Wednesday 13 March 2013

What on earth have Spookworks been up to?

Whilst the blog has been sadly quiet its been anything but quiet at Spookworks.  As the 2013 Championship season for Spookworks gets underway this weekend at the Flying Fortress Stages; at Spookworks HQ its been action stations, all ahead full and everyman to the pumps!

Group B had to make 200 cars - Spookworks only had to make 1!

The Spookworks Impreza has seen significant developments since the end 2012.  In fact, so much has happened we might be actually looking at a Spookworks Impreza "Evolution Special".

Apart from the usual servicing, oils, plugs, filters etc the intercooler has been relocated to the front bumper to help reduce the heat soak that was robbing critical horsepower and the improvement has been incredible.

Sparks fly in secret Spookworks development and technology centre

The car also visited "the Oracle" recently for some safety checks and an MOT.
Whilst there, the chance of a quick run on the dyno proved too enticing and the car was maneuvered onto the rollers at Sheffield Rolling Road and with a fresh cup of tea "the Oracle" set to work with his laptop plugged into the Spookworks ECU.  After literally no time at all and with some secret keystrokes the Spookworks Impreza went from 200 bhp to 270bhp.  Simply incredible.

After the ritual sacrifice and the rain dance "the Oracle" sets about his  quest to find more horsepower


The Spookworks Impreza has also been on a diet.  Lots of metal has been cut off, glass replaced with prespex and excess trim placed in the bin.  The result, 9 kgs per door, 10kgs off the bonnet and more to come in the next few days. A massive amount of heat management has taken place with key pipework rerouted away from hot turbo areas and heat wrap installed in critical locations.  The result, lower temps and therefore even more horsepower.  Even the fat wobbly pink bits that sit in the seats are slimming down in an effort to get the car under the 1250kg mark.

Dieting Spookworks style.  Lose 40kgs in just 2 days!
If you don't need it grind it off.  

But it not just the car that has been improved. Spookworks recently joined the rest of the RAF Rally Team in Scandinavia  for a full weeks rally training on a frozen Swedish lake.  Under the watchful eye of none other than Conor Flynn, the team completed miles and miles of high speed runs on the ice perfecting their car control in front wheel drive, rear wheel drive and four wheel drive cars.

With less than a week to go before the first event things are looking pretty good here at Spookworks.  But we have a lot more in store before then.  Stay tuned for details!

Out of control but in control - ice driving hones the skills like no other training.  Notice our new friend?
You will be getting see a lot more of him!