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Davis33 2/13/15 7:01 PM

Privateer Honda Midget
 
Now that a lot of enthusiast have seen our Quick Racing Honda run at the Chili Bowl with Chase Briscoe behind the wheel, we have had several questions throughout the past few weeks. I’m going to take some time here to tell you why and how Jill and I took this project on. Over the years everybody is always asking how to lower the cost of engines and still stay competitive. The problem is everybody just talked and no one would step up. In 2010 we saw a Jim Stewart Honda engine at the IMIS show and decided it was time do something.
The first thing we did was talk to Kenny Brown of POWRi and asked if we explore this project would he look at the possibilities of allowing the power plant to be utilized in POWRi competition. Kenny then decided to have a midget engine summit and invited all the top engine builders, Emmet Hahn and Tim Engler to discuss the cost of midget engines and what POWRi would like to see to keep the sport growing. After the meeting Kenny gave us the ok to pursue the endeavor.
With the go ahead we then knew we had to get the right people involved. Of course Jim Stewart of Indy had the knowledge and experience with the Honda engine ( already winning with them in the NEMA series in the Northeast) For the Injection Tim Engler was the obvious choice and Dennis Schoenfeld and Mark Brailey at Schoenfeld for the header design.
Now with all the key players chosen it was time to start. It has been a lengthy process and with the financing coming from Jill and I it has taken a little time to complete. We also had Charles ( Doc ) Neal contributing in paying for all the dyno testing for the development.
With over 40 hrs. of engine and chassis dyno testing before we hit the track, it paid off the first night at Macon Il, POWRi show with Gary ( Bubba ) Altig driving it to a 5th place finish the first night out 2013. Now we fast forward to the 2015 Chili Bowl with Chase Briscoe debuting the updates we’ve done and it showed very good results again. Even though we had some bad luck in a racing incident that put us behind the 8 ball the Jim Stewart built Honda proved it is very competitive against the national engines.
Jim Stewart has this engine available in a few different variations. A customer can purchase the national version like what we’ve debuted or he can build a more basic version which will fit great for a team just getting introduced into the midget competition or wanting to builds something that will fit some of the newly revised engine rules like what Badger has put together. With these more economical packages a team can utilize the same engine and just update it with components to make it into a potent national engine without the expense of having to purchase another engine to gain more H.P. if they would like to at a later date.
So now that everybody can see there has been a lot of thought and work that has gone into this endeavor to try and develop a cost effective way to either stay in racing - enter into midget racing with a basic engine that is competitive while also offering an all-out national engine the makes competitive H.P. and is very drivable and affordable. I've attached some photos of the Honda in action and will add more of just the engine package in the next few days.
If your interested in the Honda package and don't want to re-invent the wheel and go thru trial and error my suggestion is to contact Jim Stewart at Stewart Engines in Indy and hit the track running.:22:
Attachment 14012

Attachment 14013

Roy Bleckert 2/13/15 7:15 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
Great first step to start the ball rolling !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crankin 2/13/15 7:23 PM

Can you give some ballpark $ costs to do this? Also, which Honda is this, as there seem to be different versions out there?
Thanks!
BTW: Don't know about anyone else, but the couldn't get the pics to work?

Andrew S. Quinn 2/13/15 8:13 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
No pics here either.

Davis33 2/13/15 9:36 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
2 Attachment(s)
Try these pictures, thanks!

Andrew S. Quinn 2/13/15 9:47 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
Much better!

addictedtodirt 2/13/15 9:49 PM

[QUOTE=Crankin;405856]Can you give some ballpark $ costs to do this?

I too am curious.

Davis33 2/13/15 10:02 PM

Engine weight break down:

Honda with dry sump / two scavage lines / trigger coils / no oil - 211 lbs

Plus injection and stacks / no oil - 224 lbs

Plus air filter and exhaust / no oil - 249 lbs

This was the same weight as a Esslinger in my shop.

team3521 2/13/15 10:12 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 

Originally Posted by Davis33:
Engine weight break down:

Honda with dry sump / two scavage lines / trigger coils / no oil - 211 lbs

Plus injection and stacks / no oil - 224 lbs

Plus air filter and exhaust / no oil - 249 lbs

This was the same weight as a Esslinger in my shop.

Drumroll.....:44: How much money do they cost?:6:

Davis33 2/13/15 10:34 PM

For a package that will be a winner with the Badger series rules your looking at a cost of $14,500. There are packages less or more depending on what you want and your budget allows. Remember this is a engine that you can build up as your budget allows for the series or H. P. your team can afford. With the Badger type engine your still going to be competitive at short tracks like Belleville / Macon and other type tracks. Another thing to look at is the part replacement cost when it comes time such as valves/ cranks/ block/ head etc.

Davis33 2/14/15 3:16 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
3 Attachment(s)
In the attached pictures are.

A lot of extensive testing has been done.

Tim Engler dialing in the fuel system before Jim and Tim make a dyno run.

Jim degreeing cams to find the sweet spot of torque and H.P.


Thanks,

Jeff

badcoupe 2/14/15 4:01 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
Assuming this started out life as a K20 engine? What type of management are you using?

Wingitover 2/14/15 10:07 PM

We are running this same package from Jim Stewart in our NEMA car. We also have two others that are built to run with Focus powered cars in the NEMA Lite series. We couldn't be happier with performance and cost of each package. I recommend contacting Jim Stewart directly for pricing. They start life as a K24.

timbertrand 2/15/15 12:17 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
We were the first ones to embark on the journey with the Honda back in 2009. Jim Stewart - a fantastic man by all accords, came to our rescue after our project had not gone so well with another builder. By no means did he need to or have to help us - but his passion for seeing the Honda engine in a midget was the reason he offered his help. The Honda has been an exceptional motor in our program. We've run everything - pushrod engines, VW Autocraft engines, Esslinger XT, EST and TST engines - and this engine lacks absolutely nothing to even the best Esslinger XT, Mopar and Ford engines. It has been reliable - at one point we ran over 20 races in between rebuilds, and Jim's support has been top notch - whether it be on tuning, rebuilds, or at the track support via the cell phone. We run the "national" version of the motor, as we run some fairly big tracks that require big HP - Jim could explain the costs in today's terms of our particular engine. For those that have any doubts - here is a Youtube video of our driver running this engine against Esslinger XT engines, Mazda DOHC engine (26B), Stanton Mopar (7ny) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8tyouVjLP4 Best regards - Tim Bertrand / 5 time NEMA championship car owner, owner of Randy Cabral #47

xoxide 2/15/15 1:29 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
Don't know if id consider $14,500 a budget friendly or cost effective motor for the badger (non-national) series..... Curious what kind of power output these are getting for say the badger series?

Our MWR Ecotecs were only $7000 and is badger legal/front running.

Davis33 2/15/15 8:07 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
3 Attachment(s)
K24 Block
Dry Sump Engine mounts at 45 degrees.
Wet Sump Engine mounts at 35 degrees.

Jonr 2/15/15 8:45 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 

Originally Posted by xoxide:
Don't know if id consider $14,500 a budget friendly or cost effective motor for the badger (non-national) series..... Curious what kind of power output these are getting for say the badger series?

Our MWR Ecotecs were only $7000 and is badger legal/front running.

Considering that most of the top teams that run Modifieds have much more in their motors than 14.5k, I would say that it is reasonable.

Charles Nungester 2/15/15 11:37 PM

Re: Privateer Honda Midget
 
Considering Mods were supposed to be a Economy class and I see die hard mod guys dropping out by the dozens.............

Back to the Honda :) Carry on.

DaGuy 2/16/15 11:01 AM

Love Hondas and love the fact someone is doing something where they will be competing. What kind of power you making?


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