The 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed showcased an impressive array of hypercars, legendary road and racing machines and Formula 1 greats. But amidst all the glitz and glamour, Oil Stain LabHalf11 stole the show as a magnificent Frankenstein inspired by the 60s and 70s.
In an era where most series production cars are uninspiring and only boutique brands like Koenigsegg and Pagani offer groundbreaking designs, two brothers from California (USA) have brought something truly extraordinary to life.
Speedhunters reviewed the Half11 a few years ago during the construction phaseand it immediately piqued my interest. So when the Oilstainlab team announced their invitation to race at the 2024 Festival of Speed, my excitement was high – I would finally see this creation in the flesh.
After five years of blood, sweat and tears, twin brothers Iliya and Nikita Bridan were ready to show their custom automotive masterpiece. Few get the chance to show their work on this international stage, so the pressure was on.
The Bridan twins are professional car designers, a fact that is evident in every aspect of the Half11. Despite their lack of mechanical expertise at the start of the project, they quickly adapted, learned and outsourced certain aspects of the build where it made sense.
The Half11 was a crowd favourite at the Festival of Speed. When it wasn’t screaming up the Goodwood hillclimb, it was surrounded by spectators in the pits. Half were bewildered by its eccentricity, while the other half were fascinated by its engineering.
To me, the Half11 feels like a 1970s Porsche Can-Am racer mixed with Crazy Max, and I love it. The fact that it’s road legal in California is the icing on the cake. It’s proof that race cars can be road legal, even though not all road cars can be race cars.
Delving deeper into the details, the Half11 is powered by a 5.5-liter LS3 engine custom built by JMS Racing Engines. Featuring a large bore and short stroke, it revs to 8,500 rpm and produces 650 hp and 745 Nm on regular pump fuel.
Highlights of the engine include eight individual Inglese throttle bodies and a Dailey dry sump system. The headers and rear exhaust – covered in white heat-resistant material and finished with a sleek 3D-printed Inconel tip – took 18 months to perfect. Power is transmitted via a Porsche 996 GT2 transmission with reverse-engineered internals. Wet, the Half11 weighs just 839 kg (1,850 lbs).
The custom tube chassis, designed by Joe Scarbo, is wrapped in sculpted aluminum bodywork with an epic retro color scheme. A low wing finishes off the rear in style.
Suspension design is based on a Porsche 935-style front layout with Elephant Racing-modified struts and 75mm raised spindles, while Öhlins dampers are used at the rear. Stopping power comes from Porsche 930-spec Wilwood brakes.
One of my favorite features are the wheels, which the Bridan twins designed themselves, inspired by Porsche 917 K wheels. The Rotiform one-offs are wrapped in fat Avon semi-slicks.
Inside, it’s a simple affair, with much of the interior 3D printed. OEM Porsche gauges, a quick-ratio 911 steering rack and a Tilton adjustable pedal box complete the setup.
Oilstainlab’s creation is a testament to the power of dreams and passion. The way the global automotive community has embraced this build proves that when you put your soul into a project, greatness can be achieved.
If it wasn’t already obvious, I’m extremely impressed with Half11 and can’t wait to see what the Bridan twins have in store next.
Stefan Kotze
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