usable HP, how much max on a narrow bodied car? Options

[vortrex]

what's the max HP you can run in a narrow bodied 914 street car? I imagine olav's 914-6 (my dream car) has got to be eased a bit to keep traction? is the 260HP 3.2L going overboard for functional street power? is there a curve where the usefullness begins to drop off? I guess you also have to consider the extra 50HP worth of wear and tear on the 901 as compared to say a 2.7S spec motor?

[Brad]

I have narrow bodied V8 cars with 350hp that spin the tires for 5 feet and hook up. Traction in a 914 is usually not a problem. Now.. if you put the stock 165's on it... then...

Your really have to be on the gas in Olavs car to get it to break loose on the street.

B

[J P Stein]

You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much HP. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

To my way of thinking, there is no sense in building a hotrod and not take it out and use it to it's fullest.
Doing this on the street is asking for trouble. The cops or the laws of averages will get you eventually.

After I swapped out the 2.4L for the hotrod 2.7, I went to an SCCA AX. I got maybe 200 yards down the course before I was going backwards....oops.
With street tires (205 X 50s)it was just about undriveable....and, at that point, the motor wasn't up to snuff.

Now that the motor IS up to snuff (best I can get it, 210 hp or so), I'm on a never ending search for grip.

Come summer, I'll do some DE events and see what it will do there. Prolly scare the dogshit outta myself. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Dave_Darling]

Personal preference. I've heard a number of local time-trialers say, "You can have too much tire for a given car, but you can't have too much HP for it!" You just have to be more careful and smoother with your right foot.

That said, the Vario-Six (full factory FI'd VarioRam-equipped 993 motor in a 914-6) was running 215s on the rear tires the one time I drove it, and I simply could not keep it pointed straight. The owner could, but I couldn't--I could not be smooth enough with the throttle!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

...I'm still the only one I know of to start an autoX run backwards... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

--DD

[Brad Roberts]

Yeah. We lost him. He moved to Hawaii. He left the car here for some other guy to drive.

I do agree 100% that you have to be smoother. Something else I found out.. GEARING. Kill some of the bottom end torque with gears more closely matched to"given" engine. Make the engine work a little.

From seeing the car DD spun at a open ThILL day... it had stock gears.


B

[Gint]

I dunno. That test drive I took in Douglas' 3.0 car was wild. It was *really* hard to drive that thing at legal sppeds and attitude. The car begged for throttle. Took every bit of restraint to drive it on the street. Just a 914/3.0+ rookie at work Maybe. Wooohooooo!!!!!

Where is Douglas anyway? How'd that all work out Brad?

[Brad Roberts]

It worked out great. I havent spoken to him in a few weeks..but he was very happy with the car. He offered beer/food for our help.

B

[si2t3m]

Hey Dave,

I do remember when you were up here driving my car. It got tail happy a couple of times... It's not the car, it's the way you drive! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Marc-Andre

[campbellcj]

Didn't Mark Donahue say something like "you have enough power when you can spin the tires in top gear at the end of the longest straight on the track" ? They came very close with the 917-30.

I agree that smoothness is a very key factor. Right now there is not a whole lot I can do with the gas pedal (other than suddenly lift at the wrong time) to seriously upset my car. With another 100+ HP on tap, that would change big time.

Obviously tire and suspension setup, and LSD vs. open diff, would make a difference too.

Personally, I think there is something inherently "cool" about a somewhat stock-looking, but fully race-prepped, 914 with a screamer small-displacement six. I will probably never stuff a big motor into this car; instead (if I do anything) I would probably sell it, and buy a widebody car with a large full-race motor and all the fixin's.

[Dave_Darling]

Hey Dave,

I do remember when you were up here driving my car. It got tail happy a couple of times... It's not the car, it's the way you drive! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Marc-Andre

No, Emm-A. That was merely "a little oversteer". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) The Vario-Six was absolutely, completely, utterly sideways. As in, looking through the rolled-down side window to see the direction the car was travelling. As in, "Boy I'm glad I'm not paying for these tires!!!"

But I only spun it the once, right before the start line.

As a 914-4 pilot, I simply could not be careful enough with my right foot in that car. I imagine I'd do a lot better with more practice, though.

B, we lost Tobias? That's too bad! I should try e-mailing him some time.

--DD