The crank sat on the shelf for years, begging to become the centerpiece of an extraordinary engine. Steppler also made a special version: one which increased the stroke to 96mm and the displacement to about 4.2 liters - 4,160cc to be exact. So, they called in the experts at Bryant Racing to design a Chromoly steel crankshaft for their VQ37VHR block. Through their years of racing the engine, JWT discovered that the production crankshafts eventually crack. They started by addressing the weak points of the engine. We could push it to the limits, and we had an intelligent, determined, talented driver/client who could see things through. As Wolf elaborates, “Most interesting was that we were given a blank canvas on an aging motor. Relatively compact, the custom VQ engine helps Anis near his ideal weight distribution of 52-percent, front, 48-percent, rear.įortunately, there weren’t any regulations to limit development, which had all parties losing sleep over the possibilities. The salient question in their conversations was, “How could we make Porsche GT3R-level power?” As one of the most impressive naturally-aspirated engines made, with a similar displacement, trying to match the Porsche’s 550-odd horsepower with their modest budget was an ambitious goal. Eventually, they started to outline goals for an ideal VQ powerplant organically. That auspicious outing encouraged them to push their partnership through the years. These weren’t race cams, but just S1 street cams, and we still made 400 horsepower,” said Jim Wolf proudly. “We were given the information on the competitors’ cams and strove to do our best within the constraints. The JWT cams won handily, and a partnership was formed then and there. #Vq37 stroker crank professional#Just after Anis retired the car from professional racing, Steppler stepped in and ground a custom set of cams for Anis’ VQ as part of a camshaft shootout for Modified Magazine more than a decade ago. Meanwhile, Clark Steppler and Jim Wolf were involved with Anis’ efforts for some time. Some might see it as a step backward, but the relative simplicity of the VQ35HR heads meant greater reliability, less weight, and no loss of performance on the track. This gig led to JWT building engines for some of the 370Z racecars in IMSA Grand Sport from 2011 to 2015. Because Jim Wolf didn’t have the time to engineer a high-lift solution to suit the Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) system in the VQ37, instead, they decided to build a VQ37 with heads from the non-VVEL VQ35HR. Back in the heyday of Grand-Am racing, Nissan Motorsports requested Jim Wolf build camshafts for its 350Z race cars. Though Jim Wolf Technology doesn’t always focus on professional racing, they had a great deal of experience with race-spec VQ engines prior to stepping in with Anis’ build. He and some of the bright minds at Jim Wolf Technology were talking about a prototype 4.2-liter race engine for almost three years, and Anis felt this was the right time to try. One professional team offered to sell him a race-proven, 410-whp VQ37 - the engine from the 370Z - for a fantastic deal, but Anis decided to take a different route. The package was enough for a reliable 413 horsepower at the rear wheels and a glorious bellow at its 9,000-rpm redline.Īt those high engine speeds, it’s not surprising that a factory connecting rod eventually failed and punched a hole in the side of the block, which left the starter hanging by a wire. Believe it or not, the engine continued idling and had oil pressure, even with a windowed block! It was only due to the missing starter that the engine wouldn’t start again.Īnis considered his options. The first iteration of his HR engine used a VQ37 crankshaft, VQ35HR heads, JE Pistons high-compression pistons, 53.5mm intake trumpets, and Jim Wolf Technology cams. #Vq37 stroker crank install#After reaching the limits of the VQ35DE, Sasha decided to install a VQ35HR - a rare version of the VQ with high-flow heads, among other improvements. With the handcuffs removed, Sasha Anis began to explore the VQ’s potential, somewhat conservatively. No longer shackled by stringent rulebooks, he pushed the VQ engine to its limit. One brave privateer racer wanted to explore the limits of this oft-derided V6, and after a year of restricted running in Koni Challenge with his 350Z, he turned it into a sprint-race and time-attack car. While it’s not known for making dragster-levels of power as easily as a VR38DETT, it’s still a stout, light, and compact engine with plenty of potential. Perhaps the Nissan VQ-series engine doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
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