Best Transverse V6 & GBox? Toyota/Nissan? Or...?

[GravelBen]

I quite like that

from the PH article it looks like its still a similiar price to a high-spec Caterham or lowish spec Ultima though? I guess its less of a mainstream option (haha none of them would be mainstream down here).

I'm still quite a fan of the GD T70 spyder as well ( www.gdcars.com )

A nice-looking kiwi option is www.redlineclassics.net , look nice and sounds like they go pretty good too. Being NZ made would probably make it easier to get road legal, depends if you like it or not though.

Many many nice cars out there, all outside my price range though

Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 8th June 15:32

[Kiwi XTR2]

peterpsg said:

Well there's nothing stopping me having 2 engines, in completely differant states of tune... one for the track, one for the off season . . .

Yes . . . nothing . . . nothing at all . . .

Except a big wedge of cash, the other half wanting a new walnut dining suite, and the LTSA being their usual helpful selves

[peterpsg]

GravelBen said:

similiar price to a high-spec Caterham or lowish spec Ultima though?

Similar, but I'll have a beter idea as to the exact costing when I get some more details, the body will be cheaper than an Ult, but as the chassis has an alloy cockpit section with removable front and rear tubular sections it will be more costly. I'd just buy the rolling chassis and maybe some interior panelwork and, then do the rest myself.

GravelBen said:

I'm still quite a fan of the GD T70 spyder as well ( www.gdcars.com )

Yeah, the T70 is quite nice, saw one recently at the National Kit Car Day, that was an other option, but I prefer the more modern lines of the LE car, and I'd be happier with something that, than another escapee from a race track, not that the LE isn't a track capable car though...

GravelBen said:

A nice-looking kiwi option is www.redlineclassics.net , look nice and sounds like they go pretty good too. Being NZ made would probably make it easier to get road legal, depends if you like it or not though.

Spotted them, not too bad, even local to my old neighbourhood, though my wife thought they looked ugly, plus the engine is in the front, and I've gotten to like the back massage one gets from a rear mounted engine

Kiwi XTR2 said:

peterpsg said:

Well there's nothing stopping me having 2 engines, in completely differant states of tune... one for the track, one for the off season . . .

Yes . . . nothing . . . nothing at all . . .

Except a big wedge of cash, the other half wanting a new walnut dining suite, and the LTSA being their usual helpful selves

True, if I was using it enough to warrant having two engines, it'd have to be someone elses cash I was spending!!!

Hmmm, still a hard choice, turbo'd Duratech (aka Noble)/Alloytech (aka prototype Torana) or a s'charged Nissan 350z motor via a Stillen/Opcom blower.

Might have to flip a 50c piece before they become any smaller...

[peterpsg]

Here's a link to a road test that was done about 4 years ago, though the car seems to have older style headlights - I'd prefer the new one....

www.pistonheads.com/roadtests/doc.asp?c=112&i=5333

[havoc]

If it wasn't for money I'd suggest the NSX engine - probably the best transverse V6 ever made.

As it is, go for the Mondeo lump, just for it's tuneability.

[peterpsg]

The Honda 3.2 V6 would be nice indeed, but it might be hard to get the parts for both the engine or gearbox...

I think I'll probably err towards the Ford units, as they are readily available, and parts are fairly easy to get...

[jamieheasman]

Anything like this imitation Elise is just going to feel cheap, nasty and very, very slow after the Ultima. Just bring it back to NZ. I can't understand why you wouldn't.

[peterpsg]

I'll reserve judgement on the car until I see it, and while I'm sure that I'd be hard pressed to match the Ult's straight line speed in it, I'm suspecting that it would hold it's own well enough on the twisties, and perhaps with a 400+ hp turbo/blown V6 in a car 3/4 of the weight, it'd not be too much slower and like I said earlier, I'm more of an open topper, arm out the window type, plus there's almost nowhere really to enjoy the Ult's true potential (legally) in NZ except the few tracks around...

Also with the noise the GTR produces it would attract the bacon brigade like flies to dead meat ("yes orificer those are factory standard pipes so you can take that little green sticker of yours and ...", and I've already lost my license once when I was younger and more brash...

[Kiwi XTR2]

peterpsg said:

. . . Also with the noise the GTR produces it would attract the bacon brigade like flies to dead meat ("yes orificer those are factory standard pipes so you can take that little green sticker of yours and ...", . . .

I've wondered about getting some "Transit NZ Pavement Geometry Research Vehicle" livery for my Westie

[jamieheasman]

You are more likely to get away with a loud car in NZ than the UK! I used to get pulled regularly on my bike in the UK (race pipe) and that was ten years ago! I suspect the police wouldn't bat an eyelid at an Ultima given all the noisey whizz-bang jappas around.

As for being able to use it on the road - surely it's no less useable here in NZ than the UK. There are a couple of new circuits either in operation or on their way and track days are a lot cheaper. Also, if you think the Ultima is too quick aren't you going to have the same problem with 700kgs and 400bhp?

Bring it back, you know it makes sense!

[Esprit]

Am not too sure the rebadged Tommibanzainairobimobilewould take too kindly to having a V6 lumped in the back. IIRC someone did it with an Alfa V6 in an Elise and it just became a serial oversteerer and became impossible to get the balance as good as it was with the 4CYL engine. I'd stick with the Ultima if I were you... exclusivity and access to a dearth of cheap Chevvy engine tuning parts and knowhow you could gradually make the Ultima a REAL fire breather.

Alternatively you could bring back an Elise and do the SC Honda conversion on it. It'd be cheaper and with 320+bhp it'd be as reapid as any of the competition.... and there's not one person here that'd argue that the Elise chassis isn't up to the power. The ONLY thing you'll have to abide is the 4 cylinder soundtrack and perhaps the staid Elise styling (comparatively) Having said that you could always mate it to an Exige or a 340R (both of which are non existant sights over here).

Aah sod it, this is all getting too difficult.... bring the Ulitma, I don't think you'll ever regret it, and the LTSA/Police are pushovers as long as your car is a genuine low-volume / kit car.

[htsd]

^^What he said. It looks as if a V6 would be hard, if not impossible, to get in there. With a turbocharger or supercharger strapped on it'd be some major surgery. Cooling/intercooling would become a nightmare as well. A VW VR6 engine might fit but I don't know what sort of power you could get out of one of them.

For the power you want and given whats in there already, the Nissan SR20DET would be your best bet. Turbo lag wouldn't be such an issue in a car that weighs half of your normal Japanese turbo pocket rocket, but traction would be when you did hit boost.

Of course you realise that we all just really really want to see an Ultima in NZ... not that I'm in NZ of course.

PS Esprit- a 'dearth' is a scarcity, not an abundance... [/Grammar police]

[Esprit]

HTSD, you're right my man.... must have been tired when I wrote that :P

[Kiwi Le]

I'd have to agree with george of course - being a converted Honda/Elsie owner.
The SC Honda is not a silly idea nad if I had the cash would SC mine.

Guys in the USA have got a Honda, lowered the compression, reinforced the weak links (bearing, minor oiling issue and popped in some SC cams design for the job = 383 HP with 256 lbs ft of torque at 13 psi boost [.9 Bar].

Now you back it off a few psi to say 10, get ya self 340 - 350 hp & 220 lbs ft, that would make for a pretty quick car if you put said Elise on a diet.......
I'm at 708 kgs with the new rims (no driver, no fuel), carb body work etc will remove a bit more...how much to you want to spend ??

The again the Ultime would be nice - but I wouldn't want to feed the thing !!!

[peterpsg]

Sorry boys, I'd have loved nothing more than to drive the old boyhood routes out to the beach in the Ult, but, it's just not going to happen, and it'll be up for sale quite soon, though with all the inevitable time wasters that I'll have to sift thru to find a genuine builder, it could be a while before it sells...

I've given up counting how much it costs to run as it was getting a bit depressing at >£1 a litre for Optimax!!!

[Kiwi XTR2]

peterpsg said:

I've given up counting how much it costs to run as it was getting a bit depressing at >£1 a litre for Optimax!!!

Now there's a reason to bring it back -

BP Ultimate 98 - $1.81 / litre

Must be about half price at the current exchange rate

Edited by Kiwi XTR2 on Monday 12th June 14:10

[peterpsg]

Kiwi XTR2 said:

peterpsg said:

I've given up counting how much it costs to run as it was getting a bit depressing at >£1 a litre for Optimax!!!

Now there's a reason to bring it back -

BP Ultimate 98 - $1.81 / litre

Must be about half price at the current exchange rate

Edited by Kiwi XTR2 on Monday 12th June 14:10

Yes, but I'd only be earning 1/2 as much, if that!!!!!

[Kiwi XTR2]

peterpsg said:

Yes, but I'd only be earning 1/2 as much, if that!!!!!

I really hate it when people mess up my argument by applying logic

[Esprit]

Of course there is this......

www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Car-parts-accessories/Honda/Engines-drive-trains/auction-59883256.htm

doesn't come up too often.

[peterpsg]

Not too bad a price for what you get, considering the Ult's SBC & Box alone cost well over NZ$30k.

I'd try and get the 32B though, as it had a slightly higher power output, still in a car weighing only 700kg, I'm sure it'd be as Rolls Royce, said, 'Performance; Adequate'.

At the end of the day, it'll probably be the 3.0 Duratech out of the Mundano, as I won't have to faff around getting gearboxes to mate up, and I'm sure plenty of the performance parts from the 2.0L 4 cyclinder Duratech will work on the engine, might even be able to bore it out to use the 2.3L Duratechs parts...

I haven't seen the LE car yet, the guys are away at Le Mans, a hard life for some...

I'll be sad to see the Ult go, though, even with the air con on the other day at 7pm, it was still a pressure cooker in the cockpit, so hopefully with an open topper we won't have that problem!

So if any one is planning a UK visit in the next month or so, you might be able to blag a ride in the GTR while I still own it...