250 bhp in a seven style car is alot unless you are a very competant driver, its easy to get caught up in the big bhp conversations but its really not required to have a fast roadster as they are so light.

I have had a few bmws including an m3. If you think a 3 series with 170bhp is fun in a car that weighs the best part of 1500kg, then 150bhp should be more than enough to keep you happy in a seven.

Spuds car running 2lt zetec/bike carbs is easily as quick as an m3 upto about 80mph and would run rings around it on the twisties :D

I had a big power 300zx and was always worried when coming out of corners that it was trying to kill me :eek: the back end would go at 80mph in a straight line if you provoked it and thats not fun. If my roadster behaved the same i wouldnt be happy about it.

But each to their own and good luck

My 280bhp, 1200kgs car is about fast enough for me (accelerating not top speed). I love the lunacy of it all. But also it doesn't handle as well as I'd like. Being mid engined, when it gets out of control, its gets RAPIDLY out of control.

Everytime I think of people going fast around corners, I think of this story

http://prison-diary.blogspot.com/

Hi guys,
Thanks for all your replies, I appreciate them all, positive and negative.

As far as my kit car build, im going to go with the Sierra build and see how the car is when finished (a long time away :p ) and then gauge the speed.

I admit I hadn't really thought about WEIGHT in terms of the bhp and was just thinking of something that was faster than my previous car.

But now, It's going to be a classic build until I know what Im dealing with.

Thanks.

Dan.

A great example of how weight affects performance is FSAE/Formula Student type cars. Typically cars will weigh less than 200kg but only have 50-70hp as they are limited by a 20mm diameter restrictor in the intake system.

So what happens when you put a 470bhp Merc E55 AMG against one of these cars .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmp1LiCY5dM

"Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." - Colin Chapman, the legendary F1 engineer

thanks for that dave i was wondering what to do for my next project.... :D , i recon with some slight modification you could get one of those threw IVA

tilly

Another famous Colin Chapman saying was 'add less weight'

Great video David.....;)

Just shows what it's all about......Well Done...:D Would be nice to see them race around some twisty track.

Cheers..AndyH