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‘Different in my own way’: CPT’s Blessed VVL reaches top dawg status

By Jehran Naidoo for Auto Rush

The Nissan Sentra VVL is growing in popularity in the Cape Town Drag Racing community. But Bellville racer Jodè Cupido wanted to be different and instead, opted for a SR20 powered 1985 Nissan Langley.

He bought the Langley at the beginning of 2022. By August that year, entered the car in its first drag racing event and has not looked back since. Literally. 

Standing out from the rest

Jodè’s AMG green Langley recently ran two back-to-back 11.1 second quarter mile runs, etching the “Blessed VVL’s” name into the record books. 

The 31-year-old air-conditioning business owner from Bellville in Cape Town is also a crowd favourite at Killarney, a race community with a fetish for screaming all-motor VVL engines. 

“Everyone was going for the Sentra with the VVL and I justwanted to be different. I also thought that a four-door would be easier to gut because sometimes the doors on a coupè can be heavier. I just wanted to make it light but mainly be different. 

“The colour code for the paint…honestly, the name I got when I went for a sample was Mercedes AMG Green. It had this glitter to it and I loved that look,” said Jodè. 

After setting out on his VVL adventure, Jodè quickly learnt that teamwork, quality workmanship and a whole lot of luck is required for success in the drag business.

Brought to you by Hatfield Ford Amanzimtoti.

Making ‘the baas’ baas’er

The Neo VVL has been upgraded with eagle rods, CP pistons and Darton sleeves at the bottom while Kelford Cams were fitted on top. Bosch 1,000 CC injectors feed the system with a stock SR20 crank still being used. 

Air is introduced to the meth-fueled combustion chamber via Xcessive’s bolt on SR20 manifold.

Pretoria engine builder Martin Bruwer worked his magic on “from top to bottom” on the SR20. 

“I think luck was with us with regards to a reliable engine. It really is a solid build. I have been in racing for around 7 or 8 years and tried my hand at the backyard builds. Spending lots of money on small cheap parts thinking its going to last. But with this, we were patient, saved up and spent it on good parts. The results are there. 

“My personal best with Blessed VVL is 11.199 seconds @198km/h which was at Killarney during the finals last weekend.  A week before that, I ran the exact same time and speed at Aldo Scribante. So the car has been consistent since we rebuilt it,” said Jodè.  

Big power, bigger dreams

On full methanol, the Langley pushes out 208 kilowatts and 279 newton metres of torque on the dyno after Jody Van Schoor is done crunching the numbers. 

In its current state, Blessed VVL is capable of a ten second quarter mile pass, or at least that’s what Jodè hopes for. 

“We still have some things to iron out on the car and I also want to dial in the 60 foot times. My goal is to do a ten second pass. Even if its high tens, I’ll take it,” Jodè  told Auto Rush. 

Build details:

  • Engine builder: Martin Bruwer 
  • Tuner: JVS Tuning (Jody Van Schoor)/Nisma Performance (Nazeem Sirkhotte)
  • Paintwork: Corne Lourens 
  • Cage: Oom Marius 
  • Fabrication: Shaun Wall 
  • Car Assembly and maintenance: Jodè and Jaimie Elvos 
  • Management: FuelTech FT450 Installed and by JVS Tuning 
  • Parts for car supplied by: Devspec & Kspeed Solutions

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