American car with a block under the gas pedal?
Discussion
Apologies for silly thread title; I'm trying to remember a story I was told years ago about a muscle car of some sort leaving the factory with a limiter/block under the throttle pedal to restrict performance.
Can anyone remember hearing a similar story or am I reciting an old urban myth?
Can anyone remember hearing a similar story or am I reciting an old urban myth?
I know the story you speak of - during the oil crisis. I doubt it's true; most cars were detuned and had speedos with crazy numbers like "85mph" on them.
However, our old Fiesta had a stop under the pedal and I've been in plenty of cars that do as well. I doubt they "stop" or "block" travel much but I don't know the reasoning for them being there beyond, perhaps, a parts-bin approach.
However, our old Fiesta had a stop under the pedal and I've been in plenty of cars that do as well. I doubt they "stop" or "block" travel much but I don't know the reasoning for them being there beyond, perhaps, a parts-bin approach.
willisit said:
I know the story you speak of - during the oil crisis. I doubt it's true; most cars were detuned and had speedos with crazy numbers like "85mph" on them.
However, our old Fiesta had a stop under the pedal and I've been in plenty of cars that do as well. I doubt they "stop" or "block" travel much but I don't know the reasoning for them being there beyond, perhaps, a parts-bin approach.
Wouldn't this just be a throttle stop? It's there so that you can't push the throttle beyond it's 100% open state. Originally it was there to stop you stretching the throttle cable, but on newer fly by wire cars, it'll be there just to stop the pedal going too far, or to stop it getting stuck under the floor matt.However, our old Fiesta had a stop under the pedal and I've been in plenty of cars that do as well. I doubt they "stop" or "block" travel much but I don't know the reasoning for them being there beyond, perhaps, a parts-bin approach.
framerateuk said:
Wouldn't this just be a throttle stop? It's there so that you can't push the throttle beyond it's 100% open state. Originally it was there to stop you stretching the throttle cable, but on newer fly by wire cars, it'll be there just to stop the pedal going too far, or to stop it getting stuck under the floor matt.
Throttle stops are generally at the other end of the cable at the throttle body/carbMGZRod said:
Iirc the 1.4 rover 25 on the throttle body had a larger plastic piece than the same engine in the MG ZR that essentially stopped the throttle opening fully.
This is just off the top of my head but it rings a bell from forums a few years ago.
I have heard that before. This is just off the top of my head but it rings a bell from forums a few years ago.
Also heard in a Reader Car Thread here the first MINI ONEs and MINI Coopers had the same engine but WOT was limited at 75% for the ONEs, a cheeky remap would remove this restriction and ta-daa! Cheap MINI Cooper.
omgus said:
I have heard that before.
Also heard in a Reader Car Thread here the first MINI ONEs and MINI Coopers had the same engine but WOT was limited at 75% for the ONEs, a cheeky remap would remove this restriction and ta-daa! Cheap MINI Cooper.
Same as the 125 BMW's, exact same engine as the 130i. Remapping a NA engine and getting an additional 50bhp (and saving yourself £3k)Also heard in a Reader Car Thread here the first MINI ONEs and MINI Coopers had the same engine but WOT was limited at 75% for the ONEs, a cheeky remap would remove this restriction and ta-daa! Cheap MINI Cooper.
Yes, that does ring a bell. Something like a GTO or Superbee or whatever. The C4 series Corvette ZR1 had a "full powahh" ignition key. But yes, the block under the accelerator pedal sounds familiar. Things were simpler back then - petrol gushed into the engine, barely metered out and if you couldn't find your ignition key you could start your car with the dipstick or even a teaspoon. 
Dr G said:
Apologies for silly thread title; I'm trying to remember a story I was told years ago about a muscle car of some sort leaving the factory with a limiter/block under the throttle pedal to restrict performance.
Can anyone remember hearing a similar story or am I reciting an old urban myth?
Back in the days before electronics and fly-by-wire and honestly believe that this probably was a method used to restrict performance. Like someone else said, the things the car industry used to do... you could write a book (as many have!)Can anyone remember hearing a similar story or am I reciting an old urban myth?
rigga said:
Throttle stops are generally at the other end of the cable at the throttle body/carb
Lots of cars will still have a stop under the pedal to stop the cable pulling though. My Caterham does - my cable probably wouldn't last long if it wasn't there. In fact, it wasn't fitted properly when I bought the car and the cable was very frayed indeed.framerateuk said:
rigga said:
Throttle stops are generally at the other end of the cable at the throttle body/carb
Lots of cars will still have a stop under the pedal to stop the cable pulling though. My Caterham does - my cable probably wouldn't last long if it wasn't there. In fact, it wasn't fitted properly when I bought the car and the cable was very frayed indeed.omgus said:
MGZRod said:
Iirc the 1.4 rover 25 on the throttle body had a larger plastic piece than the same engine in the MG ZR that essentially stopped the throttle opening fully.
This is just off the top of my head but it rings a bell from forums a few years ago.
I have heard that before. This is just off the top of my head but it rings a bell from forums a few years ago.
Also heard in a Reader Car Thread here the first MINI ONEs and MINI Coopers had the same engine but WOT was limited at 75% for the ONEs, a cheeky remap would remove this restriction and ta-daa! Cheap MINI Cooper.
This would take you up to the 100+BHP of the MG ZR 105
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