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Author: Subject: is it me or is everyone power crazied
Slimy38

posted on 21/7/14 at 07:56 PM Reply With Quote
I'm aiming for a power to weight ratio slightly better than the donor MX5, but keeping options to improve it at a later date. I reckon it will still be plenty to get myself into trouble.
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Worzey

posted on 21/7/14 at 08:42 PM Reply With Quote
My 248bhp is adequate. TBH, 200bhp is probably more than enough for a road specification car so I've no desire to go for any more power at this stage especially as there are very few places you can deploy the power safely and legally.





Caterham R400

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zilspeed

posted on 21/7/14 at 09:43 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
quote:
Originally posted by kj
1700 x flow twin 40s 135bhp quick, changed to 899cc zx9 was dyno on bike at 165bhp much more fun cheaper road tax too.


My old car had 135bhp of xflow.

Two owners later it had a ZX9 engine at 150 ish bhp.

Next owner after that, R1 at whatever BHP.

Last I heard, it had a turbocharged R1. Most certainly well over 200bhp.

Who had the most fun / did the most miles ?


Me!



We'll agree to differ on this. Did you drive it with the xflow before removing it ?

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daniel mason

posted on 21/7/14 at 10:32 PM Reply With Quote
It's not all about power, mines well balanced,good aero,and superb under braking! Corner speeds and late braking are where I'm gaining time on the sprints.






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bi22le

posted on 22/7/14 at 03:01 AM Reply With Quote
I think there are two schools of thought here:

1) Road use where 150bhp is fine. Being open to the elements and low to the ground give you a great rush and very enjoyable Sunday mornings.

2) track use where the whole concept of speed and comparison between cars is so much higher. If you go on track more often then your focus of enjoyment is something else. It's finding the limit, pushing hard and being fast compared to others. As other track day users have increased their power you feel obligated to do the same. Years back a 150bhp pinto would suffice because it was in the front runners. Now 170bhp BEC and 230bhp duratecs run the roost.

I guess they are both providing the same sensation, enjoyable driving. It's just the environments that you try and achieve enjoyable driving dictates what you need to do it.





Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!

Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1

Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I

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ian locostzx9rc2

posted on 22/7/14 at 06:04 AM Reply With Quote
The point I was trying to make was 150bhp for the road is more than enough and having fun at track days is keeping up with quicker more powerful cars not being the fastest car just overtaking everyone .
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MikeRJ

posted on 22/7/14 at 08:02 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by kj
1700 x flow twin 40s 135bhp quick, changed to 899cc zx9 was dyno on bike at 165bhp much more fun cheaper road tax too.


What on earth did you do to the ZX-9 engine to get 165bhp from it? You'd be lucky to see more than 140bhp from a standard engine, irrespective of bolt on bits (apart from bolting on a turbo or Nitrous of course).

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Ivan

posted on 22/7/14 at 08:02 AM Reply With Quote
I must agree - one can get over powered.

Having driven everything from a Group N Toyota 1300cc Conguest to a Formula Atlantic 3.6l V6 with the odd 6.3 l Cobra and GT 40 in between, I must admit that the little very underpowered Toyota was just as much fun as the others. If I analyse it the fun was all about how chuckable and controllable it was. The others all needed you to rein yourself in and promised very severe consequences, both financially and physically, if you pushed too hard, with much less warning that you had overcooked it and needing vastly more skill than I had to approach their limits with any chance of recovery from any minor errors.

I would guess that a 0-60mph time of around 6 seconds is more than adequate for most uses. (Says he whose Cobra with the right tyres could most probably achieve that in the low to mid 3 second range - but then I am frightened of it and can't use all its power on public roads and even on the track)\

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kj

posted on 22/7/14 at 08:38 AM Reply With Quote
Dyno print out from bike not sure what he done with it but it makes me smile
I know its dyno jetted and a k&n

[Edited on 22/7/14 by kj]





Think about it, think about it again and then do it.

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Alfa145

posted on 22/7/14 at 09:00 AM Reply With Quote
I bought my car with a 1700 XFlow putting out about 130ish

I then "upgraded" to a Zetec with ITBs which Rolling Roaded at 170ish

Give me back my Xflow any day. Much more character, much more fun to drive. Better sound, better feel. True, it wasn't as quick in a straight line but could go round the corners at the same speed.

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coyoteboy

posted on 22/7/14 at 12:45 PM Reply With Quote
Personally I find all the fun comes not from driving fast but accelerating fast in all directions. 300hp in a 1400kg tin top isn't even remotely close to enough to be more than "spritely", 150 in a 750kg kit wouldn't be either. The first time I felt a car that was REALLY fun to drive was 90hp in a 200kg car. I enjoy blasting through the gears, I enjoy hooning into corners as much as the next man, I don't enjoy holding the throttle flat down waiting uninspired. I drive an underpowered (90hp, 1500kg car) tin-top daily, I spend most of my time at full throttle waiting for it to respond and get me up to speed just on a normal commute. If I want to get somewhere briskly I have to carry way too much speed through corners to be safe so I don't do it. This is dull. I don't get the "driving it at it's limits is fun even if the limits are low" malarky - it gets dull very quickly unless you're on a track.

[Edited on 22/7/14 by coyoteboy]






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beaver34

posted on 24/7/14 at 03:36 PM Reply With Quote
200bhp and 550kg is enough and is fast for road use and usable

i used to have this now ive 340bhp and far less enjoyable

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Angel Acevedo

posted on 24/7/14 at 04:08 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by beaver34
200bhp and 550kg is enough and is fast for road use and usable

i used to have this now ive 340bhp and far less enjoyable



If I weren´t that far I´d take that burden off your hands....






Beware of what you wish.. for it may come true....

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britishtrident

posted on 24/7/14 at 04:31 PM Reply With Quote
Too many get fixed on power and don't understand just how rewarding getting the handling right on these cars can be.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

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big_wasa

posted on 24/7/14 at 04:37 PM Reply With Quote
Mine started at around 165 with webers but I was more than happy to drop it back to 150 to get cheap drivability.

I was disappointed with the out right acceleration but it carried more than enough speed to put a smile on my face. For the feel of pure speed very little matches that of a 1000cc sports bike.

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scootz

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:05 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by kj
1700 x flow twin 40s 135bhp quick, changed to 899cc zx9 was dyno on bike at 165bhp much more fun cheaper road tax too.


Was this the same car? If so, how do you go about changing the taxation class?





It's Evolution Baby!

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jps

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:19 PM Reply With Quote
My 1.6 pinto in from my Sierra donor was, I believe, expected to put out less than 70bhp when new. Not sure how much difference a '7' style exhaust could make but I'm expecting to stick with that engine for the foreseeable...

I'm only 32 so it's not an 'old' thing...

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Paul AS

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:20 PM Reply With Quote
550kg and 105bhp!! 45 mpg on the road and has already been said, the key to all of this is set up and handling.

Zetec SE 1.4 plus free Fiesta = £350. Don't touch it apart from ECU and manifold, until it breaks, and repeat!!

As quick as most cars at road legal speeds and a real hoot to drive!!

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kj

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:24 PM Reply With Quote
Same car sent away log book engine receipt and log book with garage report on conversion, from MS word. From £127 for 6 months to £140 per year





Think about it, think about it again and then do it.

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scootz

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:40 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by kj
Same car sent away log book engine receipt and log book with garage report on conversion, from MS word. From £127 for 6 months to £140 per year


Cool! Didn't know you could do that.





It's Evolution Baby!

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kj

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:46 PM Reply With Quote
Easier than I thought





Think about it, think about it again and then do it.

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metro6r4

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:50 PM Reply With Quote
i'm planning on fitting a 170hp motor into my global with the intention of fitting a turbo at a later date when money allows in my opinion power is only good as long as its usable
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kj

posted on 24/7/14 at 05:56 PM Reply With Quote
Scoots what's your plans





Think about it, think about it again and then do it.

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jossey

posted on 24/7/14 at 06:40 PM Reply With Quote
my main in aim is the most horses for the £. so my cbr900 engine was £225 I guess its about 130hp so £1.70 per BHP

:O)

David





Thanks



David Johnson

Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.

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mark chandler

posted on 24/7/14 at 06:58 PM Reply With Quote
My little car is to fast for the road, works very well on the track.

Road tyres = acceleration wheel spin in the lower gears, in the wet it spins them up in 6th!

200bhp , close to 400kg.

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