LibertyMKiii is going back to sports cars

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LibertyMKiii

LibertyMKiii

Aerodynamics speed junkie
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Some of you may have noticed I sold off most of my RC stuff and slowly making my exit from the hobby.
I will say I like this community(Family) and will continue to come here daily to help and share advice.

Long before I got into RC cars I was always a sports car guy. I had not been able to afford to play with sports cars when we were having kids and I was young in my career, so I dabbled into RC cars.
As you well know RC cars and the pursuit of speed became an obsession for me. We are done having kids and they are out of diapers and baby formula/ growing up and my career has stabilized so I found it was time to try sports cars again.

I know there are quite a few car guys on the forum so I figured I would share what I have planned and purchased so far and we can chat about it.

The plan is to take a modern chassis like a Scion FR-S / Toyota 86 / Subaru BR-Z or possibly an RX-8 and wedge a big LS swap into it. The concept is simple.... mix the great handling JDM with big displacement chevy motor that has tons of aftermarket support. While the LS swap is played out you just cant beat it dollar for dollar.

Yesterday I took delivery of a LQ9 6.0L from an Escalade that had 102k miles.

(my 3 yr old checking out the mystery in the box)
IMG20240916144653.jpg


Initial review of the engine harness etc
IMG20240916174622.jpg


My 12 yr old son is very excited about this project and worked with me till 10:30 last night on removing the wiring harness and the intake manifold/fuel system. We pulled the valve cover to reveal that the motor is very clean inside. Wooo hoo!
IMG20240916222017.jpg
 
Last edited:
LibertyMKiii said:
Some of you may have noticed I sold off most of my RC stuff and slowly making my exit from the hobby.
I will say I like this community(Family) and will continue to come here daily to help and share advice.

Long before I got into RC cars I was always a sports car guy. I had not been able to afford to play with sports cars when we were having kids and I was young in my career, so I dabbled into RC cars.
As you well know RC cars and the pursuit of speed became an obsession for me. We are dong having kids and they are out of diapers and baby formula/ growing up and my career has stabilized so I found it was time to try sports cars again.

I know there are quite a few car guys on the forum so I figured I would share what I have planned and purchased so far and we can chat about it.

The plan is to take a modern chassis like a Scion FR-S / Toyota 86 / Subaru BR-Z or possibly an RX-8 and wedge a big LS swap into it. The concept is simple.... mix the great handling JDM with big displacement chevy motor that has tons of aftermarket support. While the LS swap is played out you just cant beat it dollar for dollar.

Yesterday I took delivery of a LQ9 6.0L from an Escalade that had 102k miles.

(my 3 yr old checking out the mystery in the box)
View attachment 391675

Initial review of the engine harness etc
View attachment 391676

My 12 yr old son is very excited about this project and worked wit my till 10:30 last night on removing the wiring harness and the intake manifold/fuel system. We pulled the valve cover to reveal that the motor is very clean inside. Wooo hoo!
View attachment 391678
Click to expand...

Now THAT'S what I call Upgrading!!! 💥👊
 
Awesome! Keep us filled in! We're all car guys of some sorts. I had muscle cars & mud trucks. Racing quads & Harleys.
The LQ9 is an excellent choice. I was looking for one for my mud truck when the Vortec blew. Sounds like a wicked ride!
 
BudUMfan said:
What about the boats @LibertyMKiii? Still going to tinker?
Click to expand...
I kept the dual rigger project. I want to finish that one out and will be selling it once ready (save your lunch money) :LOL:

332_RC said:
Awesome! Keep us filled in! We're all car guys of some sorts. I had muscle cars & mud trucks. Racing quads & Harleys.
The LQ9 is an excellent choice. I was looking for one for my mud truck when the Vortec blew. Sounds like a wicked ride!
Click to expand...

I keep looking at the LS3 cylinder heads because the LS3 intake manifold is reasonably priced and flows very good. The heads have bigger valves and flow more. It is all good things, but just adds another 1500-2000 to the build costs. I refuse to pay over a thousand for the FAST LSX cathedral port intake manifolds and nothing else is very good from what I am reading. I could do the trail blazer SS manifold but it sits tall and wont fit under the hood. Every project has its challenges and compromises.

The plan is a big 231 duration Comp cam.
 
Last edited:
LibertyMKiii said:
Some of you may have noticed I sold off most of my RC stuff and slowly making my exit from the hobby.
Click to expand...
I want names. Give me names now. Who here ran you off and I'll deal with them!!! :D ;)


@LibertyMKiii hope you do stick around and at least show off your car build. I'd love to see it!
 
LibertyMKiii said:
I kept the dual rigger project. I want to finish that one out and will be selling it once ready (save your lunch money) :LOL:



I keep looking at the LS3 cylinder heads because the LS3 intake manifold is reasonably priced and flows very good. The heads have bigger valves and flow more. It is all good things, but just adds another 1500-2000 to the build costs. I refuse to pay over a thousand for the FAST LSX cathedral port intake manifolds and nothing else is very good from what I am reading. I could do the trail blazer SS manifold but it sits tall and wont fit under the hood. Every project has its challenges and compromises.

The plan is a big 231 duration Comp cam.
Click to expand...
My question because I helped a friend do a like project but we used an old car do to being able to register it. Emissions requirements limited the choices

Jester194 said:
My question because I helped a friend do a like project but we used an old car do to being able to register it. Emissions requirements limited the choices
Click to expand...
Use an early 90s BMW mainly for that response
 
WoodiE said:
I want names. Give me names now. Who here ran you off and I'll deal with them!!! :D ;)


@LibertyMKiii hope you do stick around and at least show off your car build. I'd love to see it!
Click to expand...
Thanks Woodie, I'll be around. I think the automotive forums suck so I'll share it here...

I have some very wild / unique things planned for this build, but you all will have to wait and see ;)
 
LibertyMKiii said:
Thanks Woodie, I'll be around. I think the automotive forums suck so I'll share it here...

I have some very wild / unique things planned for this build, but you all will have to wait an see ;)
Click to expand...
We need a hobby sub-forum here. Someone should make that happen.
 
Jester194 said:
My question because I helped a friend do a like project but we used an old car do to being able to register it. Emissions requirements limited the choices


Use an early 90s BMW mainly for that response
Click to expand...

This was another factor.... In Texas where we used to live that was a problem. Where we moved in Tennessee they don't seem to care at all. There is no inspection of any sort on cars. Not even safety, seatbelts, lights etc. Nothing!!!
So I can pretty much do what I want which means a full stand alone Holley EFI system.
 
LibertyMKiii said:
This was another factor.... In Texas where we used to live that was a problem. Where we moved in Tennessee they don't seem to care at all. There is no inspection of any sort on cars. Not even safety, seatbelts, lights etc. Nothing!!!
So I can pretty much do what I want which means a full stand alone Holley EFI system.
Click to expand...
Lucky you. Here in CT you can't do anything without some sort of restrictions on it.
 
Jester194 said:
Lucky you. Here in CT you can't do anything without some sort of restrictions on it.
Click to expand...
Yep I was very excited and this was part of the reason I wanted to move forward with this project.
I am going to do some pretty extreme things and DOT restrictions limit the fun :LOL:
 
Jester194 said:
I'm assuming your going to strip all creature comforts out.
Click to expand...
No not really I am old and like comforts more than when I was fresh out of high school.
Also the main road out of my neighborhood is pretty rough so I can't go too crazy with the whole "race car" look by slamming it to the ground.
 

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