On the island of Boost, officially known as Puerto Rico, Sporty Dyno is the turnstile to turbo power. The rollers in this "little dyno shop that could" have witnessed volumes of performance history pumped out one pony at a time. One of the latest wild rides to be strapped to Sporty's all-wheel torture chamber is the Tito Cam Degree Evo VIII. This Evo, owned and operated by Ricardo Cruz, was conceived to be a road circuit specialist-so extra attention was needed to ensure it would not just survive but thrive long, full-throttle blasts.
The key to longevity under boost is a stout foundation and a turbo that hits the spot, which in this case is a response of not so big numbers on the high end. Rafy Machine, of Sabana Grande, took possession of the block and head while Tito Cam selected a turbo kit and collected suspension pieces. Rafy line honed the block and prepped it for a JUN Auto stroker crank. The JUN billet crankshaft pushes displacement to 2.2-liters and sets the stage for forged JUN rods and pistons. Adding displacement allows the engine to ingest more air, make more torque and quicken turbo spool-up.
Team Rafy also worked its magic on the cylinder head matching the ports and polishing the runners to improve fundamental flow. Again UN Auto was called upon as the 4G63 runs a set of 272-degree JUN bumpsticks, retainers and springs in conjunction with Ferrea 1mm over stainless steel valves.
Once Tito Cam assembled the short-block it was time to address pressurization. The crew selected an AMS 50R turbo upgrade kit starring a T3/T4 50-trim turbo. The dual ball bearing gas and 500-plus on race fuel, sports a quickspooling .63 A/R turbine housing. A masterfully fabricated thick wall T304 stainless turbo header secures the turbo. Its split-entry flange and equal length design provide excellent pulse management and optimal wastegate placement. Tito Cam elected to upgrade the stock FMIC with an AMS unit. On the hot side a 4-inch downpipe connects to a 3-inch AMS exhaust system.
Fuel enrichment has been addressed with the Walbro 255lph in-tank pump, 1,200cc injectors and an AMS fuel rail. Tito Cam wired up an A'PEXi Power FC to run the big squirters while a Buschur Racing ignition system sparks the fire. On Sporty Dyno's four-wheel Dynojet chassis dyno the black bruiser belted out 522 whp and 511 lb-ft of torque. Tito Cam handled the tuning specifics, optimizing the power curve to keep the 4G63 in its sweep sport between shifts.
A trick Tilton clutch funnels the torque through an otherwise stock driveline. From here it's up to the suspension to ensure all that thrust is properly used. hlins coilovers outfitted with Eibach springs provide the Evo's fast footwork. Cusco anti-sway bars fend off lateral g's while a stout Alcon braking system generates negative g's. The brake upgrade features six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units in the rear. The Mitsubishi's considerable contact patch is provided by 285/45-18 Pirelli P Zero tires wrapped around 18x9.5 Volk Racing TE37s.
The body has been tweaked with a big mouth-style front bumper, Darth Vader headlight blackout treatment and an aggressive APR wing, which is key for dialing in downforce on the track.
The inside of the car has been enhanced for racing with an Auto Power rollcage, a purpose-built Cobra seat, Zeitronics air/fuel readout and an array of Defi gauges strategically located in the center dash.
"Everything began as a simple dream of getting myself started as a rookie in time attack and Solo Uno events," Cruz says. "In 2004, the first year of the PRRRA (Puerto Rico Road Racing Association), during the Solo Uno Championship the car took First Place. In 2005, we finished second and third with two cars. In 2006,we won it all again and so, in 2007, we stand first in points. One of our highlights came on Nov. 20, 2005 when we broke the track record, setting a mark that stood for two years."