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-motorsportD’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: @biggercncguyIG: @plazmamanracingFB: Plazmaman.comYT: PlazmamanAusWWW: plazmaman.comDon’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-inWith 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/enginebuildAs 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: @mtperformanceenginesFB: MT Performance EnginesYT: 199niko199Don’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-inRunning 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/enginebuildPlatinum 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: @platinumracingproductsFB: Platinum Racing ProductsYT: PRP - Platinum Racing ProductsWWW: platinumracingproducts.com Don’t forget, use “PLATINUM50” for 50% off our HPA Engine Building Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/enginebuild