Subject: Re: [Tigers] Kia Optima

From: "Ron Young" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:21:45 -0700

Chip,
I am one of the "lurkers" on the Tiger email list.  I have always loved 
Tigers, they came out while I was in high school in Germany (Frankfurt 
American).  Obviously, your Tiger is not stock otherwise you would have been 
spanked badly!  The KIA specifically, and Korean cars in general have made 
vast improvements over the last few years.  KIA hired Audi's chief designer 
and must be given a lot of credit for the looks of the current Optima.  Be 
aware the Optima and Hyundai Sonata turbos are kissing cousins.  The drive 
trains are identical.  A few of other things to think about:  the mileage is 
great- even playing around the guy was probably getting better mileage than 
the Tiger can get while behaving (32+ HWY), six speed auto, and a 10 year, 
100,000 mile warranty- all for around $25K.  BTW, check out the Optima's 
that are being raced professionally (I forget the series), they are doing 
very well, with relatively few modifications.  Another thing, yes, I do have 
an Optima Turbo, and I do qualify as a "geezer".  Having said that, the 
insurance on my Optima is over $1,000 less than the 2010 Camaro V-6 that I 
had- and the KIA is quicker and gets better mileage!  Depending upon where 
you check, 0-60 ranges from around 5.9 to 6.2 seconds- again your Tiger must 
not be stock!

Glad you had fun, it sounds like your son did, too.

Ron Young
Dana Point
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chip Broadbooks" <[email-masked]>
To: "LIST TIGER" <[email-masked]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 12:52 PM
Subject: [Tigers] Kia Optima

> So Lance, my 12 y/o son, and I were out for a Sunday drive in the Kitty.
> We get off the Interstate (I-40), headed towards the house, and sitting at
> the red light on the off ramp.  There are two lanes turning left, which
> crosses under the interstate and there is a red light directly on the 
> other
> side of the underpass. We were in the inside lane.  A car pulls up beside
> us, and when the light turns green, just takes off fast as hell, only to
> stop at the red light on the other side of the underpass.
>
> We pull up at the light next to him and he starts revving his engine. 
> Both
> Lance and I look over at him, and Lance looks back at me.  Lance:
> "Dad.....Does he want to race?"
> Me: "It kind of sounds that way."
> Lance: "Um.... He's in a Kia. *A KIA!!*!"
> And we both start laughing.
>
> The light turns green and he just lights up his tires and is just
> accelerating *seemingly* very quickly. I didn't take off fast because
> really, I wasn't expecting THAT from a Kia!
>
> At the next light, we pull up beside him again.  We're in the left lane,
> he's in the right.  About two hundred yards after the light, the right 
> lane
> merges into the left and you're on a semi-rural road.  He starts revving 
> up
> his engine again.  Lance looks over at him and then back at me.
> "Uh-oh. I know that look. I need to hold on don't I?"
> I just smiled and winked at him.
>
> The light turns green, and of course I hit the gas as his tires were
> smoking again.  I had him enough he had to drop in behind me at the merge.
> Then I shifted to 2nd, and let the Kitty run.  He was right there for a
> bit. At least until through the wheel hop I got as the tires were 
> spinning.
> And then we left him.
>
> About 2 miles down the road, we pull into the turn lane going towards our
> house. He pulls up again, rolled his window down, and gave us the thumbs
> up. As we were turning left, he was steady burning rubber again, taking 
> off
> from the light.  I really didn't give it too much thought, after all, it
> was just a Kia.
>
> We're at the house and I am making dinner as Lance is on his iPad.
> "Uhhh.....Dad?"
> "Yeah Buddy."
> "Do you know how many ponies that Kia had?"
> "Nope. Not a clue.  I know he didn't have enough!" I said laughing.
> "274 Horsepower."
> "WHAT!!!"
> "274 Horsepower, and about 3200 pounds."
> "Let me see that!"
>
> Holy Crap!!! He was right!!
> 274 ponies in a 4 cyl KIA!!!!!
>
>
>
> -- 
> *Never fear an unknown future to a known God!*
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>
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---

From: Marc James Small <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 22:24:07 -0400

I still have a pile of VW and Sunbeam parts
sinking into the dirt under my back deck.

My wife bought a 2004 Hyundai Elantra straight in
2005 and I was really impressed with it.  Then
she traded that for a 2006 Sonata slide-o-matic
and that has been our daily driver for the past
four years.  (I AM a geezer, at 63, and am very
much retired, while Pam works at home in senior
medical management, so we rarely 'daily
drive'.)  Now, she is buying her son-in-law's
2003 Santa Fe for me, a straight, of course:  I
have never owned a slide-o-matic and shall never
do so.  When I cannot figure out which gear to be
in, well, then it is time for me to be off the road.

The Koreans build great cars.  We put a thousand
miles on a Kia in Ireland a decade back and
another thousand on another one in Alaska seven years ago.

Hyundai seems to be the most profitable car maker
in the world at present, and I can see
why.  Wonderful cars, wonderful service.

Marc

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Cha robh b`s fir gun ghr`s fir!
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---

From: Chip Broadbooks <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 08:01:55 -0400

I had sent this to Ron, but not the rest of the list. Some of you know the
story behind the Tiger.

I don't recall exactly when my dad parked the car, but the tag went out on
his birthday in 1975. I was seven years old at that time.

Jay L:
I have been perusing the thread you sent me concerning keeping the Kitty
calm so she doesn't get hot under the collar. Thanks. I am digesting the
vast wealth of info your dad and others had.

HP to weight ratio:
Mine about 12HP/100 Lbs.
Kia about 8.5HP/100 Lbs.

HP to cubic inch ratio:
Mine: 1.1 HP/in^3 (I rounded up)
Kia: 2.25 HP/in^3

Ron,

Wow!!! I knew that both had made vast improvements, and were no longer
"disposable." I really had no idea about the HP. I had a 2007 Hyundai
Sonata V6, Platinum Edition. It could certainly scoot. But not as quick as
the Tiger.

As far as being stock, No. My dad gave it to me the week before he passed
away, so I spent the last 4 years, getting it back on the road. He parked
it in 1974.

The original engine is off to the side. I have a high-performance 289 in it
now. Somewhere between the 315 and 325 horsepower range. The guy who built
the engine, was a really good friend of my dad. He had started building
muscle car engines in the late 60's for the 1/4 mile. My tach is original
so it hits red at 5000 rpm, but realistically, it's at 6000, and I can take
it to 6500, but since my tach doesn't go that high, I don't. Wonder why the
Kitty starts getting a bit red under the collar if she sits too long....

If you do an internet search on Toploader transmission specialist, two come
up. One is in Texas (David Kee), and one is in Franklin, North Carolina
(Dan Williams.) I am an hour away from Franklin!! So you can guess where I
took my transmission! He switched out the gears, and put his "Racing
Package" in. In 4th gear at 3000 rpm I'm doing 80 miles per hour.

So...... I am VERY glad it's not stock! I would have had my butt handed to
me!

Chip

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