Engineering pornland
Posted by Tom Ford at 11:15AM on Monday 22 January, 2007 18 Comments
Trotted up to the UK's Autosport show last Thursday, ostensibly to poke around a couple of cars they had up there, but more because the show itself tends to attract some really odd stuff secreted away in corners that usually makes my head spin of in odd directions.
I wandered aimlessly through the wheel manufacturers for a while - a friend and I have decided that 26-inch carbon-fibre rims are out, four-spoke, 15-inch Seventies hoops are in - and then I reached what appeared to me to be engineering pornland...
Turbos. Superchargers. Suspension systems. Injection kits. 500bhp crate engines. All splayed and dressed and displayed in ways that you hardly ever get to see. OK, so if you're not into the beauty of functional design, you might not be in the least bit interested, but I felt like I'd wandered into big boy's Toys R Us.
Is this just me? I started thinking about buying a car and saving up some budget just so that I could arrive with a big shopping trolley and go mental. It might not be able to go on my current long-term Citroen C6 diesel, but I could keep it in my garage under some oily rags and visit when my wife's away.
This might sound a bit weird, but the good stuff all had a genuine engineering heft to it. The same kind of satisfaction you get when you weigh a perfect ball-bearing in your hand, or see a really well-designed piece of mechanical engineering doing its thing. And it makes you want to make an engine that uses all of it.
So far I reckon I've created a crate V8 with both super- and turbochargers (Harrop screw on top, the twin-turbos mounted outboard of the V), Samco hose kit with fine mesh pressure covers, twin spark ignition, water and charge cooling, water injection and a banana'd four into one either side.
It would be rear-wheel drive through a two-speed Powerglide tranny (can't think of anything that will take the power) and run adjustable Bilsteins all round.
I'm looking for an easy 1,200bhp. All I need now is a car to put it in. And someone who can make all that lot work...
What's your dream engine? Answers below please!
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18 Comments for "Engineering pornland"
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Dream engine? hum... Something with 600+ hp that would have the fuel consumption of a small diesel car :)
It would run on water and have up to 1,000bhp. Rear or mid engined and rear wheel driven.
Dream engine, huh?
Well, currently a Honda S2K makes arond 120-125 hp per litre. Its a 4 cyl 2 litre. A 4 cyl litrebike makes around 150-170 hp per litre. I guess by current standards, the better engine builders can safely get around 135-140 hp per litre for a road legal car engine.
So, lets take a 3 litre V8 capable of making around 400-420 hp in naturally aspirated form. The problem with power coming from 375cc cylinders (3000/8) is the little torque. So bolt on twin turbochargers. The first will be called the NM turbo which will kick in at 1000 rpm. This will provide serious torque at low revs. The second, HP turbo will kick in at higher rpm to give top end power.
This engine would safely make 500-550 hp at say 6000 rpm but would be capable of over-rev up to maybe 9000 rpm.
Of course, this would be made by Honda coz they're the greatest ever. And being Honda the engine would be Euro 17 compliant.
Yes... something with 500+ horsepower that would fit in my standard Suzuki Swift - think of the fun at the traffic lights! Of course I'd probably need 4WD.... and probably some more downforce...
My favourite engine that I've seen was a supercharged hayabusa motorbike engine that had been bored to 1600cc. 300bhp at the wheels. In a Westfield.
A Porsche Carrera GT with twin Borg Warner Variable Turbos and Supercharger AND a Ricardo DSG (ala Bugatti Veyron) - to turn the 'race track only' supercar into an 'everyday, anywhere' vehicle. Stalling the engine because of the clutch is unacceptable, especially with DSG. That way I don't have to be the Stig to drive it, and hell yeah, even the great Stig spun the Porsche CGT. This is the best way to make one of the greatest supercars ever made even better.
hum...I'd stick the 4.2ltr V8 of the RS4 and stuff it in a R32 or any VW Mk5 Golf. Add a turbocharger or two or one VTG turbo like the one in the 997 Turbo. Contains less weight. K&N filter Air Charger kit. Proper intercoolers for the turbo (I'll just take the one from the 997 Turbo and modify it if I can't find any to fit in the car). Then add an ECU. Tune the engine. Should get a decent 500bhp+. It be nice if it reached 600bhp. lol! Now it's a R42!
It would have to be a 100cc engine that runs on SUV drivers and emits flowers and bus lanes.
My dream engine was featured on "American Hotrod" Big block V8, in a rebuilt Corvette. Produced 500bhp (approx) - not enough, it was then twin turbo'd to produce over 900bhp. Add a supercharger, with a switchable megnetic clutch drive, add a multi stage 600bhp Nitrous kit. 3000rpn stall converter, adn fit into whatever's left... Ideally a Fiat 126 with cutdown Range Rover 4WD, flared IMSA box arches... Be fun, and the ideal city car! Ideal plan for that double rollover win...
Hmmm...dream engine? Since it is a "dream" and in dreams I have no budget, I'd have to say a really big-inch v8 with a single turbo on it. Not "big" by British standards but big by American standards. Let's just say a 455 cu-in Poncho block poked out to 500+ cubes and a big single 101mm turbo on it. On the more mild side, I'd take a GT500 Mustang and rip that supercharger off. Why would I do something like this? For twin-turbos, of course! Why be satisfied with 450 rwhp when one can have up over 700 rwhp and better gas mileage.
How about a 1/4 or 1/5 scale of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine. With the 1940's V12 27 litre version pumping out over 2000hp, lets see what a scaled down version can do, especially with some modern materials and engineering added to it. At the very least it should sound amazing, but should be good for 600hp. Might need to own a fuel company to run it though.
GM Performance ZL1 crate motor (Aluminium 454 big block) with big Procharger or similar centrifugal supercharger, large water/air intercooler (for minimal lag) & methanol injection for extra cooling/horsepower. Easy 1000bhp+, with drivability to boot. Add nitrous for a little extra kick in the back when you need it. Perfect for a 70s US GM muscle car.
The 427 V8 from the never built Holden Monaro 427. Built on a C6R block, DOHC 4 valves, 470Kw+ & 850Nm+
This is easy. Flat-plane V8. But none of this small displacement - I'm talking an LS7 7 liter with a flat plane crank. And DOHC. And 5 valves per cylinder. Six speed manual. Would that even work? Or would such a large flat plane V8 need balance shafts? Balence shafts=lame.
How about a civic type-R engine in an old style mini. 200bhp, half a ton of car = 400bhp per ton.... in a mini. yes please.
How about a euro BMW M3 lump bored to 3.5 L with a dinan supercharger kit and maybe some laughing gas to boot. Throw in some fast road cam-aradery and forced air induction. 2.5" stainless exhaust and full ECU re-map. All the associated accutriments ( indeoendent oil cooler, aluminium radiator etc. ). By the time it goes back in the BMW body it should be kicking around the 650bhp mark and enough torque to give you a nose bleed right the way to a ton.
I doubt that this would fit in a car... but the Pratt & Whitney R-4360 is one of the greatest engines i've ever seen and heard until now. Sure in terms of bhp per litre there's probably more in a bike engine. But listen to a four row radial once and you'll love it. 28 Cylinders, supercharged, 4360 cubic inches (71.4 Litres), 3000-4300bhp...
Dream Engine? Easy: Aluminum Donovan Big Block 760 Cubic Inch "Commander. 5" bore, Roller cam/lifters, Gear Drive, Dual 1150 cfm Holley Dominators, running through B&M race-built TH400 with Quick 60 10" torque convertor with steel stator, 3,000 rpm-stall. Installed in 1968 Firebird with full fibreglass 1-piece front end, aluminium 4 core rad. 4 link rear end with race-built Ford 9", 4:54 locker. 1160+ lb-ft @ 6,700 rpm, 1,540hp @ 7,100 rpm on race petrol. It would be streetable (sort of...lol), and I'd put it up against anything road legal for pinks. About 900hp/ton if you tub out the rear in aluminium, and go with fibreglass rear wings. You won't turn corners or stop, but by God would you launch...