The turbocharger system is ready to be installed. The only delay is the exhaust manifold, which once again cannot be completed until the bodywork is complete. Norwood's crew manufactured the lightweight stainless-steel manifold flanges and Burns Stainless Products supplied some well-made four-into-one collectors, but the rest of the system can't be bent until the body is fitted and clearances checked. The turbocharger is a custom-built Turbonetics ball-bearing T88 and the impressively crafted air-water intercooler was also supplied by the experts at Turbonetics.
The team will use dual Turbonetics "Godzilla" blow-off valves that were heavily modified to reduce internal restrictions and reduce weight. The wastegates will also be sourced from the Turbonetics catalog and mounted as a pair. The aluminum intake and turbocharger tubing is another area the team can't finish until the bodywork is installed and checked for clearances.
Norwood designed and fabricated the intake manifold. The oval runner design allows the 1600cc injectors to be positioned in pairs, side-by-side in each runner.
"The whole idea was to have an injector aimed directly at the back of each intake valve," Norwood explains. "I also utilized a Ford SVO 83mm throttle body to allow this thing to breathe at the big end."
The lubrication system on the NORAD 3RZ is ready to be installed and consists of a Peterson Fluid Systems four-stage dry-sump pump driven by a belt drive. Supplying the pump is a gorgeous aluminum oil tank from Peterson, which also supplied the inline filter. Peterson Fluid Systems has a well-earned reputation for producing top-quality components.
"When selecting lubrication system components, I won't settle for anything less than the best. Peterson has been awesome to work with and I can't recommend them enough," says Norwood.
Mounted on the rear of the Peterson oil pump is the Waterman fuel pump. The team wanted to eliminate as much parasitic drag as possible. A belt drive could've been used, but mounting the fuel pump directly to the oil pump shaft eliminates the need for a belt and will also reduce the loss in horsepower.
More Norwood-style trickery is evident at the front of the engine, where a distinctly odd-looking balancer arrangement graces the snout of the crankshaft. The balancer itself is a custom ATI unit that was manufactured to Norwood's specifications. Mounted directly behind the balancer is a billet-aluminum ignition pickup wheel that was crafted by Norwood's ace machinist Tommy Todd.
Todd is also responsible for the titanium hub the balancer and pickup wheel are bolted to. A unique facet of this arrangement is the hub has a thread machined in it to allow the mounting of the alternator directly on the nose of the crank. Once again, Norwood is looking to minimize the parasitic power losses a belt drive system allows. It also places the weight of the alternator forward and much lower, helping to lower the car's center of gravity and limit weight transfer.
It may seem Norwood's crew still has a lot of work to do, but Norwood isn't as concerned as you'd think. "I've been around racing for many years and I've built a lot of cars. No matter how far ahead of the curve you may think you are, there are always glitches and delays. We've done everything we can at this point. Once the last few parts of the puzzle are in our hands, we'll bust our asses to complete the project. I have four talented people waiting in the wings and they're all ready to work 24/7 on Christian's car when the time comes."
Transmission, driveline and wheels
The Lenco transmissions are currently in transit from the factory. The air-shifted five-speed units have magnesium cases and were upgraded with titanium internals to save weight. The unique slipper clutches have been manufactured and are ready to install and the clutch control system is complete.
The biggest task the team faces in testing will be the setup and adjustment of the clutch system.