---- Power V Weight ----

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v8_mopar, Nov 27, 10:09am
As a v8 power man im finding Im needing more and more power to keep ahead of little pocket rockets, and these little girly cars can handle so well its almost worth being seen driving one. But at the end of the day I cant pass on my 8's, and they are so easy to increase there power to unbeatable inline times.

I wanting to see who prefers what

andrea_w, Nov 27, 10:18am
I like my straight 6 turbo. other cars are faster, other cars are slower but at the end of the day I couldn't give a flying <expletive> about them because I enjoy my car, the way it handles and the power it puts down!
Enjoy what you've got, regardless of what others have :)

edit - if you come across a car that shouldn't be faster than your car, but is. think about how much money they've sunk into that car to make it that fast and smugly think to yourself "I'd still rather push my car than drive that pos" :D

morrisman1, Nov 27, 10:20am
I like light weight, low power cars. Reason! I like the idea of going fast while retaining the low impact of a small car. Seeing things like escorts do good lap times is more special than seeing the v8s do good times, you kinda expect a v8 to go fast already

1ollie, Nov 27, 11:49am
I like my Nissan RB's, Toyota JZ's & even Mazda Rotarys(to a certain extent) and similar motors & cars that they come in as they are in my view the best platforms for going fast for reasonable money whether it be in a strait line or around corners the only other way to go fast is keep spending more and more money on what you have as you can make anything fast with a cro mo tube chassis, wizzy top level suspension and some big turbos haha but yeah for me V8's have minimal appeal unless they are quad cam and of Japanese origin!

stevo2, Nov 27, 5:23pm
I like small light "Drivers" cars.
Anyone can put the foot down and drive fast in a straight line but the penalties for going over 100kph are a bit steep.
I prefer something that can do 100kph through the gorges or winding mountain roads, it is as if the driver is part of the car,and that puts a real smile on my face.
I often get overtaken by guys in large cars (mostly falcons) while cruising at 100-110kph who dont like to see a small car in front of them. They dissapear into the distance at 130kph but as soon as we get to the twisty bit of road Im right up their arse again and you can see they are trying to push hard to get away by the very untidy handling and jerky attempts at cornering, often clipping the inside of a corner or crossing the white line.
As soon as a straight comes up, they are gone again.
I drive an MX5 and have a lot of fun at low cost.

fiatracer, Nov 27, 5:56pm
aha! that explains it!

great choice.

smac, Nov 27, 7:22pm
100 horsies in a mini = never ending grin.

splinter67, Nov 27, 7:25pm
600 hp in a 55 bigger grin sorry smac what weight is your mini it sounds like fun

bill-robinson, Nov 27, 7:47pm
remember Henry Ford said "simplicate and add lightness"
To me, that means, lose weightbefore adding power,it's cheaper.

smac, Nov 27, 8:04pm
*ahem* Colin Chapman actually.and it was "simplify". Just being pedantic 'cause I used to have the T shirt.

smac, Nov 27, 8:06pm
Yeah but only one of those combo's will go around corners!Unfortunately due to space that motor is not on the bench, with no car to put it in right now. Down to one mini for the first time in years. When my MKI was running with that motor it would have been around 600kg, approx 100hp, close to 90 ft/lb. Cornered like a house fly (to steal a phrase.).

splinter67, Nov 27, 8:15pm
Ha go round corners umm not that well hell with ya foot right up it its a struggle to keep it in a straight linethat has a lot to do with tyres the big block wasnt the original plan will remedy this before its finished

bill-robinson, Nov 27, 8:16pm
I first saw the quote in a book in the late fifties, Chunkie probably read the same book

bill-robinson, Nov 27, 9:30pm
do not worry who said, it is fact lightness is the cheapest form of 'power adder' as the merkins call it

cuda.340, Nov 27, 9:55pm
lightness IS definately the key. my dirty old valiant with Kevlar panels, all aluiminium V8 with just a single 4bbl will absolutely blitz many turbo imports with twice as much coin invested. go mopar!

mazzyz, Nov 27, 10:09pm
Before this thread turns into a bun fight, there are some hi-po v8's that do go around corners quite well - Audi, Merc, Chev, to name a few makes. Certain models seem to carve up corners with relative ease for how supposedly heavy and 'ancient' they are. Nevermind the facts though, flame away.

bill-robinson, Nov 27, 10:24pm
they will be better after lightening, I will bet on it. by that I mean under brakes, though corners, and under acceleration.(I'm not disagreeing with you jusr enhancing your statement)

thegravelracer, Nov 27, 10:27pm
any real car enthusiast wants both power and lightweight, but id have to go for weight over power

harry353, Nov 27, 10:39pm
What. Throw out the seats the spare wheel the carpets, headliner and excess dash equipment and air bags etc etc. Yeah it may go a fraction faster but is that practical for my near new R8. Did the factory stuff up!

pfemstn, Nov 27, 10:52pm
300 bhp in my 1200 kg Scimitar small goes good and a v8

timmo1, Nov 27, 11:13pm
Just as some turbo imports will blitz many valiants with twice as much coin invested. Not really a useful comparison IMO.

timmo1, Nov 27, 11:15pm
We are talking speed. You are talking practicality. They are different things.

gmphil, Nov 27, 11:20pm
I drive an 8 for the sound cant get passed it might not coner like a skyline or sim but in my eyes this a real car pack full of mates in still linelocks full lenth of street

harry353, Nov 27, 11:21pm
Then drive a F1 or a go kart. They go hand in hand. You still need practicality. It's the balance that matters.

cuda.340, Nov 27, 11:50pm
true but the turbo import will need constant coin thrown at it to stay a runner, the dirty old valiant only needs fuel n oil.