Car Modin`

[Mankr]

anyone into car modifying?

 

im starting my honda civic coupe project soon

[Taikudo-ka]

Once.

 

Boy do I wish I could get that money back now...

[ZR440]

Done enough cars in my young lifetime to never do it again. Mostly complete restorations (my previous occupation). Didn't need to modify the good old Detroit-designed drivetrains too much. I still get the itch to tweak an engine though. There's substitute for cubic inches!

[unknown]

yeah i'm into car modifying. mostly import cars, im not into american muscle cars.

 

but i subscribe to all the magazines honda tuning, euro tuner, super street, sport compact car.........

 

just make sure when you are modifying your civic that you are gonna keep it forever. cuz if you want to re-sell it you are not gonna get what you paid into it........in other words you'll never see the money again. but its all good

 

if everything goes well for myself i'll be getting this mazda mx6 that i've been eyeing for quite some time this fall.....then i'm gonna start suping that up.

[Taikudo-ka]

Yo ZR, the following are all good substitutes for cubic inches:

 

- Lightweight body

 

- Forced induction (turbo/super charger)

 

- Decent camshaft

 

- Lightweight block (aluminium w/ sleeves, etc)

 

- High RPM capability (balanced crank, shotpeened/racing con-rods, heavy duty bearings, light flywheel, etc, etc)

 

- Lightweight body (important enough to mention twice)

 

A high RPM engine on a light chassis will totally kill a big, heavy, low RPM, gas guzzling American V8, hands down, no questions asked. It will also handle infinitely better, while using much less fuel. It ain't called Detroit heavy iron for nothing...

 

The Lotus Elise... now THAT is an example of fine engineering. Balance, proportion - two words Detroit has never understood...

[Athorn4941]

1.turbo/super does increase cubic inches by forcing more are into the combustion chamber.

 

2 aluminum block makes it so you can run higher compression. which also gives you more cubes.

 

3. high rpm doesnt mean squat. torque is what counts.

 

4. weight is very important often forgoting in car moding.

 

I work on cars that people dont expect to run fast. but i also like working on american cars.

[Ryan]

Forced induction, higher compression...these things may do the job of higher displacement (more oxygen molecules through the engine), but it isnt the same. The density changes, not the volume (cubic inches, liters).

 

And yes, torque is what counts, but horsepower is a function of torque as related to engine RPM. So if you have an engine that generates its most torque at a high RPM, the car must be geared accordingly. The engine must also be capable of turning such speeds, but high RPM capability most certainly means something. Look at Indy.

 

I admit, Im semi biased because I drive a turbo car. However, my first car was a 69 Camaro SS, and I will be the first to admit that if the same technology that is applied to my 2 liter four-banger was applied to 5.7 liters of American muscle, there would be no comparison in power. But anything can be made to go fast with the right amount of money.

 

EDIT: After reading my post, I realized that part of what I wrote is wrong. Higher compression is COMPLETELY different. It does not move more air through the engine. With higher compression the SAME amount of energy (oxygen) is released under HIGHER pressure, producing more work.

[ZR440]

I gots two words for a car Detroit built that I'd race against almost anything. GRAND NATIONAL...Buick that is. While I would really like to get my hands on a the new Vette or Trans Am or Viper, I have found none yet that are as fun as a GN or the T-Type. Stomp 'em down and hold on to your arse (prepare for a little wheel hop though). There was a reason the FBI purchased 500-1000 of them years ago... quick and handles great.

[Ryan]

Those GNs were, and still are sick. Ive ridden in a few with neck-break speed. They belong in a class by themselves, in my opinion.

[unknown]

torque is what gets you off the line....so in that scenario torque is very important.......but rpm's and horsepower is what keeps you going