Cardboard cutouts to custom CAD race car parts.

Whatever your choice, cardboard or a computer, getting the job done and gaining experience along the way is what it's all about. What started as a high school internship turned into a 1450 hp tube frame 1973 Pontiac Firebird 'Hammerhead' built around Reynard Champ Car suspension and uprights. Cavan Cameron from Horizon Motorsport explains how he and his dad engineered the car from scratch, combining a 400 CID LS built by Late Model Engines (LME) with Brodix aluminium heads and a Concept Performance aluminium block set 26 inches rearward for perfect balance. The drivetrain is controlled by a MoTeC M150 ECU with torque-based paddle shifting to an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transverse gearbox. Suspension uses 2001 Reynard geometry with Ohlins TT-44 dampers, Hyperco springs on hydraulic platforms, and Brembo metal matrix callipers. It runs custom Forgeline aluminium wheels and Michelin racing tyres, 10x18 front and 14x18 rear. Power comes from twin Garrett G35-900 turbos mounted low and rearward near the diffuser — a setup chosen for packaging and balance. Cavan discusses how this unconventional layout delivers full boost response with zero perceptible lag, despite internet scepticism. The car runs on VP X98 ethanol via a Radium Engineering fuel system and ATL cell, cooled by dual radiators with SPAL fans. Aerodynamics were co-developed with Verus Engineering and include a blown diffuser fed directly by the rear exhaust flow, an adjustable IndyCar-style splitter and end fences, hood exit ducts, flat floor and tunnels, flow-through fender flares with louvres, and an 82-inch IndyCar rear wing. Inside, the cockpit features Spark Carbon seats, a Sparco steering wheel, and Sparco harnesses. With a 3100 lb curb weight, 50/50 distribution, and 202 mph top speed at 9000 rpm, this Firebird fuses Champ Car-level engineering with home-built determination, the result of 15,000 hours of design, fabrication, and testing leading up to its debut at World Time Attack Challenge in the hands of Cole Powelson. #highperformanceacademy #buildtunedrive #horizonmotorsport #lme #motec #xtrac #conceptperformance #brodix #lsr #reynard #garrettmotion #verusengineering #ohlins #hyperco #brembo #forgeline #michelin #radiumengineering #atl #sparco #sparkcarbon #spal #vp #wtac #hpacademy #transam #pontiac