For as light as the Bricklin is, I can imagin that a nearly 500hp engine
in it would produce near flight characteristics. On a drag strip I'm sure
it would be fun to ride.
=================
Note: This isn't a flame against Mike - I just wish my car really was light!
Well, it's light now, but it's got no drivetrain, interior, body, frame, or
wheels ;) That raises an interesting existential question: when you're car
is completely apart, what piece is "the car"? When I yanked the motor, the
wheels, chassis, and body was "the car" - when I took off the body, the
rolling chassis was "the car" - when I stripped the suspension off the
frame, the frame was "the car"... But I scrapped the frame - so what's "the
car" now? ;)
Light? Light compared to what? ;) Lighter than a 70's passenger car, or a
90's SUV, comparable to piggish sports cars like the newer Supras and C4
Vettes, but certainly not light compared to most sports cars. Ask John
Blair about his Morgan if you want to talk about light cars... ;)
These are off the top of my head, but I think that most of them are in the
right neighborhood:
Datsun 240Z: 2600 lbs.
Rx-7: 2400-2800 (depending on year)
Miata: 2300
Boxter: 2900
944: 3000
Early 911: 2400
Current 911: 3100
Lotus Esprit: 3000
Lotus Elise: 1400
Bricklin: 3400
I don't know - that Bricklin looks like quite a pig to me. I'm doing what I
can to cut weight (aluminum suspension components, ditching those
super-heavy bumpers, replacing the big V8 with a little rotary and that
cast-iron FMX tranny with a 75lb Mazda unit), with particular attention to
decreasing unsprung weight and polar moment, and trying to fix the weight
distribution.
By the time that's done and I've got a cage & other frame reinforcement
done, and proper heat and noise insulation in the cockpit, I'll be lucky if
it's not over 3200lbs again.
--
Phil Martin pmartin@surgnav.com
"I'm a Charger, charging through the night,
Like an orange bolt of lightning passing everything in sight"
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