More obstacles awaited the chaps of 9secondracing.com before they could pump fluid through the heart of their hybrid. An Optima Yellow Top battery got relocated to the trunk while the wiper fluid reservoir was kicked out altogether. This improved balance and made more room for the longitudinally mounted six.
A major obstacle in any motor swap is the wiring harness. This one was no exception. The upper harnesses of both the RB26 and the KA24 had to be spliced together as the former has six individual coils while the latter has a distributor. This is the main item the different harnesses control. The lower KA harness can be used for the starter signal and speedometer and tachometer functions.
Other electrical obstacles included the removal of the stock RB26 mass air sensors and the subsequent replacement with an HKS Vein Pressure Converter.
The VPC essentially tricks the ECU into thinking the mass air sensors (which are typically very restrictive above 400-hp levels) are still there. As a bonus there are two dials set in the dash that allow the driver to adjust air flow to run richer or leaner in either gain (regular driving mode) or idle.
The gizmo list goes on and on with a gaggle of goodies from A'PEXi: tach, boost controller, turbo timer and the E.L. system control box for playback peak and warning functions. Not only are the Indiglo-backed numbers useful, they make Hinckley and Wishart feel like they're in a nightclub whenever the sun goes down. They can also get busy on the laptop when needed thanks to Datalogit Power FC software.
As if all this electronic doohickery isn't enough, a methanol injection system by Snow Performance was added to the mix. The methanol is stored in the trunk and runs through the upper intercooler piping. It is sprayed at 220 psi with 50 percent water, so by the time it hits the combustion chamber it's basically a vapor.
The mixture cools the engine so predetonation does not occur, allowing the timing to be advanced, which allows for more boost. At press time, the RB26 made a dyno run of 447 whp and 437 lb-ft at 1 bar (14.7 psi) on 91-octane fuel.
At this point, the motor was still having some ignition issues therefore could not run as much boost as planned. With a few glitches sorted out, the car should be making 700 whp. While cold weather in Colorado prohibited any angry runs down the 1320 before press time, 10-second passes are predicted once Bandimere Speedway dries up with nine-second runs feasible at sea level. Just like the name says.
Of course, all this power wouldn't be as appealing without good looks and a stout set of legs. The 240 hangs on an HSD HR suspension that is adjustable for camber, rebound, compression and ride height. HSD is an OEM manufacturer for Korean cars that makes a setup similar to Tein's. The springs are set up at 8,000 kilos of compression per millimeter fore and 6,000 aft.
The rollers the springs support are Volk Racing GT-Cs in gunmetal. The guys at 9SR had to wait more than nine months to get the color and lip size they wanted (2-inches in the front and 2 1/2-inches in the rear).
Exterior upgrades are simple but effective. A VIS Racing R33 Skyline Omega body kit keeps with the Godzilla theme, even though this story hasn't, cardinal red paint and a GT-Spec EC-05 60-inch carbon-fiber wing add the requisite hard edge to the appearance of this Japanese monster. In addition to the bright red paint, there are white graphics in various spots around the body. If you look close, you can read the one on the side. It reads 9 Second Racing.
Whether or not this hybrid heavyweight from the East will be a Godzilla or one of his milder relatives remains to be seen. The fellas have plans to turn it into an RB30 in the future. Only future dyno runs can tell the destruction this force-inducted phenom may lay down. We'll keep you updated as this project rolls on.