Imagine being a self-taught engineer who mastered the intricacies of engine design and is now building bespoke engines from the ground up. That’s exactly what Josh Valman from Motorsport_Engineering has done.

We welcome Josh back for his second appearance on the podcast. This time, we catch up on his wild Alpha V8 Hayabusa project and dive into his latest creation — a turbocharged hot-vee V6 bespoke engine.

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In this episode of Tuned In, Josh shares his journey from self-taught engineer to bespoke engine designer and builder. We check in on his progress with the Alpha project before unpacking the details of his new V6 design.

We explore the technical side of engine performance — including pre-ignition chambers, variable valve timing, and the unique benefits of a V6 engine configuration. Josh also discusses the finer points of engine design and the importance of balancing stroke and bore ratios while selecting the right compression ratios for boosted engines.

With deep expertise in machining and manufacturing, Josh offers valuable insights into precision machining, materials selection, heat treatment, and maintaining tight tolerances in high-performance engine parts.

If you’re fascinated by engine design, engine building, machining, or CAD, this episode is packed with knowledge. Josh’s passion for sharing his experience makes it a must-listen for anyone interested in the art and science of building engines.

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Follow Josh here:

Instagram: Motorsport_engineering
Youtube: Motorsport_engineering

Timestamps:

0:00 The Self-Taught Way: Building Wild Engines from Scratch
3:34 Welcome back, Who are you? Where are you from and what do you do?
8:45 How did you learn your CAD skills?
2:11 What’s the complexities with manufacturing in China?
18:31 What’s happening with the Alpha project?
21:31 What is the process for making the tooling for carbon fibre body panels?
23:20 When do you see this competing in the British Hillclimb Championship?
23:46 What engine changes would you make to run the car at Pikes Peak?
27:05 What is a pre-ignition chamber and what’s the advantage?
34:40 What is pre-ignition and what causes it?
38:04 What’s the advantage of variable valve timing?
40:26 How did you go from a manufacturi
45:49 How do you choose the V angle for an engine?
51:17 How do you design parts & get them right without years of experience?
55:25 Why would a V6 require balance shafts?
58:27 Is it easier to design an engine from scratch than modify an existing one?
1:04:12 What are the factors that affect deciding on a stroke length?
1:06:36 How critical is the rod to stroke ratio?
1:07:55 How do you choose a compression ratio?
1:11:05 How do you confirm the strength of your engine parts?
1:13:53 Why do we need to heat treat our parts?
1:17:11 How do you keep accurate tolerances while machining these parts?
1:21:09 Why are you using a liner over a coated bore?
1:22:31 How hard is it machining coolant passages into the block & Head?
1:25:45 How are you confirming you have sufficient cooling when designing these engines?
1:30:40 How are you sealing the head on this engine?
1:34:12 How did the V8 engine go when you got it on the dyno?
1:35:53 Why did you go gear drive between the crank and cams?
1:40:09 How long between over

CAN communication might seem like a secret, nerdy language spoken only by electronic components —and, in a way, it is. But behind that digital chatter lies the key to unlocking integration between different electrical systems.

Mitch Minton from Minton Performance joins us to unpack CAN communication—how it really works, and why it’s become such a crucial part of the aftermarket performance world.

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In this episode of Tuned In, Mitch shares his journey from a casual interest in cars, sparked by ‘The Fast and the Furious’, to becoming a skilled automotive technician and data analyst. He reflects on the evolution of his expertise and his experiences in race engineering and mobile diagnostics.

We then dive into the fascinating world of CAN communication, exploring its vital role in modern automotive systems. Mitch breaks down the complexities of CAN protocol, explaining data transmission, how to decode negative values, and the purpose of his CAN gateway.

We explore the challenges of integrating aftermarket ECUs and how intricate modern vehicle data networks have become. Mitch explains why continuous learning in this field is essential for anyone serious about automotive technology.

With modern vehicles packed full of electronic modules, traditional engine swaps, gearbox conversions, and standalone ECU upgrades aren’t as straightforward as they once were. Without the understanding and use of CAN communication a lot of these modifications are no longer possible.

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Follow Mitch here:

WWW: mintonperformance.com
Youtube: @mintonperformance
Facebook: Mitch Minton

Timestamps:

0:00 Cracking the CAN Code: Mastering Integration in Performance Builds
4:37 How did you get interested in cars?
9:11 At what point did you decide to go down the IT road?
12:45 What is your work history and where are you today?
14:54 Can you tell us which HPA courses you took and how you found them?
19:34 What sort of race engineering and data analysis did you get involved in?29:40 How easy is it to understand and use different data loggers?
34:34 Why did you stop doing data analysis?
36:16 What does your current working role look like?
38:33 What is CAN?
45:30 How do the CAN high and CAN low wires work?
47:25 Is there a limit of nodes depending on the Bus length?
48:33 What is the benefit of using CAN Bus?
54:12 What does a CAN message look like?
1:03:29 Why can’t we send the data in the numbers we want to see?
1:05:04 What hardware and software do we need to reverse engineer a CAN Bus? 1:14:10 What is a CAN gateway?
1:19:20 How do we run a modern DCT gearbox on a standalone that doesn’t accurately log torque output?
1:23:09 How do you actually control and program the CAN gateway?
1:24:55 Could you offer a standard and a pro version for different users?
1:28:21 What is CAN 2.0 and what is CAN FD?
1:31:57 Where do you place the data in addresses of importance?
1:33:43 How mainstream is CAN FD at the moment?
1:35:20 What is FlexRay?
1:37:50 Is it going to get harder and harder to make stand alone ECU’s work on late model vehicles?
1:45:08 Final 3 questions

Want a high-revving, F1-sounding, naturally aspirated V10 on a budget? Sounds impossible—until Jack and Diego from Build It Yourself made it happen. They took a humble Ford V10 truck engine, crafted custom four-valve heads, and engineered headers that deliver that unmistakable F1 scream.

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In this episode of Tuned In, Jack and Diego share their backgrounds in automotive engineering and their journey into the performance automotive world. They discuss their current roles at Ford, the skills they bring to their YouTube channel Build It Yourself, and the innovative technologies they leverage, such as CAD, 3D scanning, and 3D printing.

The conversation dives deep into the highs and lows of building a one-off V10 engine. From the headaches of welding cylinder heads and perfecting cooling and oil flow to the science of exhaust sound engineering. They unpack machining, camshaft design, and the creative process behind documenting the entire build on YouTube.

Then there’s the bold decision to drop this beast into a 2017 Lincoln Continental, a choice that might not seem obvious to many enthusiasts. With the added challenge of a rear-wheel-drive conversion, it was definitely no straightforward swap.

What they’ve pulled off in their home workshop is nothing short of extraordinary. Blending solid engineering know-how with hands-on ingenuity, their Build It Yourself attitude is truly inspiring.

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Follow Jack & Diego here:

Youtube: biy_buildityourself
Instagram: biy_buildityourself

Timestamps:

0:00 The “Impossible” Backyard V10 Screamer
4:22 How did you get into cars? (Jack)
6:34 How did you get into cars? (Diego)
12:43 Opinion on the future of EV’s side quest
14:32 What would you say your key skills are?
18:38 How hard is it to learn 3d scanning?
26:36 How did you learn the CAD skills?
29:53 Why do we all need 3d printers?
39:40 How did the BIY channel start and why the V10?
42:15 What is an even fire engine?
48:25 How did you convert the engine to 4 valve double overhead cam?
56:15 What issues did welding two heads together cause?
59:44 No one wanted to line bore your cam journals?
1:02:15 How did you find someone to make you custom cams?
1:04:30 Did you consider using any other V10’s?
1:08:07 What's the power and rpm to date?
1:09:40 What chassis did you decide to put it in?
1:13:42 How hard is the rear wheel drive and engine swap?
1:16:29 How does header design affect sound?
1:27:51 3D printed 5 to 1 exhaust collector
1:30:15 Why did you decide to make a YouTube channel for the build?
1:39:21 Why didn’t you try to tune the car yourselves?
1:43:44 Final 3 Questions

Whether it’s a bespoke quad-turbo V12 or a modified OE production engine, the fundamentals remain the same—we’re all looking for those extra gains. Italtecnica’s Riccardo Breda is here to break down the core concepts that could help you take your engine build to the next level.

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In this episode of Tuned In, Riccardo discusses his journey into automotive engineering and his role as an engine designer at Italtecnica, a company specialising in resto-mods, engine development, design, and manufacturing, working with brands like Ferrari and Maserati.

The conversation explores the evolution of Italtecnica, the challenges and innovations in resto-mod projects, and the range of engines currently being produced and developed. That includes a new naturally aspirated V12 for racing, along with a homologated version for road use. He also talks about the challenges of balancing power output with emissions compliance in modern engine design.

We dive into key fundamentals of engine design, including compression ratio, bearing clearance, rod-to-stroke ratio, cylinder head design, and different methods of valve actuation. The conversation also touches on the Atkinson cycle and how it can be replicated with variable valve timing.

It’s not every day you get to tap into the mind of someone designing bespoke high-performance engines from the ground up. This episode is jam-packed with insight and a must-listen for anyone interested in engine building.

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Follow Riccardo here:

Instagram: italtecnica.engineering
Facebook: italtecnica
WWW: italtecnicaengineering.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Inside the Art of Bespoke Engine Building
4:35 How did you become interested in cars?
8:46 Once you Graduated what did your work career look like?
9:50 What’s the history of Italtecnica?
14:05 What is the Kimera EVO37?
17:43 What is different about modern cylinder head design?
20:19 What engines are you working on and offering in 2025?
21:52 The V12 NA engine you’re producing, who is the target market?
25:29 What sort of HP and RPM will the V12 produce?
28:12 It’s not all about HP figures and 0-60 times
30:10 How do you decide on a rpm limit for a bespoke v12 engine?
37:34 Atkinson cycle, How do we mimic with VVT?
41:44 How do you decide on a compression ratio when designing an engine?
45:03 Can you simulate knock threshold in a virtual model?
47:37 How much do you consider rod to stroke ratio?
53:36 What’s your take on bearing/oil clearances?
1:02:18 What drives your bank angle decision?
1:08:21 What type of valve actuation are you using?
1:14:40 What’s your lifespan between rebuilds on your engines?
1:15:46 What material do you use for your pistons?
1:18:25 How close are real world numbers to your simulations?
1:22:46 What are the cost challenges with cast parts and low production numbers?
1:27:14 Final 3 questions

Composites might seem like the secret language of aerospace engineers and hypercar builders, but Gabriel Mountjoy from Common Fibers is here to break down those barriers. He’s out to prove that composites aren’t just exotic materials—you can use them to elevate your own builds too.

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In this episode of Tuned In, Gabe shares his journey from a mechanical engineering student passionate about automotive efficiency to a successful entrepreneur in the composites industry. Alongside his now-wife Ann, he co-invented the first carbon fiber hinge, and today their company is not only one of America’s leading composite manufacturers but also uniquely committed to educating people on how to work with these materials.

We explore the evolution of composites in automotive applications, the challenges and opportunities they bring, and why designing for manufacturability is key. Gabe also takes us inside high-profile projects like SSC North America’s Tuatara—a hypercar capable of 300 mph—explaining how they construct mission-critical, complex components such as its carbon-fiber monocoque.

Gabe breaks down the essentials of material and resin selection, unpacks layup methods, and clarifies the differences between wet layup, vacuum bagging, and resin infusion. He highlights the advantages of prepreg materials and compares autoclave with out-of-autoclave approaches.

Despite producing some of the most intricate composite parts in the U.S., Gabe and his team remain refreshingly open about their processes and deeply passionate about making composites more accessible.

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Follow Gabe here:

Instagram: Commonfibers
Facebook: Common Fibers
YouTube: Common Fibers
WWW: commonfibers.com

Timestamps:

0:00 From Home Builds to Hypercars: Composites for Everyone
4:37 Did the passion for cars come first or carbon fiber?
7:54 How do you become a composites engineer?
10:01 What’s your work history prior to starting Common Fibers?
11:18 Are composites much more common in other industries?
14:55 What does Common Fiber’s look like today?
16:11 How are you finding composite technicians?
18:06 Why did you open a second facility?
19:01 Can you briefly explain the different resin types?
21:30 What has been the process of growing a business to have 40 staff?
26:33 How much work are you doing for the aerospace industry?
29:22 What is the SSC North America Tuatara?
30:38 How did you get involved in the hyper car project?
32:30 How does the design and production work with the Tutara parts?
38:01 What’s the benefits of the monocoque over a conventional chassis?
44:11 When we talk about composites, what are the different materials?
47:23 What are the different types of carbon fibre?
49:18 What is carbon's best strength quality?
51:56 How do you validate the strength of your parts?
57:28 What is the process of designing and manufacturing a mold?
1:06:13 How do we layup the carbon or fiber glass into our mold?
1:14:47 What is a wet layup and where would we use it?
1:18:25 What is vacuum bagging?
1:23:02 What is resin infusion?
1:28:43 What is prepreg?
1:38:25 Final 3 questions

It’s common for car enthusiasts to rush their car onto the dyno before it’s truly ready, only to have it strapped down and the tuner uncover a list of issues. Nothing kills the excitement of chasing those long-awaited power figures faster than unexpected problems.

Booking a session with remote tuning expert Shawn Christenson could save you thousands. Shawn, from Tuned by Shawn, is a Haltech specialist who can remotely tune your car from anywhere in the world.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Shawn shares his journey from a childhood fascination with cars to becoming a self-taught tuner and business owner. He talks about the challenges of diving headfirst into tuning, including his first attempts learning on his FD RX-7. “Piston engines were easy after learning to tune on a Rotary”

We explore how Shawn began his tuning career with Adaptronic before transitioning to Haltech, which he now specializes in and also provides technical support. He outlines his remote tuning process and why it works so effectively, stressing the importance of road-tuning a car before it ever sees the dyno.

Shawn breaks down the pros and cons of remote tuning, including how he manages tricky areas like knock control when the car isn’t physically in front of him. He also touches on CAN bus integration in modern vehicles, an area he’s becoming increasingly involved with.

Spending hours—or even days—on the dyno can quickly add up if things don’t go to plan. Shawn’s focus on minimizing hiccups and maximizing efficiency makes a strong case for his approach. He might just be the one to help get the most out of your car.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Shawn here:

Instagram: tunedbyshawn

Facebook: Tuned by Shawn

WWW: tunedbyshawn.com

Timestamps:

0:00 How to Avoid Wasting Thousands on the Dyno
3:44 How did you form a passion for cars?
8:12 I brought a FD RX7 for $9000
12:00 Did you learn to tune on your FD RX7?
24:54 What were you doing for Elliot (Turblown) at this point?
29:06 The process of remote support and tuning
32:03 How did Tuned by Shawn start?
36:48 How and why you specialised in Adaptronic then Haltech
43:04 Tech support from ECU brands is massive
49:34 Firmware updates
52:50 Getting the car dialed in before the dyno
56:24 What are long term fuel trims and how do they work?
1:00:00 Is being away from the car a pro or a con? Remote tuning
1:03:21 What’s some red flags you look for in the long term fuel trim table?
1:08:33 Are you remote tuning on a dyno or on the road?
1:12:48 How do you tune to avoid knock remotely?
1:23:04 Are you providing a more conservative tune remotely?
1:26:11 How are you using CAN Bus on the Haltech?
1:47:06 Final 3 questions

Formula 1 represents the pinnacle of motorsport and James Densley along with the team at TDF Limited are breathing new life into retired F1 cars, transforming them back into the ultimate track weapons.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

James shares his journey from a car-obsessed child through karting to mechanic at the top levels of motorsport. He recounts his experiences in Formula 3 and then with Mercedes F1, before explaining how TDF Limited was founded and started specialising in restoring and supporting retired F1 cars.

The conversation explores the complexities involved in purchasing, restoring, and maintaining historic F1 cars, including the challenges posed by obsolete electronics and sourcing rare components. James emphasises the critical role of modern technologies such as 3D scanning in facilitating these restoration projects.

We also discuss the operational and logistical challenges of running historic F1 cars today, the development of the TDF One program to make these cars more accessible, and the technical hurdles of modernizing powertrains while preserving the true essence of Formula 1 racing.

It’s unfortunate that these extraordinary machines often face the scrap heap or sit around as expensive ornaments after their brief racing lives. What TDF Limited are achieving by resurrecting these masterpieces and returning them to the track is truly groundbreaking.

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Follow James here:

Instagram: @tdf_limited
YouTube: @tdflimited
WWW: tdf.co.uk

Timestamps:

0:00 Is a Retired F1 Car the Ultimate Track Toy?
4:22 How did you form an interest in cars?
6:34 What’s a race weekend look like in Formula 3?
7:59 How do limited slip diffs work?
9:19 Tell us about Mercedes F1
14:00 What is TDF and how did it come to be?
18:20 How does TDF Works get a hold of used F1 cars?
22:22 Used F1 engines, are they hard to find and get running?
27:45 How do we get a trans axel for one of these cars?
31:50 What is seamless gear shifting and how does it work?
34:41 How do you go about running these cars on old electronics?
45:03 How do you source replacement body and aero parts?
49:50 Can you put something like a Judd V10 in one of these chassis?
52:37 What’s it look like for TDF Works to take a F1 car to the track for the day?
58:04 Can you give us an idea of the hydraulic system?
59:05 What is TDF One and how does it work?
1:02:55 How much of a debate was it to go to a turbo 4 cylinder?
1:06:29 How much HP are the genuine F1 cars making compared to TDF One?
1:07:59 What is the 4 cylinder engine in the TDF One cars?
1:11:03 Are you running a F2 trans axel in the rear?
1:12:52 What’s the electronics package and have you added ABS & Traction control?
1:15:46 How often do you need to overhaul the engine and gearbox and other parts?
1:20:50 How does crack testing on carbon fibre work?
1:22:15 How much does a TDF One car cost to run?
1:23:57 How many TDF One cars are out there?
1:24:44 What’s the build time on one of these cars?
1:28:26 Final 3 questions

No matter the stage of a build, most projects reach a point where giving up feels tempting. They demand grit and perseverance—and Karel Silha from Karel S Motorsport’s wild DTM-inspired M4 Time Attack build is no exception.

We first spoke to Karel in 2022, and now he’s back to share what it really takes to shake down and test a home-built car of this caliber. Believe it or not, it all started with a toy car that Karel scanned and scaled up using CAD

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In this episode, we explore the engineering details behind the build. Karel explains the challenges of mounting a massive aero package capable of generating serious downforce. He highlights the practical difficulties of high-performance engineering in a garage environment.

Karel also shares how he’s utilised modern tools like CAD and FEA to optimise the design. We talk through his experience testing on KW Suspension’s seven-post rig—fine-tuning the suspension for low-speed mechanical grip and managing the immense downforce at high speeds.

We discuss the complexities of engine management with turbocharging and individual throttle bodies (ITBs), the importance of on track testing versus dyno calibration.

Despite the technical challenges and the emotional toll, this episode is far from bleak. Karel’s journey is incredibly inspiring and he’s optimistic that 2025 will finally be the year this insane build shows its true potential.

Follow Karel here:

Instagram: karel_s_motorsport
Facebook: Karel S Motorsport
Youtube: karelsmotorsport

Links:

Episode 26 with Karel: Building a Tube Frame 1100hp Time Attack Weapon

Episode 75 with Dave Higgins (Aero Dave): The Realities of Driving and Maintaining Your Own F1 Car.

Timestamps:

0:00 DIY Motorsport Isn’t Easy But It’s Insanely Rewarding
4:12 Welcome back, can you give us a quick intro into who you are?
6:06 Can you give us a quick overview of the car?
12:24 Designing car modifications with serviceability in mind
16:40 What engine setup do you have in the car?
22:51 How do you go about the first shakedown for a car like this?
26:37 How did you go about fixing the initial issues?
30:12 What was going on with the wheel speed issue and why do we even need wheel speeds?
34:51 Why are you not running ABS?
38:15 Wheel speed issues wrapped up.
42:29 Were there any other issues in the initial testing? Dry sump issues?
49:40 Issues with the fixing points for the splitter and wing?
53:27 What material are you using?
56:37 Can the average enthusiast get good results with FEA or do you need to be an Engineer to use it?
1:01:25 Did you have any cooling issues?
1:07:49 What is the height of the splitter at static ride height?
1:11:14 What is a 7 post rig?
1:19:44 Are you tuning the car onto bumpstomps to combat aero at high speeds?
1:21:46 Where does testing go from here?
127:11 How are you going about tuning your engine package?
1:35:11 Were you able to do any gear shift calibration on the dyno?
1:43:00 Will we see you at WTAK in Australia?
1:46:35 Final 3 questions