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Nov 18, 2008 11:00 AM
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Detroit, 12:13 PM
Tue Feb 9
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You know how these know-it-alls keep telling you that you have to be all, like, scientific and stuff when you want to add turbocharging to your engine? Forget that noise! When you're on a 24 Hours Of LeMons-mandated $500 budget and you've already spent $17.99 on the most hideous wrecked Miata imaginable, you can't go throwing away money on complicated-ass fuel-delivery crapola. No, you do what Eyesore Racing did with the Ghettocharged FrankenMiata! Make the jump to read about yet another reason that the 2008 Arse Freeze-A-Palooza race will be the best yet.
You remember the 24 Hours Of LeMons SF 2008 People's Choice-winning Eyesore Pimpin CRX, of course. The Eyesore Racing CRX showed us that pimpin' really ain't easy, and neither is finishing the race with a little Honda that's had the crap beat out of it while finishing in the Top Ten in three previous LeMons races.
Sadly, the Eyesore Racing CRX pimpmobile's racing career was over. Crushed! That meant it was time for a new car.
Mazda Miatas usually do quite well at the 24 Hours Of Lemons; a Miata won at the LeMons South event (and another got the People's Curse in Texas). The Eyesore guys managed to find a pair of totally crunched Miata wrecks, plus enough worn-out engine parts to assemble a possibly serviceable powerplant, plus a rusted-solid turbocharger. What next? Why, break out the galvanized plumbing fittings and rig up some turbo plumbing above the engine! Here's what Eyesore Racer and Jalopnik commenter Wrappedinbacon has to say about this rig:
The additional fuel to support the turbo's boost is done caveman-style—with a mechanical fuel pressure regulator. We bought a used one for $20. It's very simple—it squeezes down on the fuel return line when boost increases. Presto, fuel pressure increases, which forces more fuel through the stock injectors.
With the regulator handling things during boosted operation, the factory airflow meter is sort of just along for the ride. Keep in mind that we intentionally kept boost low—the turbo only generates a light breeze of 3.5-psi of boost. Now, I wouldn't say that the driveability is perfect (it isn't) or that our car will go the distance (just look at the turbo installation) but cost was the overriding priority. That's why our car still has the stock Miata exhaust manifold.
The turbo itself was free—it came from a Mexican Domestic Market (MDM, yo) Dodge Stratus and was rusted solid when we got it. The rest of the turbo installation consists primarily of scrap iron and MIG welding rod. The radiator enclosure is the sheetmetal of one of our team member's old hot water heater shed. Coolant lines are galvanized EMT electrical conduit from Home Depot. The engine was rebuilt with a two drills and recycled gaskets.
After god-knows-how-many hours of labor, they got their turbocharged, intercooled Mazda B engine putting out 140 horsepower with 4 pounds of boost. Sure, it's probably going to start spitting red-hot exhaust valve chunks out the tailpipe about 25 laps into the race, but what a glorious 25 laps it will be! Those guys on Team Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys and their Peugeot 505 Turbo had better watch out! Now go check out the whole Ghettocharged FrankenMiata story here!
Send an email to Murilee Martin, the author of this post, at murilee@jalopnik.com.
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