Reply to "Making the Pantera faster!"

Well said George.

For performance cars there are a lot of compromises to reach the intended design goal. There are compromises related to acceleration, top speed and handling (not including economics, esthetics, comfort ...)

Lotus for years designed their cars to be as light as possible with the lowest Polar Moment of Inertia (P.M.I. - sorry no pun intended). That is one reason they stuck with 4 cylinder engines even on their earlier Esprit - they continue that with the Elise. Honda does the same with their Civic and Acura NSX. Although, in my mind, and taste, a sports car has to be mid-engined with a V-8 at least, I have to recognize that the NSX with its V-6 has had very good racing success.

My car is a '74 daily driver that I took out to road course timed events once in a while. I get a thrill out of charging into a corner, trying to optomise how deep I can brake into it (Yes PPC Willwoods) and then accelerating away. For me, getting the apex just right gives me a high. I love roads with turns and switch backs. Outdragging somebody down the street just doesn't do it for me - nor do I bother. I know what I have, and I don't have anything to prove. It is not a dragster - it is a sports car.

What I want to add to George's comment is that weight reduction should be taken seriously and as he eluded to, it is also important WHERE that weight reduction occurs.

I like the look of the 74+ N.A. bumpers and I like the protection I have gotten over the years. There have been times when AHol drivers have bumped me (I think they get used to getting away with bumping cars and not getting any body damage - so those F'ers think its OK). Those bumpers have saved me from totally blowing my head gasket and pummelling them more times than I care to recall. I did, however, recognize that the bumpers weigh a ton, and they are at the worst place for P.M.I. I changed them out for fiberglass ones years ago. They have worked well for me and looked better than the original front wavey rubber ones. Would I rather not have them from a handling and performance point of view? - you bet. But for the reasons I just mentioned I compromised.

There are many other things I did to my car. But before I did any engine work, (have basically the stock engine in it - except for a CC for OC head swap) I looked for ways to cut weight with primary focus on those areas further out from the C.G. as those pay double dividends. I made decisions with my personal preferences weighing into the compromise equation. Others have other opinions and I understand, respect and appreciate their points of view.

One more thing, I am a "free perspirer" and I can't even consider giving up my AC. Hell! I would spend the mega dollars just to keep it going with all the R12/R134a changes.

"andriyko"

P.S. Sorry for getting a little technish - but it is hard for an mechanical/aeronautical engineer to avoid.