AIV Roadsters Count

[PanozGTLM]

Here are a few from last night.

I love the two-tone interior! You have a beautiful car, thanks for sharing. I am thinking of putting a K&N filter on my GTLM but I don't believe they make an intake pipe like yours for the Esperante (the air filter is under the slam panel).

Has anyone done a air filter conversion on the Esperante?? Would it need a retune or would the engine computer just adjust for the added air flow?

Thanks in advance. . .

[Munoz]

Thanks for the kind comments. Do you have the 4.6 SC "Terminator" motor in your car? I think you can install the MAF adapter and cone. I will check with my contact at the speed shop. David

[Munoz]

My friend at the speed shop said it would require a tune. I have a 2003 Cobra with modifications that has the same motor as a GTLM. David

[99PanozAIV]

I'm not sure I'm understanding what's meant by an air filter conversion but if you're talking about just switching filters, I don't see why simply installing a K&N should require a tune. (and nice looking roadster, thanks for the pics)

[99panoz]

Hello. On my '99 Roadster I have done: drilled rotors, nitto tires, accel coils FRPP wires, converted air box to straight k&n filter, new boston acoustics speakers and had sub box rebuilt by SubSolutions (by the way it was a good deal $65 to rebuild it). Hopefully soon I will be adding Underdrive pullies and a custom SCT tune. Right now it puts down 264 RWHP. David

Hi Munoz and welcome to the forum. Just wondering, why eliminate the cold air intake box and replace with a straight K&N filter? The box was set up to be sealed off from the engine bay heat sources and pull cold air in from the hood scoop. Colder air = greater HP.
It appears that with the principal of hot air rising, your current setup is extracting hot intake air directly from the exhaust manifolds' rising heat.

BTW, love the plug wire covers. Custom?

[Munoz]

Thanks for the comments. A drop in filter should not require a tune. I was talking about replacing the air box assembly with a straight cone filter. While I do not have specific heat readings from either set up, I doubt that the "improvised" Panoz air box shielded that much heat from the filter given its location. To me, it was more like an oven helping to retain the heat. I dynoed before and after and it was worth 8 RWHP. It still receives the "cold air" from the set up in the hood and now with air box gone there is more air flow around it now. The car would have to be driven hours to get any kind of noticable heat soak. I always check the filter after driving and it is cool to the touch. Plug wire covers are from UPR products. David

[PanozGTLM]

Plug Wire Covers Polished

Very cool look:

http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-cobra-plug-wire-covers-96-polished.html

[Munoz]

I agree. My idea is to go the local junkyard and get another set of valve covers off a 93-96 Lincoln Mark VIII and have them powder coated the same color as my seats . Next I would have something engraved on the coil covers (Panoz, Powered by Ford, etc.). What do you guys think?

[99PanozAIV]

Thanks for the comments. A drop in filter should not require a tune. I was talking about replacing the air box assembly with a straight cone filter. While I do not have specific heat readings from either set up, I doubt that the "improvised" Panoz air box shielded that much heat from the filter given its location. To me, it was more like an oven helping to retain the heat. I dynoed before and after and it was worth 8 RWHP. It still receives the "cold air" from the set up in the hood and now with air box gone there is more air flow around it now. The car would have to be driven hours to get any kind of noticable heat soak. I always check the filter after driving and it is cool to the touch. Plug wire covers are from UPR products. David

Interesting. Do you think it had to do with heat or maybe that the box just didn't allow enough air flow? 8 HP's a lot from a simple change like that.

I had found those plug covers myself. See link, you can just make them out. I haven't done much with that page, and yeah, the model's wrong but they didn't have the roadster as an option.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2282827/1999-panoz-esperante

[99PanozAIV]

BTW, all you 99 roadster guys (gals?). What tires are you running and what's your opinions? I need to replace mine soon. The 99 makes it a bit more interesting with the different F/R sizes.

[Munoz]

Definitely air flow. It most likely doubled when the filter was opened up. Your car is very nice. I am jealous of you guys. Your cars are in great condtion with lower miles. I am the fifth (and last) owner of mine. It has almost 20,000 miles on it. It was rode hard and put up wet. It was actually an exotic car rental in Seattle from 2001-2003. I am "heavy" into Mustangs as well so I know what beauty and performance parts can cross over to our cars including Esperantes. I had a hard time finding 295/35/18s for the rear. I ended up going with Nitto 555s 245/40/18 and 285/35/18. My good friend works at a tire shop and talked me into the slightly smaller rears. I have found little difference in traction and got all four for $700. David

[99panoz]

I agree. My idea is to go the local junkyard and get another set of valve covers off a 93-96 Lincoln Mark VIII and have them powder coated the same color as my seats . Next I would have something engraved on the coil covers (Panoz, Powered by Ford, etc.). What do you guys think?

I found a set of plug wire covers that I really liked on a Mustang forum (see attached pics) and contacted the guy who had once custom made them but he said that he didn't have any more and that he wasn't going to make any more either. These were one of the best sets that I have ever seen offered. My thoughts were to get a blank set made and then obtain the font from the "Roadster" insignia on the rear decklid and have the word "Roadster" inscribed via CNC router. I have seen other sets on other boards but once I saw this set, I could never find an equal to the quality that his showed. Also, to do as I have just suggested would have likely been cost prohibitive for just a single set. It would be nice if there were several of us with similar interest that would like to have a set and we could perhaps look at doing a group purchase to help contain the overall production costs.

[LeManns67]

Here are a few from last night.

great looking AIV. I think I can see one of these in my future.

PS> Love the looks of the engine. Looks more Panoz than Cobra.

[Munoz]

Thanks. I have attached the other side of the engine and a badge(I have 3 of them) that I had made by BilletBadges last year (sorry the picture is so crappy). Where do you guys think the best spots are for them? Who was your contact for the plug covers? Count me in if you decide on a group buy. I will also check a company that I know that does this type of work. David

[99panoz]

Thanks. I have attached the other side of the engine and a badge(I have 3 of them) that I had made by BilletBadges last year (sorry the picture is so crappy). Where do you guys think the best spots are for them? Who was your contact for the plug covers? Count me in if you decide on a group buy. I will also check a company that I know that does this type of work. David

The guy that I contacted was on the SVT Performance forum named Shannon McNamar (I suppose it is ok to name him here as his name & work examples with his name attached to them are all over that forum site). When he wrote to me he thanked me for my regard for his plug wire covers but said that he hadn't made any in two years and at that time (May 2010') "he had no plans to make any more". As I say, I hated to hear that as his set looked the best. Another set that I found on a different Mustang forum was ok looking but were being produced by a powder coating company and just didn't have the look that I was hoping to achieve (see attached pic).
Looking at your badges, I went to Billet Badges website and looked at some of their other work. Under the gallery tab there is a section called "Beyond the Badge" where they are showing a valve cover that he has milled out a badge pocket in top of. If we could find a plug wire cover that could be made from billet (such as the ones that Shannon McNamar made) and made thick enough that a pocket could be milled into the top of it, a badge such as yours would look great inlaid into these.