Jodi Fordahl wrote:
> Power to weight ratio and sheer size are the strikes against the 911. There
> is no way to get a 911 anywhere near the power to weight ratio of a Lotus.
OK, I had to consult the oracle (old R&Ts) and do some estimating.
Here's the best information I can put together for the cars involved:
Elan
Stock - 1640 lbs., 113 hp 14.5 lb/hp
SP - 1500 lbs., 125-130 hp 11.5-12 lb/hp
911
Stock - 2490 lbs., 167 hp. 14.9 lb/hp
SP - 2400 lbs., 200+ hp. 12- lb/hp
For the stock Elan power and weight, I used 1973 Elan Sprint power and
curb weight firgures. The Elan's SP weight is from a post from Charlie
Cave on team.net, and the power range is estimated. Keep in mind that
pre-Sprint Elans, with a whopping 1558cc engine, made something like 101
SAE net hp, and they came from the factory with Webers and headers. You
can't legally run a Sprint engine with Webers, which would be good for
some more power. The manifold and head are a single casting, so you're
stuck with the emission-inspired Stromberg head if you run a Sprint
engine. There's just not that much more power there beyond stock. For
the 911 stock numbers, I used figures from a January 1974 road test of a
911 Carrera. The SP 911 power is the STOCK 3.2 engine's power figure
from a February 1984 road test of a 911 Carrera, and the weight is, I
believe, a conservative estimate of what is achievable if you start with
pre-74 body and update to the 3.2 engine.
Now, if you can get an SP 911 down to 2300 lbs., you wind up with 11.5
lb./hp. If, in addition, you can get more than the stock hp from the 3.2
engine, it gets better still. Point is, I just don't see the Elan having
an overwhelming advantage in power/weight. It may actually be at a
disadvantage there.
> Also you can't get enough tire on the ground with a narrow body 911 so have
> to put flares on them which obviously makes them wider. The Lotii can go
> flat out in a straight line where we have to turn.
There's an approximate 5" track difference between the stock cars, with
the Elan being narrower. You can't put wider rims on a stock Elan body,
either, so the difference between tracks in SP trim will be pretty close
to that number. Yes, the Elan does have an advantage there, but it
depends on the course as to how much that's worth.
Obviously, the above figures don't tell the whole story. There are
gearing, suspension design, braking, and chassis rigidity issues, and
I'm sure the Elan doesn't have an advantage in all those areas.
I still don't see a class worth of difference there.
Jay
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