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[Video] Roadster Shop Built 1971 Camaro Features Twin Turbo Nelson Racing Engine and K&N

Each filter is housed in its own heat shield and is feed from new inlets on the front of the car

Two tapered conical K&N filters are sufficient to draw enough air to develop nearly 1500 HP

A recent poll of automotive enthusiasts selected the first generation 1967-1969 Camaro as their favorite. Certainly, Chevrolet feels the same way (or their own research drew the same conclusion) since its revival for the 2010 model year, its exterior design has been greatly influenced by the popular first generation body style.

If you’re among those who agree that the first gen Camaro is the best looking of the bunch, take a few minutes to check out the 1971 Camaro as re-interpreted by the famous Roadster Shop, of Mundelein, Illinois

Penske coilovers specially tuned for the Roadster Shop are installed at all for corners

The Roadster Shop 1971-1981 Camaro Fast Track frame utilizes C6 spindles at the front

The 1971 Camaro in question came to the Roadster Shop looking like a refugee from a high school parking lot. The first task the Roadster Shop took in this Camaro makeover was to disconnect the front subframe and remove the floor from the cabin and trunk area. This allows for the installation of one of its Fast Track frames engineered specifically for 1970 – 1981 Camaros.

Why go to all this trouble? As with the first generation Camaro, these models also suffer from a low degree of torsional rigidity, given that the subframe is only bolted onto the unibody rear section. The Fast Track hand-fabricated, fully-boxed 10 gauge steel frame rails run the full length of the car, providing both a lowered ride height and a solid basis from which the suspension can do its work.

A real mark of craftmanship is the quality of work that the eye can't see

All this beautiful interior metal work is now hidden forever under soundproofing and carpeting

Mounted at the front is an RS Fast Track Front Suspension based around the rugged C6 Corvette spindle and hub assembly. A 1.25-inch splined sway bar with C6 end links has also been fitted, while special Penske “RS Edition” performance coilovers control the ups and downs of the suspension.

At the rear, the wheels are connected to 31 spline stainless steel axles housed in a Strange Engineering rear end based on the Ford 9" configuration. Power is delivered to the rearend through a Tremec T56 transmission. Rear suspension is by large diameter, parallel four-bar linkage, also with "RS Edition" Penske coilovers.

The body shell received some TLC next, with rear fenders flared in steel and rectangular air inlets fabricated and installed between the custom grille and the headlights. A scoop was fabricated and installed under the grille to deliver extra cooling air to the intercooler and radiator. The team at the Roadster Shop also addressed a small case of tin worm at the base of the rear window.

The roll cago both adds protection as well as stiffens the Camaro's structure

A custom roll cage fabricated from 4130 steel is being installed in the Camaro

With the bulk of the exterior metal work completed, attention was turned to the interior. First, the Camaro required new floor pans to accommodate the frame. In addition, a complete transmission tunnel was fabricated, welded in place, and ground flush, while wheel tubs were added to accommodate wider rear tires. The trunk floor was finished in the same aluminum sheet as the interior.

The level of craftsmanship is remarkable, particularly when you consider that most of the interior panels will be covered and never again see human eyes. Even the opening for the transmission in the firewall is a perfect radius. Soon after the photo on this page was taken all the beautiful handwork was covered with sound-deadening insulation and later with carpet. The interior metal work is capped off with a custom-built 4130 steel roll cage.

It was now time to install the engine so that work could commence on all the various lines and hoses that are required to keep a seven-liter engine running at peak performance. Built by Nelson Racing Engines, the Dart aluminum small block has been punched out to 427 cubic inches.

The bottom of the car is as flat as possible so that it can run with minimal ground clearance

Three-inch stainless steel exhaust pipes snake their way through openings in the frame rails

The crankshaft and connecting rods are 4340 steel forgings, while the pistons are forged aluminum. The aluminum cylinder heads are from Brodix and have been CNC ported and are fed by dual fuel injectors per cylinder. The custom camshaft drives .901 solid lifters and roller rocker arms. Valves are manufactured from the Inconel superalloy. Where many people think all that would be enough, it’s not for the crew at NRE.

To this mighty mouse motor, two 72 mm Turbonetics turbochargers have been added. Exhaust is routed out through stainless steel headers to the turbine wheel of the turbos. It’s then directed to the rear of the Camaro via an RS three-inch stainless steel exhaust system fitted within dedicated openings in the frame rails.

Each filter is housed in its own heat shield to help assure only cool air is drawn in

Two fresh air intakes have been added to the front to feed a pair of K&N tapered conical filters

On the intake side, air is drawn through the newly created inlets on each side of the headlights to a pair of K&N tapered conical air filters, sited in their own cold air boxes, compressed by the turbo (which heats the intake air considerably) and pushes it through an enormous air-to-air intercooler at the front of the car. The engine draws the cooled air through dual throttle bodies into NRE’s own Alien Intake where it’s delivered to the cylinders.

Now, of course, you’re ready to hear an astronomical horsepower number and the fact that the engine can only run on fuel that’s delivered in sealed drums by men in hazmat suits. Well, you’d be wrong, at least on the second part.

A throw of a switch and the Camaro converts from a daily driver to a drag strip demon

Dual fuel cells, one for pump premium, the other for race gas, gives the driver a 600 HP choice

This motor is capable of nearly 1500 horsepower. And that’s on 117 octane race gas. But here’s the cool part. Throw a switch and the fuel flowing into the engine comes from the second fuel cell – one that holds 91 octane unleaded premium. So you can cruise around town on pump gas, still making 900 horsepower, then drive out to the strip and with the throw of a switch add nearly 600 more horsepower.

That’s almost like adding the output of an LT4 engine from a 2018 ZL1 Camaro with a toggle.

On to the final details: on the interior, a custom console was fabricated from aluminum and installed, along with custom gauges for the dash, along with the integration of a Vintage Air system.

The 1971 Camaro features a black exterior over a black leather interior

Many coats of PPG Black paint were applied by the spray booth artists at the Roadster Factory

An MB Quart audio system consisting of a head unit and separate amplifiers for low and high frequencies was hard wired into the car. The interior was then completed in black leather by Jeremy Carlson, at Avant Garde Designs.

On the exterior, lightweight aluminum HRE wheels, sized 19x9.5 inches are bolted to the front, wrapped with 275/35R19 Michelin tires while at the rear 20x12-inch HRE wheels are fitted with 335/30R20 Michelin rubber. Behind the wheels reside Brembo brakes on all four corners.

The Camaro was painted at the Roadster Shop in about one million coats of PPG black, looking deep enough to dangle your toes in it.

According to the Roadster Shop, this build took a total of four years to complete. If that’s the case, what chance do we mere mortals have?

If you want to see the finished Camaro, stop by K&N at the SEMA Show for the unveiling, booth number 22755. If you can’t make it to Vegas, look for show coverage on the K&N blog page.

Block Microscopic Hitchhikers in Your 2015-2017 Mustang with a K&N Cabin Air Filter

The K&N VF2053 cabin air filters fits all Ford Mustangs from 2015-2017, including the Shelby 350

The K&N VF2053 cabin air filters fits all Ford Mustangs from 2015-2017, including the Shelby 350R

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re either familiar with or have already installed a K&N replacement air filter or K&N cold air intake in your 2015 - 2017 Ford Mustang powered by the 2.3L, 3.7L, 5.0L, or 5.2L engine. You know that a K&N replacement air filter or cold air intake will improve breathing and protect your engine. So why not make the same upgrade for yourself?

Your 2015 – 2017 Ford Mustang has a cabin air filter installed inline between the air intake for the cabin and the HVAC unit. This filter acts as a barrier to protect you and your passengers from breathing in pollen, mold, dust, bacteria, and other micro-pests that can attack your immune system.

These filters are important as without them driving your Mustang could literally make you sick. Without a cabin air filter thousands of uninvited passengers could be slipping into car or truck each day. And many manufacturers rely upon old-school, inexpensive paper filters for this important task, which can face-load and clog, putting an extra strain on your Mustang’s HVAC system and potentially putting you and your family in harm's way.

Here’s where it gets better. K&N has developed the VF2053 cabin air filter which improves upon the stock Ford filters in several important ways.

Pollens, dust, and bacteria are all trapped by an effective Cabin Air Filter

A K&N replacement cabin air filter helps protect you from most pollen, mold, dust, and bacteria

K&N cabin air filters are the first of their kind designed to replace your vehicle's stock cabin air filter with a washable and reusable upgrade that cleans and freshens incoming air. K&N cabin air filters are electrostatically charged to grab and hold dust, pollen, and other airborne particles before they enter your vehicle. They also help control odors by capturing the perpetrators that cause them: mold, mildew, fungus, spores, and germs.

Made of a unique non-woven synthetic material K&N’s VF2053 cabin air filters are an easy upgrade for your Mustang. In addition, K&N cabin air filters are designed to fit your Mustang perfectly and seal tightly, thanks to the precision-engineered polyurethane frame. For your convenience, each filter comes pre-treated and is ready to install straight out of the box.

Replacing the cabin air filter in your pony is a fast swap – it’s as simple as exchanging the old, dirty filter for a new one. The housing for the filter is located behind the glove box and the filter can be replaced by removing a few clips by hand. Detailed instruction sheets with color photographs are provided on the product web page for the VF2053, as well as included in the shipping carton.

The only maintenance required for your new K&N cabin air filter is a service you can do yourself in no time at all. At intervals of about 12 months or 12,000 miles (depending on your driving conditions), use the two-part K&N 99-6000 cabin air filter refresher kit, to easily clean your air filter, which brings it back to like new condition and ready to protect your car’s cabin and your passengers.

K&N Cabin Replacement Air Filters perform for up to 10 years or 1,000,000 miles

Everything you need to install a K&N replacement cabin air filter is in the box

The process is simple: remove the filter from your vehicle. Once out of the vehicle spray the K&N cabin air filter cleaner onto the filter and rinse the filter with water to remove all accumulated dirt, dust, and other foreign matter. Allow the filter to dry naturally for 20-30 minutes and the apply K&N cabin air filter refresher to the filter media. Now re-install the filter back into your Mustang and you’re ready for another 12 months or 12,000 miles – without having to purchase a new filter.

Your K&N cabin air filter has been designed to last for years of use and is guaranteed by K&N’s 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty.

To find additional K&N upgrades for cars, trucks, scooters, motorcycles, motorhomes, or almost anything that combusts fuel internally, use the K&N search by vehicle tool. Find an authorized K&N dealer nearby using the K&N dealer search.

The K&N VF2053 is designed to fit the following vehicles:

2017 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY 5.2L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2017 FORD MUSTANG GT 5.0L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2017 FORD MUSTANG 3.7L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2017 FORD MUSTANG 2.3L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY 5.2L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 FORD MUSTANG GT 5.0L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 FORD MUSTANG 3.7L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 FORD MUSTANG 2.3L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models
2015 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY 5.2L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2015 FORD MUSTANG GT 5.0L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2015 FORD MUSTANG 3.7L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2015 FORD MUSTANG 2.3L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models

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K&N KA-2414 Air Filter Adds Performance TO Kawasaki Ninja 250 Motorcycles

2015 Kawasaki Ninja 250 side view

Clean styling, affordability, and economy make the Kawasaki Ninja 250 a winner (photo Kawasaki)

Those who overlook or dismiss the Kawasaki Ninja 250 line of sport-bikes are seriously missing the point. The quarter-liter Ninjas are nimble, fun, gas-sipping motorcycles that make both city and byway riding a simple pleasure.

However, when you consider that the little Ninjas are powered by a single cylinder, 249cc engine, modest performance numbers are to be expected. The 250 Ninjas put out about 28 horsepower and around 17 foot-pounds of torque. Needless to say, a little more zip is a welcome addition to the diminutive Kawasaki.

To get the most out of that little rev-happy single, K&N has engineered a high-flow air filter to let the Ninja 250 breathe. The K&N KA-2414 direct replacement filter is specifically designed to increase horsepower and torque while, at the same time, offering a high level of engine protection.

Performance

The K&N KA-2414 air filter features the legendary cotton gauze filter media that has made K&N the industry leader in performance filtration technology. The high number of pleats in the KA-2414 provides an extremely large surface area to flow an increased volume of air.

The KA-2414 air filter for the Kawasaki Ninja 250 product view

The KA-2414 air filter features a cotton gauze media that is free flowing and protective

That added airflow is a significant factor in getting the most performance out of the Ninja’s 249cc engine. Any engine tuner will tell you that more airflow boosts the potential for better throttle response and increased roll-on power. Those are performance byproducts that any Ninja 250 owner will appreciate.

Protection

Reliability and ease of ownership are two of the most appreciated attributes of the Kawasaki Ninja 250. To keep that engine running clean and trouble-free, multiple layers of K&N’s advanced, oil-impregnated filter media provide a premium dirt-catching line of defense.

K&N’s rigorous and highly-controlled filtration testing reveals very impressive estimated filtration statistics for the KA-2414. The testing shows that the filter provides a dirt-holding capacity of almost 29 grams. It also reveals an estimated overall filtration number of over 98% percent. That is protection you can count on.

Care and Installation

The Ninja 250 is known for economy and affordability. Those same traits are enhanced by the KA-2414 air filter. To help you escape the expensive and wasteful cycle of buying, using, and trashing disposable filters, the KA-2414 is fully washable and reusable. With a filter service kit like K&N’s 99-5000, occasional cleanings are easy and convenient.

The KA-2414 air filter for the Kawasaki Ninja 250 product and packaging

The filter comes ready to install in your Kawasaki Ninja 250 right out of the box

The KA-2414 is designed with an application-specific frame, base seal, and sealing bead for a perfect fit in the factory Ninja 250 air box. It comes pre-oiled and ready for simple installation.

Check out the application list below and consult K&N’s online application search tool for all of your filtration needs.

2016 KAWASAKI Z250 SL 249 - All Models
2016 KAWASAKI NINJA RR MONO 249 - All Models
2016 KAWASAKI NINJA 250 SL 249 - All Models
2015 KAWASAKI Z250 SL 249 - All Models
2015 KAWASAKI NINJA RR MONO 249 - All Models
2015 KAWASAKI NINJA 250 SL 249 - All Models
2014 KAWASAKI Z250 SL 249 - All Models

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NASCAR K&N Pro Series Rookie Kody Vanderwal Takes Advantage of Opportunity

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver Kody Vanderwal at Meridian Speedway

Rookie Kody Vanderwal is 10th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings after 11 races

What started as a one-race deal in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West has turned into a productive rookie campaign for Kody Vanderwal. The 16-year-old driver from Colorado was racing late models and trucks in Tucson, Arizona, when the K&N Pro Series West had its season opener in March.

Vanderwal was offered a ride for the K&N Pro Series West race and he finished in the top 10 in his debut. After the race in Tucson, Vanderwal had the opportunity to drive in the races in Bakersfield and Irwindale in California. After two more productive results, Vanderwal had the backing and support to continue the season.

“At the beginning of the year, I really didn’t have any goals,” Vanderwal said. “It was just a random chance. One race, one off deal thing.”

Vanderwal finished ninth in the race at Kern County Raceway, in Bakersfield, and was eighth in the race at Tucson, giving him two top 10s in his first two races. His results in Irwindale, a pair of 100-lap races, weren’t as good. He was 14th in the first race and 15th in the second race. Both were respectable finishes. More importantly, Vanderwal brought the car back in one piece.

“It was an awesome learning experience for me,” Vanderwal said. “After that whole deal, we decided to run the whole season. We’re all learning like crazy. It was a God deal. He wanted us to do this for a reason.”

Vanderwal didn’t disappoint. He had his best result at The Orange Show Speedway in California in May, a fourth-place finish.

“We were getting more comfortable. We were starting to work together better,” Vanderwal said. “We didn’t have an amazing car. We went down a lap early on. Had a few small issues. All this came down to attrition. All those guys kept wrecking each other. It was luck, good communication.”

He followed with perhaps his best race of his rookie season at Colorado National Speedway, his home track. He qualified 11th and worked his way through the field to finish fifth. His car lost second gear during the race and he had trouble on restarts. Plus he made contact with another car and suffered damage for a good portion of the race.

“That’s my home track. That was a big advantage there,” Vanderwal said. “Toward the end, I worked my way up to fourth.

“We had a really good car there at the end of the race. That was a really fun race.”

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver Kody Vanderwal at Meridian Speedway

Kody Vanderwal has two top-five finishes in his rookie season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

But Vanderwal’s season took a turn for the worse at Iowa Speedway in July. He finished in 34th and last place in the race that pits the teams and drivers from the K&N Pro Series East and West against each other. It started a string of three races in which Vandewal finished outside the top 10.

“It started in Iowa,” Vanderwal said. “That’s just a really big track. We didn’t qualify well. Got caught up in a crash on lap 6. We had to tear the nose off of it. That was like three seconds off the pace for the whole first half.”

Vanderwal’s crew repaired the nose of the car, but the air box was damaged in the crash. His car overheated and he had to withdraw to the pits on lap 69.

“I had to pull off,” Vanderwal said. “That was the end of that night.”

He ran into more trouble at Evergreen Speedway in Washington and Douglas County Speedway in Oregon in the next two races and he dropped to 10th in the K&N Pro Series West standings.

“We just showed up with the totally wrong set-up,” Vanderwal said about the Douglas County Speedway race. “We struggled all day in practice and qualifying. We made a few adjustments for the race, but the car went from being a little but loose to the tightest car I’ve ever driven in my life. It wasn’t working at all.”

With three races to go in the K&N Pro Series West, Vanderwal said he wants to put together some more top-five races. The next stop is Meridian Speedway in Idaho on Sept. 30.

“I know we can do well there,” Vanderwal said. “It’s another one of those survive tracks. I feel like we’re working together well now. We’re looking forward to that.”

The season ends with races at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., and Kern County Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.

“We definitely want to stay in the top 10 in points,” Vanderwal said. “We definitely want to finish off the season with a couple more top fives. Obviously, a win would be a major goal. Right now the McAnally cars are in their own ZIP codes. That would definitely be very difficult.”

Vanderwal said he would like to return to the K&N Pro Series West next season. But he does not have a deal in place presently.

“The goal and hope for next year is to run K&N again,” Vanderwal said. “We don’t really have any plans yet. The dream is to go all the way. It takes all three. It takes talent, it takes people and it takes money. All the things have to fall into place at the right time. Can’t really expect any of that to happen but we have to try.”

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A Look at K&N-Sponsored British Speedway Racing Champion Tai Woffinden

K&N-sponsored Tai Woffinden racing in Speedway Grand Prix

Tai Woffinden lives life sideways. Notice the K&N patch on his right shin.

For those of you who have not experienced the raw excitement of speedway racing, we’d better start with a little background. Speedway dates back to before the first World War. It is a fast, raucous, elemental, and thoroughly entertaining form of motorcycle competition.

In keeping with his electric personality, Tai Woffinden, a K&N-sponsored British speedway racer, enthusiastically sums up the form of racing that he loves.

“Speedway is pretty much motorsport in its rawest form,” says Woffinden. “We race 500cc motorbikes that weigh around 75 kg (165 lbs), and they accelerate faster than an F1 car, with top speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. The big difference is we don’t have brakes! The bike just has a throttle, clutch, and one gear. We race on shale-based oval tracks, and you basically power-slide around the corners. It’s pretty gnarly!”

K&N-sponsored Tai Woffinden racing in Speedway Grand Prix

Speedway bikes accelerate faster than Formula 1 race cars and have no brakes

Gnarly indeed! Woffinden races in the elite Grand Prix Series which features the top the top 16 riders in the world who race in an 11 round season. Woffinden has fought through violent crashes and serious injuries to become one of the most respected and popular European motorcycle racers.

The Early Years

Woffinden’s impressive racing resume dates back to 2006 when he was a 15-year-old racing prodigy. In that first year, he won the Western Australian Under-16 Championship and was named Supporters Rider of the Year.

Over the next few years, Woffinden continued to rack up wins and attract the full attention of the speedway racing world. At the age of 16, he became the British Under-18 Champion and was the youngest rider ever to appear in the British Championship Final.

K&N-sponsored Tai Woffinden celebrating a win with a burnout

Woffinden punctuates another win in a cloud of celebratory smoke

His racing prowess and leadership skills were recognized as he was named as the captain of the British Under-21 Speedway team in both 2008 and 2009. He won the British Under-21 several times in the early years of his career.

Rising to the Top

2013 was a banner year for Woffinden. In addition to winning the British Speedway Championship and the Czech Speedway Grand Prix, Woffinden reached the true pinnacle of the sport winning the FIM Speedway World Championship. He did all of this fighting through two broken collarbones. He was named MCN Man of the Year and World Speedway Riders' Association Rider of the Year.

After a solid year including several prestigious titles in 2014, Woffinden returned to the speedway mountain top in 2015. He was the British Champion, the FIM Scandinavian Grand Prix winner, the FIM Czech Republic Grand Prix winner, and ultimately he regained the Speedway World Championship.

K&N-sponsored Tai Woffinden leading a Speedway Grand Prix race

Woffinden in a familiar position - at the front of the speedway pack

The Present

The 2017 Speedway World Champion has been a challenge for Woffinden. He has fought through crashes and had dodged serious injury twice in recent weeks. In a freak incident in Sweden, Woffinden narrowly escaped a potentially season-ending injury.

“I just wanted to do another lap because I was feeling good and our next meeting will be back on that track,” Woffinden says. “But it all went wrong! I couldn’t believe it, I got some grip and the bike was pulled towards the fence. I was thrown off the bike and anything could have happened, but I’m fine - thankfully! It was ironic because of the crash I’d had in Poland the week before, but in both cases, it could have been worse so I suppose I have to count myself lucky.”

Woffinden is currently 17 points behind Grand Prix Series leader Maciej Janowski. Supremely driven and ever optimistic, Woffinden says a third world title is still a possibility.

Tai Woffinden un-helmeted after a speedway race

Tai Woffinden has his eyes focused on another speedway world title

“Of course I’m still believing I can win the world title,” says Woffinden. “The day I believe I can no longer do that is the day I stop riding in the Grand Prix, and I believe a good round for me in Gorzow (Poland) will keep my hopes alive. I still think it will all come down to Melbourne and the final round in October to establish the World Champion.”

It would be unwise to count Woffinden out of the title race. He possesses a rare combination of determination, toughness, and talent that makes anything possible.

K&N is proud to part of the Tai Woffinden team!

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