What My Race Shop currently offers for sale, and why you may need it…

1)Header Tank Kit

The header tank kit is probably THE most important item you can buy to add onto your FFR GTM, or any other custom built vehicle, if you want the OEM engine cooling system to function properly.

Problem:

This “upgrade kit” addresses a fundamental flaw in the design of the GTM vehicle cooling system layout. The OEM expansion/header tank is placed too low in the GTM, and too far away from the engine to be effective at venting the high point of the LS series of engines. It is for this reason alone that the Header Tank Kit was designed and offered, but the benefits don’t stop at making sure your engine does not go into a steam caused meltdown. Other benefits include the fact that the front tank can now be removed, which frees up valuable space for other items, and makes the front of the car look “cleaner”, it gives you a much more convenient location to fill the cooling system in the rear of the car, and it gives you a “fill it and forget it” type of situation as opposed to the rather complex “burping” or purging procedure that is outlined by FFR in the GTM manual.

Solution:

http://myraceshop.com/Header_Tank.html

We have spoken with and documented many GTM builders/drivers that never saw an issue for many miles, only to have this issue “come out of nowhere” and cause all kinds of grief. Due to the complexity and lack of room to maneuver in the GTM, it is highly recommended that this upgrade be done as a GTM is being built, but it certainly can be retrofitted to a finished GTM as well.

2)Heater Bypass Valve Kit

The Heater Bypass Valve Kit is another cooling system related part. While this upgrade is not considered a “must have” as the issue it solves can be dealt with by understanding how the A/C system works and adjusting settings accordingly, it does make the HVAC and the LS engines thermostat work as intended by both OEMs designs.

Problem:
The design of the HVAC system on the GTM, as well as many other OEM and aftermarket systems, works most efficiently in the “Off” and “Max A/C” modes when no hot cooling system fluid is circulating through the heater core in the HVAC under dash unit. To address this, an electrically actuated valve is put in line on the supply line to the heater core unit that stops fluid flow in the “Off” and “Max A/C” modes of operation. Unfortunately, for the LS series of engines, as well as many others, this causes an engine warm up problem. The problem is that the way the LS engine thermostat housing is designed, it requires constant flow through the heater inlet and outlet ports at the water pump in order to provide ample fluid flow to both sides of the thermostat so as the thermostat will open at the proper engine cooling fluid temperature. The valve that is provided by the HVAC manufacturer does not provide for this constant flow. Instead, it shuts flow of entirely when in the “Off” and “Max A/C” modes. Therefore, if you have the HVAC unit turned off and start the car, there will be no required flow to the “backside” of the thermostat, and therefore the thermostat will not open when the engine reaches operating temperature. Many times if the engine is revved up, or the car is driven while in the warm up period, then this issue is largely alleviated due to a very small bypass hole that comes standard on all properly speced LS thermostats. However, it is quite possible to overheat your engine by simply starting the engine and letting the car sit at an idle warming up with the HVAC controls either set to “Off” or “Max A/C”. It is for this specific reason that the Heater Bypass Valve Kit was designed and offered.

Solution:

http://myraceshop.com/Heater_Bypass_Valve.html

This kit allows both manufacturers goals to be addressed in the “Off” and “Max A/C” modes of operation. The four port valve stops fluid flow to the heater core when necessary, yet insures that fluid constantly flows back to the engine by bypassing the heater core cooling system fluid back to the thermostat housing instead of simply stopping its flow.

3)Suspension Shim Kit

Problem:
The Suspension Shim Kit Really addresses two issues within the GTM.
1) The Suspension Shim Kit, due to its design differences from the Corvette donated cam bolts, allows larger amounts of caster to be achieved in the front end of the GTM. This is particularly important in the Gen I cars as the amount of caster is limited to very small amounts due to the upper control arm mounting points, combined with the limited adjustability of the cam bolts.
2) The Suspension Shim Kit also addresses the fact that the cam bolts, as used in the GTM design, are almost impossible to tighten to the point that there is no “creep” from the proper adjustment due to the normal loading of the suspension under normal driving conditions.

Solution:

http://myraceshop.com/Alignment_Shims.html

It is not uncommon to see 3-3.5 degrees of caster being able to be adjusted into the suspension of a Gen I GTM when using these shims. Also, due to their design, once the correct shim is selected and the nut/bolt combination is tightened properly, there is virtually no way for the suspension to go out of alignment specs unless something bends or breaks elsewhere in the suspension.

4)CV Joints

www.myraceshop.com currently offers high quality, German made GKN/Lobro CV joints and related parts at outstanding prices.

Problem:
Whether you are using the Porsche transaxle with the Corvette donor axles, the Mendeola transaxle with the donor axles, or really any transaxle with any type of setup that uses the Corvette outer wheel hub, you will need to buy properly sized CV joints and related components that allow the wheels to be attached to the transaxle through a driveline.

Solution:
www.myraceshop.com has a wide range of items that will get the job done on a kit car!
This 2 CV 930 Kit will do the basic job of attaching the Corvette axles to the Porsche or Mendeola transaxle…

http://myraceshop.com/930_CV_Kit.html

While more challenging installs may need a transaxle output flange to wheel hub solution…

http://myraceshop.com/Stubs.html

Whatever you need to connect the outer Corvette hub to your transaxle of choice, using either Porsche style 930 or 935 CV joints, www.myraceshop.com has the parts for you.


Continued below...