"Too much horsepower is just about enough." - Carroll Shelby
...that should be, "...is ALMOST enough"!
"Too much horsepower is just about enough." - Carroll Shelby
...Straight line performance is the least of your worries, as mentioned several times above. Getting everything else balanced for best performance on any given course is what sorts the men from the boys.
Not all of us in the US are concerned with straight line performance.
Even with my past life as the owner/driver of an old Top Fuel digger, I place a much higher value on balance and braking/acceleration in/off corners..
Anyone can go fast is a straight line. Making it turn in at speed and in traffic is where the rubber hits the road..
...Last year at Goodwood I saw the Le Mans winning Audi. The drivers position, controls, wheels, tires, engine, brakes make the GT-40 an antique (a very good looking antique). You can not compare a 47 year design with a modern street sports cars. In 2013 we have a factory Mustang with a top speed of over 200MPH. The same applies to 1960's computers against today desktop/laptop etc.
Agreed about the driver's position but as for the rest, that's up to you and only the case if you want to keep it original though. Mine will have a modular Ford V8, Wilwood brakes, Michelin Super Pilot Sport tires and forged 19" wheels and should be easily capable of 200mph (although it will never see with me driving) and a 1/4 mile time in the low 11's (and maybe a wee bit better).
We in the US do tend to distill things down I suppose. We are kind of utilitarian as well...practical. There are reasons why we use those measurements....
I do agree we value HP in the US more than in other places around the globe it seems. Maybe that's because we make some reasonably good performing engines.![]()
I do not understand quoting drag strip times as a comparison for an Endurance racer.
Agreed about the driver's position but as for the rest, that's up to you and only the case if you want to keep it original though. Mine will have a modular Ford V8, Wilwood brakes, Michelin Super Pilot Sport tires and forged 19" wheels and should be easily capable of 200mph (although it will never see with me driving) and a 1/4 mile time in the low 11's (and maybe a wee bit better).
hahaha 19" wheels on a 40...the thought of it makes me gag..Agreed about the driver's position but as for the rest, that's up to you and only the case if you want to keep it original though. Mine will have a modular Ford V8, Wilwood brakes, Michelin Super Pilot Sport tires and forged 19" wheels and should be easily capable of 200mph (although it will never see with me driving) and a 1/4 mile time in the low 11's (and maybe a wee bit better).
hahaha 19" wheels on a 40...the thought of it makes me gag..
I dont recon it will handle or ride that well on 19" tyres.
Jim
When Ford designed the new Ford GT it took a old GT-40 and tested on a wind tunnel and spend a million dollars blowing air to it. It found how unstable the car was and added a rear diffuser and a front spoiler to reduce the up lift of the car.
I don't think you can argue that American engines were or are generally more "good performing" than Europe's. In fact until relatively recently, at least in terms of specific output (eg power/weight or power/displacement), European engines were superior.
Not too many every day driver engines from Europe came close to those built in the US. I can list numerous examples..
Not sure why you would say that. Larger, taller, yet lite wheels are the norm for high performance cars. Several reasons behind it.