While you might be able to get away with a little sloppiness when building an engine for a street car, that’s not going to fly when it comes to dedicated race engines. In this episode, we sit down with Tom Hughes from Hughes Race Built to discuss exactly why that is, how we can ensure we’re building our engines right, what makes a great naturally aspirated race engine build, and much more. Use “HUGHES50” to get 50% off our HPA Practical Engine Building Course here: hpcdmy.co/practicalengineb The...
Jul 20, 2023•1 hr 38 min
Can you run a billet block on a street build? With 1650whp what 1/4 mile time can a full trim R34 do? Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in With 1650whp at 55psi of boost this R34 GTR Skyline is arguably one of Australia's fastest roll racers, and even more impressively this 1600kg car will do 8-second passes while retaining the full stock trim as Av from B2R Motorsports explains. Running a 3.4l Bullet Race Engineering 'hybrid' billet block, this ...
Jul 18, 2023•12 min
And we’re back! After a few weeks away from the microphone, we’re jumping back into the Tuned In podcast with our longest and tech-heaviest episode yet — one that will satisfy even the nerdiest listeners. Use “DIGGLES100” for $100 off our HPA Engine Building Starter Package here: https://www.hpacademy.com/hpa-engine-building-starter-package/ This week, we’re talking to Australia’s Ben Diggles. Ben is somewhat unique as a Tuned In guest due to the fact he doesn’t work in the motorsport industry —...
Jul 13, 2023•2 hr 28 min
Active aero, mid-mounted flat 6 pushing out 1400hp at sea level, 1100hp at the Pikes Peak start line and 900hp at the top of the mountain. What does any of that mean or matter? Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in NOTE: This was recorded before the sudden and sad passing of driver Ken Block in early 2023. RIP to a motorsport and performance industry legend. Betim Berisha gives us the [TECH TALK] @semashow rundown on the @BBIAutosport 1972-ish Por...
Jul 11, 2023•25 min
What's the best way to tackle a big build project and actually follow through to its completion? Just how useful is learning how to design in CAD? Is stance dead? And just how the hell did Ferrari manage to build such an overweight and underpowered car? These questions and many more interesting head-scratchers are all answered on this week's episode of the High Performance Academy Tuned In podcast with our guest, Mike Burroughs of StanceWorks. Use ‘STANCEWORKS50’ for 50% off HPA's 3D Modeling &a...
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 48 min
How do you trigger both Mercedes and Mazda purists at once? This. This is how you do it, and we think it's awesome. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in Tuning and wiring specialist Adam Peeling of Smart EFI (who we've spoken to previously at Pikes Peak) gives us a rundown on this build and his involvement. Originally a 1993 FD3S but looking far from stock these days a Mercedes M120 6L V12 with custom rods, pistons, cams, valve train, 5-stage dry...
Jul 04, 2023•18 min
“Circuit drivers see one corner 1000 times — rally drivers see 1000 corners one time.” In this High Performance Academy Tuned In episode, we’re joined by the one and only Dave Carapetyan of Rally Ready. Use ‘RALLYREADY50’ to get 50% off HPA's Suspension Tuning & Optimization course: hpacademy.com/courses/suspension-and-car-setup Better known as ‘Texas Dave’, this driver and instructor owns and operates the Rally Ready driving school on a converted cattle ranch 30 minutes outside of Austin, a...
Jun 29, 2023•1 hr 49 min
Factory Mazda parts quality and their limits, knock/detonation in a rotary engine, lightened rotors, stud kits, clearancing plus ethanol fuel advantages are just a few of the topics discussed with Rob Dahm adding more and more specific details the deeper the discussion gets. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in Rotary engine building traditionally has had 2 extremes, those building them poorly and blaming engine, and those building them well via ...
Jun 27, 2023•17 min
No matter how you feel about electric vehicles, there's no denying the incredible performance that can be achieved with these impressive driveline systems. With more and more rapid EVs hitting the streets every day, inevitably, enthusiasts are now beginning to ask just what can be gained when working with them. This week's HPA Tuned In podcast guest is Sasha Anis of Mountain Pass Performance, someone who has dived deeper than most into the world of high-performance EVs. Use 'SASHA100' to get $10...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 37 min
The RZ34 Z is the newest offering in the Nissan Z line, and AMS Performance was quick to set a world-first 9-second pass using (by today's standards) relatively basic upgrades. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in Back in 2022 9.92 at 137mph was the first run in the 9's in a RZ34 Z 2023 Nissan Z Proto Spec and Nick Cassara of AMS Performance gives us some insight into the similarities and differences of this new platform compared to Infinity Q50 ...
Jun 20, 2023•8 min
On this week's episode of the High Performance Academy Tuned In podcast, Andre is joined by an absolute legend of the import scene. John Shepherd has been around since the very early days of import drag racing. Through campaigning his AWD Eagle Talon, John lead the first charge and pushed the boundaries of just what was possible with a Japanese performance car. Use ‘SHEP100’ for $100 off the HPA Tuning Starter Package: hpacademy.com/hpa-starter-package/ John talks about his early days and the ma...
Jun 15, 2023•1 hr 12 min
Say goodbye to the old saying "cast ain't fast" with Dart's 2JZ cast iron engine block. When it comes to the many limitations factory cast blocks have when we try and take them from 200-300hp to 2000-3000hp or more, the go-to option in the aftermarket is generally a billet alloy block that offers more strength and improved design (sometimes application specific), but at a substantial cost given the nature of manufacturing. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co...
Jun 13, 2023•9 min
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-motorsport D’Arcy started his journey in the motorsport world ...
Jun 08, 2023•1 hr 23 min
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-in With 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 F...
Jun 06, 2023•18 min
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/enginebuild As a teenag...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 40 min
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-in Running 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...
May 30, 2023•18 min
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 Fundamental...
May 25, 2023•1 hr 39 min
What is the most common mistake we make when learning how to set up our dampers and which ones we should buy? Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in Frank Vasquez from KW Suspension answers these questions and more around high and low-speed compressions and rebound, driver feedback and why buying the most expensive dampers might be a waste of money....
May 23, 2023•12 min
Got a modified road car and are interested in seeing what it’s capable of on the track? On this episode of Tuned In, Andre Nader from DNA Autosport joins us to give some guidance on all things track day setup and preparation. Use “DNAAUTOSPORT50” for 50% off our HPA Motorsport Wheel Alignment course here: https://hpcdmy.co/alignmentb Although Andre’s first love was of the motorbike persuasion, a degree in mechanical engineering, a thesis on race car aerodynamics, and a job at Bilstein Suspension...
May 18, 2023•1 hr 39 min
@LYFEmotorsport and their 1200HP R35 GTR are no strangers to Time Attack or track records having reset their own R35 record at the 2019 WTAC (when this was filmed), BUT, it takes a lot more than just bolting a bunch of parts together and going ‘full send’ to achieve these results as Cole Powelson explains in relation to wheel alignments. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in The 4L Nissan VR38 powered and MoTeC-controlled car runs CCW 18*12.5 one-...
May 16, 2023•7 min
Bolting a 4000+hp twin turbo V8-powered drag car onto a dyno and pushing it to its limits isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s just another day in the office for this week’s guest, Anderson Dick of FuelTech USA. Use “FUELTECH100” for $100 off our HPA Tuning Starter package here: https://hpcdmy.co/starterb Founding FuelTech 20 years ago as an electrical engineering student in Brazil, Anderson started from absolute scratch with very little support and no other ECU products on hand to even take i...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 45 min
When you think drifting, you also think of a 1966 Toyota Stout right? Even if you don't, Ryan Tuerck's mate did, so that is what he's built with @toyotausa and @OfficialMobil1 . Moving on from the previous Ferrari-powered GT86 (GT4586) and Formula Supra (Judd V10 powered) time attack builds this drift ute, or drift truck depending on your regional dialect, fell just short of laying rubber at @semashow 22', but is tantalisingly close to doing so very soon. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first H...
May 09, 2023•15 min
What’s the best bang-for-buck calibration platform for a late-model GM vehicle? Is there anything you can’t do on a good reflashing platform? And just how hard is it to make money in the automotive YouTube space? Jeremy Formato of Fasterproms joins us this week to answer these questions and many more. Use “FASTERPROMS75” for $75 off our Practical Reflash Tuning course here: https://hpcdmy.co/reflashb Many will know Jeremy from his popular YouTube channel and tuning business, Fasterproms. Those t...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 41 min
When everyone was knee-jerk reacting negatively to the B58 engine in the A90 Toyota Supra, Stephen Papadakis & crew were the guys getting data, testing setups and then getting results on track on the 8,900rpm limiter. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in As discussed, Papadakis Racing hasn't had a B58 development program without any issues, but I think after this interview we can all honestly say there were not as many as we all might have th...
May 02, 2023•19 min
Braking is an element of automotive performance that many enthusiasts tend to overlook, or potentially even worse, simply throw the biggest discs and calipers they can fit behind their wheels and hope for the best. In this episode, we’ve invited Alcon’s Steve Hodgkins to help us understand the ins and outs of performance braking systems and smash some myths in the process. Use “ALCON50” for 50% off our HPA Race Driving Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/raceb Steve has been at Alcon Bra...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 54 min
Are traditional wastegate spring changes potentially a thing of the past with Turbosmart's 'StraightGate50?' Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in Stewart Mahony from @TurbosmartHQ gives us some insight into what a boost or vacuum-actuated straightgate can and does do compared to the traditional poppet-style wastegate options. One of the first questions on your mind might be how much this butterfly valve will leak. 0.006% is the answer thanks to s...
Apr 25, 2023•11 min
It’s something that can destroy your engine in seconds… but how much do you really know about pre-ignition, knock, and super-knock? On this episode of Tuned In, we’ve invited Ioannis Andrianakis from Plex Tuning to talk us through these terms, how his highly-regarded series of knock sensors work, and what we do and don’t need to worry about when it comes to all things detonation. Use ‘PLEX25’ for 25% off our HPA Tuning Starter Package here: https://hpcdmy.co/cad Calling in from Athens, Greece, I...
Apr 20, 2023•1 hr 54 min
What are some of the biggest mistakes those starting out in drifting make when it comes to suspension setup? Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in Explanations on caster angles, Ackerman, toe and comparisons between circuit racing and drift setups are discussed in this interview with Mike Squire of Squire Motorsport and Custom. Mike explains some of the traps people fall into who are starting out or have come from a circuit racing background inclu...
Apr 18, 2023•14 min
Bouncing off rocks the size of houses and pinning it through the unforgiving desert at maximum speed, the vehicles competing in California’s King of the Hammers race have to be the absolute toughest in the world — all while still being fast enough to be competitive. After interviewing Sam Dobry of Dobry Designs recently at SEMA , we knew we needed to get him on the podcast so we could dive much deeper into this brutal form of motorsport. Use ‘DOBRY25’ for 25% off our HPA Motorsport 3D Modelling ...
Apr 13, 2023•1 hr 44 min
What spring rate should I run? How should I adjust my bump and rebound damping? And how low is too low? We’re always getting asked the same questions when it comes to suspension, so on this episode of Tuned In, we sit down with KW Suspension’s Head of Motorsport Thomas Rechenberg to get some definitive answers from someone who knows his way around a coilover, to say the least. Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in Thomas Rechenberg grew up a mere ...
Apr 06, 2023•1 hr 46 min
