The cars and bikes thread!

[Raza]

Stock cars are so compromised by government regulations, accountants, need to sell to the mass market, etc. I have never been in a car done right the way I want it out of the box. They are easy to remove as long as they aren't internal to the motor or really crazy changes (like engine swaps).

It depends on how you define return on money. Smiles per mile and performance heck yes. Money back when you sell it no. But you never make money back on a hobby so it is a wash to me.

I am also the kinda of person who loves to tinker with things so I DIY a lot of things. Currently I am restoring the Spitfire, doing work on my 93 Civic in the offseason, working on two watch boxes, building a book shelf, building a practice putting disc golf basket out of random leftover materials around the house, building a coat rack and working on several watch projects. So I guess modifying is just something that appeals to me.

Different natures, I guess.

[thewalrus]

The LSx series engine is such an amazing engine. IT weights so little yet as so much power potential.

Grassroots Motorsports did an article a few years ago comparing a 356 and a '60s E-Type vs a Honda Odyssey. The Odyssey was as fast around an autocross coarse as the 356 and faster then the E-type.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/ar...-moms-revenge/

I'm amazed that the E-Type was slower than the 356. I mean... more horsepower, better weight distribution, more sophisticated suspension...

[93EXCivic]

I'm amazed that the E-Type was slower than the 356. I mean... more horsepower, better weight distribution, more sophisticated suspension...

Heavier and larger though. On a road coarse I bet the 356 would be slower. I don't know about weight distribution either. Those Jag inline 6s are heavy bastards...


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[93EXCivic]

Different natures, I guess.

Indeed of coarse I would be surprised if someone going to be a lawyer and someone who is an engineer didn't have very different natures.

As someone once said about engineers, we will fix something until it is broken...


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[thewalrus]

Heavier and larger though. On a road coarse I bet the 356 would be slower. I don't know about weight distribution either. Those Jag inline 6s are heavy bastards...


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I actually did a quick internet search to see what was out there. Apparently (and this is just one site), but the '61 E-Type had only 49.6% of it's weight to the front. Which would, I'm sure, be better than a 356. Definitely take your point about being a generally heavier car, though. Larger too (though not hugely so).

http://www.carfolio.com/specificatio...car/?car=58894
http://www.carfolio.com/specificatio...car/?car=31856

I think it would also greatly depend on the year, as well. Where the 356s got better (if I remember correctly), I'm not sure the same could be said about the E-type. A big, lumbering, V-12 E-type with an automatic transmission would probably be pretty bad at an autocross...

[thewalrus]

As someone once said about engineers, we will fix something until it is broken...


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Of course, you could pretty persuasively say the same thing about lawyers...

[93EXCivic]

I actually did a quick internet search to see what was out there. Apparently (and this is just one site), but the '61 E-Type had only 49.6% of it's weight to the front. Which would, I'm sure, be better than a 356. Definitely take your point about being a generally heavier car, though. Larger too (though not hugely so)....

Wow I figured it would be way more unbalanced then that. I have had one of those engines on a hoist. It can't be much lighter then a small block Chevy.


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[thewalrus]

Wow I figured it would be way more unbalanced then that. I have had one of those engines on a hoist. It can't be much lighter then a small block Chevy.


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I would have thought so too. The only thing I can think is that it has to do with the fact that there's so much car in front of the driver, and with the engine placed behind the front axel, a lot of the weight is moved rearward.

[ck1109]

Viper and good handling?

https://youtu.be/9qWYJQClIyY

[geoffbot]

Good vid - thanks for the share. I like those 3. Better that the pratts on our top gear.