Well, the car has had it's first proper run-out today, since i became the owner. Who needs a supercar? For the price of a secondhand Mini, this thing looks like offering me great spring, summer and autumn value. It will not be doing too many miles on the road, (the ride's poor/it's very noisy-it'll see some track action, both cicuit and drag strip), but if we get the weather it will be tearing up a small amount of tarmac too! It has a beautiful engine bay, no clutter, not a single unnecessary pipe or container, just a very well sorted, 1998cc, Ford Cosworth engine, balanced and blue-printed, then gas-flowed/warmer cams+stronger valve springs inserted and fitted with bigger injectors, a decent non-cat exhaust system, a huge carbon air intake and a professional re-map. It has 311 bhp at the rear wheels, for it's paltry 612 kgs. Most makers claim power at the engine, so it probably has 380-ish there! No wonder it made mincemeat (below 120) of the new M3 V8 i went out with today!
The Mk2 Escort Cosworth 280bhp was running mid 12s at the Pod, so with another 100bhp and a couple of hundred kilos weight advantage you're looking at low 11s.
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Originally posted by petrol_blue: The Mk2 Escort Cosworth 280bhp was running mid 12s at the Pod, so with another 100bhp and a couple of hundred kilos weight advantage you're looking at low 11s.
I sent Noxide 2 pics, of Escort MK1s with Cosworth power. They are local cars to me. They are about 300 bhp at the engine and 900 kgs. One has run 12.8.
But 300/900 is a whole different world to 380/610.
In stark contrast I'm driving a double decker bus today. 3 speed Auto, restricted to 48mph, 16 tonnes. Definately the slowest road vehicle of I've ever driven!
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The Westy is soon getting a close-ratio gearbox, because i want a higher first gear, since the car pulls away better in 2nd than it does in first, right now. First is almost redundant! Then, a closely-stacked 1st-5th would improve still, the blinding accelration it already has, i reckon. It's worth a try. I would like it to clear 60 in first gear, then be geared for a low-ish 140 mph, at 6,000 rpm in top.
Friday saw it's first real test. MR FQ 400! As long as i kept the revs above 3000 rpm, i could drive away from the FQ every time. It's a massively quick car.
Some competition at last! A Caterham R500. Initially the Caterham is quicker, as in, 0-20, but after first gear really bites, this Westy reeled in the R500 and ate it up. A 2007 Gallardo was similarly disposed of last week, 30-90 mph.