V4 Intake Manifold installation instructions

Recently, there was some discussion on one of my email lists about the proper way to install the intake manifold on the SAAB (Ford) V4.  I figured a little scan of the pertinent pages from the SAAB Service Manual might be helpful.

Click here to see the scanned pages in PDF →

I'll be racing this weekend, come on out!

This weekend Dad and I will be racing in the VSCCA's New Jersey Vintage Grand Prix. I'm bringing the 1968 SAAB Sonett and Dad will be driving his 1959 Lotus 7.

This is a wonderful event with much more than just a ton of cool old cars racing around a neat track having fun and looking and sounding awesome, though who really needs more than that? Still, there's a car show, auto and aircraft auction, RC car racing, live entertainment, and this year... The Blue Angels in conjunction with the Millville Air Show!

It doesn't get much better than this and for many of my friends it is local!

• You can like the event on Facebook.
• Check out the official NJVGP event website.
• See the New Jersey Motorsports Park website.

Here's some footage from one of my races in the NJVGP in 2009:

And here is some from someone else:

05-08-2011 New Engine in the Quantum One

Over the winter I built a new engine for the Quantum One.  We had purchased a pile of two-stroke racing parts a couple years before and I saw no reason to continue holding a ported block sit there on the shelf when the one in the car was a stock engine.

This spring, Dad and I brought the Q1 over to my house and started work on some general repairs. The car had seen a lot of racing and not a lot of maintenance and was starting to show ill effects.

↑ This shows the custom cooling pipe. Yay plumbing.

↑ There's still more to do, but finally the engine is in and all hooked up.

It was a rewarding moment when I finally had a chance to test-start the new engine in the car. Check it out!

Oh, the smoke was epic.

↑ Here's a funny. I'm holding the SuperTrapp tip we have on the car for off-track running. That green stuff in there is mouse poison. Apparently, the mice in my garage have been crawling into the exhaust while the engine is out and storing the poison there for later use.  When I started the engine, the tip flew off (it wasn't secured well) and I discovered this stash!

Ah, memories. 1997 University of Delware Formula SAE

1997 Formula SAE Competition.

This was my year. We (the University of Delaware Formula SAE Team) built a car and took it to Detroit. It was an experience. A real trip. One of the best of my life. Friendships were formed that are still strong today.

L to R, standing: Me (Stefan Vapaa), Brian Davison, Prof. John Lambros, John Brown?, Andy Parke, David Ameen

L to R, squatting and seated: Sam Lee, Jeremy Freeman, Mike Lenz (in car), Mark Scott, Suhas Malghan

The car was fabricated at the University until we realized we need more resources and more access to the tools. At that point, we moved the monocoque, engine and trans and all the rest of it, to my friend Jake's house/garage where he allowed us full 24hr access to his space and tools. We worked there for about three weeks up until the morning we had to leave for Detroit. The last week or so was a continuous 24 hour effort with individuals taking shifts to go to class (rare), eat (when reminded), shit (as required) and sleep (when delirious).