Will this do?

[danblack87]

I appreciate your honesty.
In that case, I would prefer the BHP all the way, even if I have to elongate the build a little to suit my budget.

In terms of 200-250bhp I was looking at a zetec or Duratec engine setup and was going to work on the mods for that one step at a time, not go the whole hog right away.

Thanks for the honesty.

Cheers,

Dan.

[londonsean69]

Originally Posted by danblack87

I appreciate your honesty.
In that case, I would prefer the BHP all the way, even if I have to elongate the build a little to suit my budget.

In terms of 200-250bhp I was looking at a zetec or Duratec engine setup and was going to work on the mods for that one step at a time, not go the whole hog right away.

Thanks for the honesty.

Cheers,

Dan.

A well setup BEC with around 150bhp will smash a CEC day in day out round a track, 250bhp is only just usable, by a good driver, in something as light as this.
You won't be able to put the power down without risking theback end stepping out all the time.

I thought about all of this long and hard, and my build isn't exactly budget. I had a deposit down on a 260bhp turbo zetec when the seller pulled out. I am now undecided as to which direction I will go with the car. But, if I have 180bhp I would be more than happy, given the performance capable from a well put together and setup car such as this.

I see you keep going on about 'cheap'. I have been told may times, "Buy cheap, buy twice". Perhaps if you gave people an idea of the budget available for your build, they might be able to provide a more relevant suggestion.

There is a difference between cheap, and good value.

You say your knowledge of mechanics is small, in which case you will be paying someone to get whatever engine it is you chose up to spec. Engine builders are not cheap.

As an example
There is a very easy way to a 250bhp zetec. It's called £7700 +vat from raceline

Or, you have to turbo a normal zetec, which will cost around £2-3k, plus a fair amount of mechanical savvy.

Sorry to piss on your chips, but I think you are being totally unrealistic.
You want 250bhp - why??
You think you can handle 250bhp in a 550kg car?
You want it cheap, yet, by your own admission, you can't do it yurself.
You have chosen to ignore what a lot of people on here have given you as good advice.

This is part of the reason I have stayed off the forum for so long.

• Nobody seems to know how to use the search function
• Everybody wants something for nothing
• Loads of people joining have totally unrealistic expectations eg. 250bhp for "Cheap"

If that sounds like a rant, it's because it is. I'm pissed off with people who refuse to listen to any bit of advice given to them, and keep asking the same question until they get the answer they think they want.

If you want a track day car, look on locostbuilders, there are ex-race cars going for around 4k. Cost and performance is an exponential equation. If you want to go twice as fast, it will cost a f*ck site more than twice the money. Anybody can go fast in a straight line, where big BHP makes a difference, corner speed is where it's at in the real world

[twinturbo]

I don't see why a big HP car has to cost as lot more,

Brakes from the sierra stop 230BHP XR4x4 Turbo Technics cars so should be up to the job of stoppign a little 7.

There are wngines out there that can produce 220-240 BHP for a few hundred pounds.

Propshaft will not be a problem, sierra props will take BIG power.


But it is all a bit unneccesary..

TT

[mark]

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

I had a big power 300zx and was always worried when coming out of corners that it was trying to kill me 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

[deezee]

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/

[danblack87]

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 ) 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.

[davidimurray]

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