High Performance Academy

Sporting 950 WHP @ 43 PSI of boost and a 8.54 @ 164 MPH ¼ mile history, this 4WD converted 2.2L Nissan S13 Silvia is one of a kind and unbelievably still street legal! We caught up with Paul Torony of PJ's Quick Bits at the 2017 World Time Attack Challenge to go over this Advance Motor Mechanics built and QuickBitz tuned weapon.

Watch the full video here: hpcdmy.co/sxn

[TECH TOUR] 8 Second 4WD Silvia Street Car | 950 HP @ 43 PSI SR20 S13 Sporting 950 WHP @ 43 PSI of boost and a 8.54 @ 164 MPH ¼ mile history, this 4WD converted 2.2L Nissan S13 Silvia is one of a kind and unbelievably still street legal! We caught up with Pail Torony of PJs Quick Bits at the 2017 World Time Attack Challenge to go over this weapon.

We all dream up incredible vehicle concepts—Nate Wilkerson of Wilkerson Customs brings them to life. Combining engineering expertise, CAD design, and a lifelong passion for off-road racing, Nate has built a huge following by creating some of the most ambitious virtual vehicle concepts on the internet.

Tuned In podcast episode 164: CAD: The Gateway to Making Dreams a Reality

Listen here: hpcdmy.co/podcastsf
Apple: hpcdmy.co/TunedInApple
Spotify: hpcdmy.co/TunedInSpotify

In this episode of Tuned In, we dive into Nate’s background, from growing up in a machine shop and studying optical engineering to designing advanced laser systems for autonomous vehicles and military applications. Along the way, he developed a passion for mechanical design and engineering, eventually turning the off-road vehicle concepts he’d been imagining since childhood into detailed CAD creations shared with a growing online audience.

We then explore the tools and processes behind Nate’s designs, covering everything from SolidWorks and finite element analysis to CNC machining and additive manufacturing. The discussion highlights the importance of designing for manufacturability and understanding engineering fundamentals before they ever reach the real world.

The conversation also dives deep into off-road vehicle design, from suspension geometry and wheel travel to weight optimisation and structural analysis. Nate explains how he balances performance, durability, and practicality while constantly pushing the limits of what’s possible in his designs.

This episode is packed with insight for anyone interested in CAD, engineering, fabrication, or vehicle design. Whether you're creating parts for your own project car or simply fascinated by the process of turning ideas into reality, Nate’s unique perspective makes this a fascinating listen.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package.

4130 Chromoly or 1020 Mild Steel? What should you use?

The material you choose when fabricating parts for your vehicle will affect the performance, weight, durability, cost, and fabrication requirements. Let’s look at two of the most common options in motorsport.

4130 Chromoly is known for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Because it’s significantly stronger than 1020 mild steel while maintaining a similar density, thinner-walled tubing can be used to achieve the same structural strength. For something like a six-point roll cage, this can result in weight savings of up to 12kg. Chromoly also offers superior fatigue resistance.

The trade-off is that it’s considerably more expensive and requires a higher level of skill and attention during fabrication.

1020 Mild Steel is a popular choice for many fabricators thanks to its lower cost and ease of use. It is easier to cut, bend, shape, and weld, making it a good option for those developing their fabrication skills. While it generally requires thicker wall tubing to achieve the same strength as chromoly, making it heavier, it still provides excellent durability.

The right choice comes down to your goals, budget, and fabrication experience, as well as the regulations governing your motorsport class.

When strength and weight reduction are the priority, chromoly is often the preferred option. When affordability and ease of fabrication matter most, mild steel is a practical and effective choice.

When it comes to the reliability of high performance or high output engines there is a lot of misunderstanding in the industry surrounding the technology being applied to engine bearings. Ron Sledge from King Racing talks to Andre in order to give us some insight into your options.

Dive into the video here - hpcdmy.co/9tl

[TECH TALK] What do you know about engine bearings? | King Engine Bearings When it comes to the reliability of high performance or high output engines there is a lot of misunderstanding in the industry surrounding the technology being applied to engine bearings. Ron Sledge from King Engine Bearings talks to Andre in order to give us some insight into your options.

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Enter here: hpcdmy.co/WinEcumaster

The EMU PRO-16 is a top-of-the-line standalone ECU that can run up to 12 sequential cylinders that will give you a huge number of inputs/outputs and comprehensive set of motorsport features.

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Enter here: hpcdmy.co/WinEcumaster

Concentric twisting has become a bit of a buzzword in the aftermarket performance industry over the last decade, but one of the most common questions we get is ‘What are the advantages of this method of construction?’

Before answering this, let’s discuss what concentric twisting actually is. Simply put, it’s a method of constructing the wiring harness where the conductors are arranged in layers around a central core. Each subsequent layer as we work our way out from that core is laid up in the opposite direction to the layer below. Since the diameter of the harness obviously increases as we add layers, each subsequent layer also includes a larger number of conductors. It’s worth noting that the construction technique is done by hand and there’s no tool used to create this style of construction.

Ok, so why use this technique? Well there are a couple of key advantages, the first being that the finished harness is very flexible since each layer can move relative to the other layers. This makes harness routing easy while also ensuring that when bent, no individual wire in the harness is subjected to any more strain than any other when the harness. Concentric twisting also provides a very small bundle size for a given number of conductors which also aids harness routing through those tight engine bays.

Concentric twisting isn’t without its downsides though. The most obvious is that the construction technique takes time. The next downside is that there will be a small weight penalty in this style of harness construction. This is for two reasons - Firstly, due to the lay angle of the conductors, you’ll use more wire, and since each layer requires a specific number of conductors, you’ll often get to a situation where you don’t have enough conductors for the final layer and this is made up by using ‘filler wire’ which is just along for the ride to make up numbers.

It should go without saying that concentric twisting is not going to be the right choice for every harness job, but you will often see it applied to harnesses at the top levels of motorsport for the advantages it provides.

In this interview we talk to Mark Mazurowski of Mazworx Racing Engines who is behind the SR20 billet block technology powering the Team Tekno Toyz Motorsport car (which is currently the 2nd fastest 4 cylinder car in the world | 6:50 ) about some of the common failure points on both cast aluminium and iron blocks in high horsepower applications and some of the considerations that go into designing a billet block that avoids these issues.

Watch the video here - hpcdmy.co/dh3

When is it time for a billet block? | Mazworx 2,000HP SR20 [TECH TALK] When is it time for a billet block? Check out the finer details of Mazworx's 2,000HP Nissan SR20.

If you're subscribed to our YouTube channel you may have noticed the late week [HPA Q&A] releases. If not, you haven't missed out, these are answers to some of the great questions we receive during our free and LIVE Introduction to Tuning and Introduction to Engine Building webinar lessons.

Here is a sample of what you may have missed so far: hpcdmy.co/mpp

[HPA Q&A] Professional Advice from Andre Simon If you're subscribed to our YouTube channel you will have noticed over the last couple of months we have started posting answers to some of the great questions we receive during our engine building webinars. far: