:13:42 What electronics are you using?1:15:30 Designing and manufacturing complex parts1:18:43 How do you feel about such a work of art being beaten up when driven in the desert?1:22:44 Overview of MCD and how you got it to what it is today?1:36:03 Final 3 questions