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We were asked to become involved with this project from an early phase and we were honored and challenged to be part of this amazing build.
We were able to design, supply, manufacture and install all the electronics and electrical systems for this one of a kind machine.
The Coupe was a huge challenge since the Owner wanted to create something unique that embodied the feel of a 1965 Daytona Coupe but with all the modernizations you would expect of a vehicle in 2008.
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Some of the requirements for the build were that the car needed to remain as simple and user friendly as possible, Helmut decided early on that he didn't want to have an ignition key and that a Push to start/stop engine button system be employed.
The Motor was delivered straight from Ford Racing as a crate 347, with an advertised power output of 450hp. In the interests of using the best new technology available the decision was made early on that a Carburetor was not going to work with this build. The engine was torn down and sent out to be internally rebalanced so that a 5" racing clutch and 7" flywheel could be used, the intake manifold was pulled off and shelved and a new Individiual Throttle body system from TWM Induction was sourced with 50mm Throttles for each cylinder.
The MSD distributor that came with the engine was retired next and an OEM Ford Camsync unit was installed in its place that provides a Cam Sync signal for the ECU.
We then supplied a 60-2 <58tooth> trigger wheel and Magnetic Sensor and worked hand in hand with Dwain and Kremyr Chassis works to design a custom machined bracket to hold the Crank Trigger sensor. The goal in this case was to have a highly accurate signal to ensure that the timing was as accurate as possible and that we could sequentially inject the engine.
We supplied a matched set of Seimens Deka 60lb/hr injectors to meet the 500-550hp goals for this engine along with a Bosch "044" racing fuel pump to make sure that enough fuel was available to meet the 500-550hp goals from the modified crate motor.
The next step was to supply and install a VEMS 3.4 ECU and a pair of Bosch Motorsports 2x2 coilpacks that are configured to fire in pairs as a Waste Spark System, this helps with burning unspent exhaust gasses and reducing emissions and is a very cost effective way of retiring the distributor in favor of the new higher accuracy system.
A VEMS 3.4 ECU was supplied and installed to control everything and is configured with 8 injector drivers firing each injector sequentially and 8 ignition drivers of which only 4 were needed to fire the pair of coilpacks. Dual EGT inputs were also configured and a pair of EGT <Pyrometer> probes were installed, one on each bank of the V8. Bosch Wideband LSU4 Oxygen sensors were installed in the Sidepipes to accurately measure the Air Fuel content from each bank.
The WBO2 sensors coupled with the EGT probes allows us to get a very accurate and safe engine tune while still attaining maximum power levels. The Wideband oxygen sensors are also used during driving conditions to provide constant feedback to the ECU and ensure that it can Target Safe Air fuel ratios under all engine conditions. During light throttle and cruise type driving the sensors are also used to provide feedback to attain maximum fuel economy.
An Aerospace Milspec Plug was used on the firewall to connect the Engine harness to the ECU so that with a single plug the engine can be removed quickly. 3 smaller Aerospace plugs were employed at the front of the vehicle where the tilting front end is attached to the body, one on each side for the headlights/turn signals and Horns and a third plug for the front mounted Laser Jammers. This way the nose can also be removed quickly without having to unhook lots of wiring.
We wired the chassis from scratch starting with a Painless Performance wiring harness which was fished through the inside of the Chromoly 4130 Tubeframe and out of sight. The Engine Harness was made from scratch and has its own fuse/relay panel which was manufactured in Europe by the VEMS group.
We were asked to design the lighting system for the car as well as the turn signals, dash layout, controls and interior lighting to match the rest of the look and feel of a modern day race inspired Daytona.
The headlights are sourced from Osram Sylvania, We used their Xe7 Bi-Xenon projectors for the upper lights, and their Xe5r Bi-Xenon lights for the lower driving lights. Light output is excellent and by using HID lighting the bulbs are unaffected by the vibration from the solidly mounted V8 and use less power than convential incandescent lighting, reducing load on the alternator and freeing up more ponies.
The turn signals were made by hand and the proper DOT legal colored High Brightness LED's were sourced, 60 LED's were used in each of the rear tail lights, and 16 LED's were used on each side of the front Marker lights/Signals. To control the LED lights and allow them to be used as both Running lights and Signal/Brake lights we supplied and installed a pair of Pulsewidth Modulated LED controllers that is able to dim the LED's for use as Daytime running lights and then apply full power when turning or braking.
To meet the requirement for the Keyless ignition system as well as keyless entry into the vehicle we supplied a CompuStar Pro Alarm/Remote start system which is coupled to door solenoids in each door, and we designed a push to start/stop engine control system that works in conjunction with the Compustar and the VEMS ECU to allow the motor to be started and stopped using a single button, this is definitely more complicated than it sounds and we are already working on a standalone product that will allow anyone to add a push to start/stop function to their vehicle, keep checking back with us over the next months as we work to get this ready for the market.
The dash was engineered to keep things simple and we know that when driving a car to its limits you rarely have the ability to look at the gauges, we decided to go with a system of 5, 3 color <RGB> LED's mounted above the steering wheel to provide all the instant feedback that the driver needs. They were arranged in a wide angle V just above the steering colum and provide the following functions. Outer LED's flash green with the turn signals, and glow dimly green when the headlights are on, the 2nd pair of LED's turn green when the line lock is turned on, and are also used to flash blue when the alarm is armed. The Center LED turns blue when the HighBeams are turned on and We also configured the VEMs ECU to drive the 5 LED's as a progressive Shift light/RPM warning. The outer two LED's turn red as the first indication, as RPM continues to rise towards redline the 2nd set inside come on RED as well, and just before the Revlimiter is reached the Center red LED lights up warning the driver that he needs to shift. The LED's can also be configured as Oil pressure or Coolant Temperature warning indicators.
Heavy Duty door solenoids were installed in the doors and can be controlled to open the doors via the Alarm Remote or with the dash mounted button. There are no door handles on the outside.
OEM Ford GT mirrors were selected and were modified to fit the Daytona Body and a factory Ford Power mirror control switch was wired in.
Blinder Laser Jammers were supplied and installed front and rear to provide warning of Police LIDAR 3 units mounted up front and a single Jammer in the rear.
In the interests of keeping the vehicle as light as possible and true to its Race inspired design we supplied a DEKA EXT-14 battery that many said was too small to run this monsterous V8 powerplant. We have been very pleased with the results and it happily cranks over the medium compresison V8, the battery tips the scales at only 11lbs compared to a standard automotive battery at 50+ lbs
We are working on the finishing details and will get a chance to do the final tuning on the car over the next months stay posted for videos and more pictures. It will also be at SEMA 2008.
The car is fully registered, insured and legal for use on the road now. We estimate that it produces 500-530hp and the car was weighed on a Government Certified/inspected scale and is a lightweight at 2300lbs with just over half a tank of fuel.
We are proud to have been involved in this amazing one of a kind project and would like to Say a big thanks for Helmut Musil the owner and Dwain Kremyr for bringing us on board.
You can find more photos of the full vehicle build over at www.kremyrchassisworks.com as well as here in our own project galleries. |
