Let's pretend I have a Volvo 242
Posted by Jard
Andrew Frick Senior Moderator Location: Greenville, SC Join Date: 05/18/2007 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 684 Rally Car: Rally Spec Ford Focus |
Oliver Klozoff Senior Moderator Location: Oregon Join Date: 09/10/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 480 Rally Car: Nada |
Jared Lantzy Elite Moderator Location: Silver Spring, MD Join Date: 09/15/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 112 Rally Car: Free range navigator |
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Oliver Klozoff Senior Moderator Location: Oregon Join Date: 09/10/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 480 Rally Car: Nada |
Even though I would probably go the LM7 route, you know in the spirit of cheap ass motors, you can pick those up for pretty dang cheap, and from many of reading well underestimated on power from the factory. If you felt you needed to save the 70ish pounds the aluminum block saves you, then the L33 is a better choice then a LS1, under a $1000, heads i guess from the LS6 (corvette motor), and well it's not the LS1, so you don't pay the LS1 premium. Also, a well built T5 will do all T56 will do, minus the 6th gear, as long as you don't crank the power all the way up to 11. And the costs should still be less then a well built T56. "Rally racing makes a heroin addiction look like a vague craving for something salty" |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
Sean Medcroft Godlike Moderator Location: Edmonds, Washington Join Date: 02/12/2009 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,802 Rally Car: Building a Merkur |
Jared Lantzy Elite Moderator Location: Silver Spring, MD Join Date: 09/15/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 112 Rally Car: Free range navigator |
Oliver Klozoff Senior Moderator Location: Oregon Join Date: 09/10/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 480 Rally Car: Nada |
Well I'm going to guess yes, the topic of small cars kicking everyones asses has come up before, yet the fact the car cost $100k always seems to get lost in the debate.
A much more relevant argument would had been the Burress bros and their old rabbit, now that was a small car with a small engine that kicked everyones asses. And really, no ones looking for a bazzion hp, i just still hold true to the old preaching of JVL, cheap, strong and readily available, regardless what you're building.  "Rally racing makes a heroin addiction look like a vague craving for something salty" |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
Doesn't get lost to me! I ridicule it constantly.... And Tom absolute vehemently HATED the Rarebit car --and the motor WAS a nice 2.0 16v with a nice clean up in the ports (did a little "touch the seats up" on it) with some limp wristed girl-man cams and moderate comp..... It is the whole cost thing which I am poking at on the new--and intentionally contrarian--chorus "Bee Em Vey vill save de Day" oi Vey! So far as I can see the only thing the one model---3.0 24v with whoopie doo cams ---has going for it is its stock 240 Peee Ess. But if it costs 5 or 7 or 10 times as much to get into the car then beeeg fawkin deal--we can MAKE a better engine with race quality parts than an unknown condition-hope-it-wuz-serviced stock thing ---that seem to pop if beaten on. John Vanlandingham Sleezattle, WA, USA Vive le Prole-le-ralliat www.rallyrace.net/jvab CALL +1 206 431-9696 Remember! Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. |
Jared Lantzy Elite Moderator Location: Silver Spring, MD Join Date: 09/15/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 112 Rally Car: Free range navigator |
Wilson von Kessler Infallible Moderator Location: Lookout Mountain, GA Join Date: 02/28/2006 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,127 Rally Car: Colts are in Finland; now '87 325i, '89 325i |
Banned Super Moderator Location: La la land Join Date: 01/25/2006 Age: Fossilized Posts: 3,740 Rally Car: Not a Volvo |
Seriously folks (and JV)....
It doesn't cost a bazillion dollars more to get a 3 series than an old Volvo or Merkur. Even if the car was double the price we're not talking big money. $500 for an old Volvo that doesn't run or $1000 for a BMW that you can drive home. That is the cheap part really. If you look at the vids (I won't link it I promise) the poorly geared, unreliable L6 BMW has massive power, doesn't need revved to the moon, doesn't need tractor diffs, doesn't need special gear boxes. it just works. 2 OA wins in Dereks hands last year and essentially a 3rd OA this year in a strangers hands. It may be all wrong, but it is so right. Alternate power...BMW 6's are pretty reliable in the real world at the power levels produced from the factory, even the non M3 motors can live a ling time. The 4.0 Ford V6 cammer makes great power, light weight and lives forever. The LS series Chev V8 makes a low of about 270/290 to well past the 400 numbers . The lowly 4.8 and 5.3 are two of the absolute best gas engines ever built and routinely see 300,000 plus miles dragging 6000 lb trucks around that are often loaded with another 6-8000 lbs. So , yes you can turbo anything, add expense, add pistons, add camshafts, add complexity, add engine management, add heat and add UNRELIABILTY . 250hp in factory, production line spec or 250 hp in stressed tune. Which will live longer do ya think? Heck most Subes dump a turbo at 100k even with grannie driving. Weight?? negligible these days. Yes you need good suspension, yes you need good brakes but there are very cheap ways to get reliable power that have changed in the last 40 or 50 years. For the pervs..a mere taste of what can happen (junk yard motors too boot ) http://www.superchevy.com/technical/engines_drivetrain/shortblock/1306_4_8l_vs_5_3l_engine_tech_little_ls_slugfest/ Can be pretty much installed complete in anything in a long weekend btw...including a trip to get the motor (available at fine wrecking yards everywhere) Carry on... 
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Oliver Klozoff Senior Moderator Location: Oregon Join Date: 09/10/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 480 Rally Car: Nada |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
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