In a message dated 6/14/2001 1:34:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
ryoung@NAVCOMTECH.COM writes:
> That's true, assuming the cars are the same mass (although didn't you say
> your V8 is a tad heavier than the stock lump ?).
>
> BUT, the other consideration is heat dissipation. Your car with 'three
> gadzillion hp' can make a lot more stops from 25 mph in a minute than the
> one with only 7.03 hp.
>
Randall,
Actually, the car will weigh LESS - about 25-35 pounds less. The engine
itself weighs 35 pounds less than the stock engine, as hard as that is to
believe. Twice the displacement, 3.46 times the power, and less weight -
don't you know Harry Webster would have jumped on this if he could have!
You are right about the heat dissipation problem, but that only makes a brake
upgrade desirable, not mandatory. Certainly not a safety issue. Here in East
Tennesee, it is very easy to find roads that will let you overdrive your
brakes, even with an underpowered car. In fact, coming down the mountain, I
can shut the engine off completely (zero hp), and coast down fast enough to
overheat the brakes. I'm almost dumb enough to do that, but not quite <G>. In
reality, if you are driving fast enough to cook your brakes, you are driving
too fast for prevalent conditions. It's not so much a matter of brake power
as it is a matter of brain power.
Yes, I'll be driving through the twisties around here a bit faster with the
V8, but at the first sign of brake fade, I'll mature quickly and stop that
nonsense. Truth be known, handling concerns are more of a limiting factor
than either power or brakes. For the most part, a stock TR6 has enough power
- braking and engine - to let you go into corners as fast as the handling
will allow. Better brakes will allow me to postpone braking a little bit
later at each corner, but I'll still have to slow to an acceptable speed
before entering the corner.
I am going to upgrade my brakes, but it's just part of the overall
"improvement" plan rather than a real need. I'll also be improving the
handling as well, for the same reason.
Cheers,
Dan Masters
Alcoa, Tennessee
Triumph TR 250 - TR6 Electrical Maintenance Handbook:
http://members.aol.com/danmas6/
Stuffing a V8 into a small British sports car:
http://members.aol.com/danmas/
British V8 Newsletter:
http://members.aol.com/danmas4/mgv8.htm
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