Fifth Gear 200mph car

[Mr10secs]

I'll take that challenge but not till the cars mapped in a couple of weeks and i wont need anywhere longer than Bruntingthorpe to do it , you can find me on www.mkivsupra.net , username Dude

dude

[Boosted LS1]

Would a blown ls7 in a tr8 stand a chance? Won't be done until the end of the year though.

Boosted.

[Mr10secs]

Gazboy said:

Mr10secs said: I'll take that challenge but not till the cars mapped in a couple of weeks and i wont need anywhere longer than Bruntingthorpe to do it , you can find me on <a href="http://www.mkivsupra.net">www.mkivsupra.net</a> , username Dude dude I was thinking about you as I read this thread - still aiming for that 210mph run at Brunters?

Thats the aim dude , the car would have gone past the 200 for sure last time there if i hadnt discovered the speed limiter that i had thought was the rev limit at TOTB3 , it wasnt till i changed the diff to a 6spd one that it hit the same limit at 6000 rpm , it now will go happily to 8000 and i can map it specifically for top speed runs to be safe , and ive allways got the nitrous !!!!!

Dude

[dilbert]

Personally I'm not one of your tuner, gizmo types. If I was going to make a car do 200mph I'd be planning to build it myself. I'm not saying I could, or that I have the resources, it's just that for many production cars, it's been done before.

It seems to me that if you're going to try for it, there is one central issue.

Is it a drag, or race? Alternatively sprint or endurance.

If it's a sprint, then it's NOX. If it's endurance it's a blower.

If it's a sprint, then it's not going to be too expensive, most decent engines are going to run well above normal performance for a short time, with relatively little modification.

If it's endurance, I reckon the best bet is to start with a stock 3.2 Carrera, and turn it into a 935, a la the CTR. It's tried, tested and been done many times before. You just dial in the number of horses you want, and live with the lifespan that you get.

Most importantly there's quite a number of people who know how to do it, or more particularly which bits are going melt first. Anybody can fit a turbo, not everyone is going to know which bits melt.

I've even seen examples, in the past, of these that broadly fit the budget described.

[Martin_S]

Boosted LS1 said:

Would a blown ls7 in a tr8 stand a chance? Won't be done until the end of the year though. Boosted.

First check your gearing ratios, Boosted...then see a psychiatrist.

200mph in a Triumph?

[madrod]

HI

This car was timed at 201.8 @ Bruntingthorpe within the 1.7mile straight cost less than 40k.

www.geocities.com/rtarry_uk

I will be contacting you

ps. It is undergoing further mods to attempt 205+ at Brunters.

>> Edited by madrod on Thursday 14th April 23:14

[danhay]

It's important to reduce the amount of drag the Lotus produces to make attaining 200 as easy as possible.

Drag is produced by forward facing parts of the car and also by rearward facing parts where the airflow detatches creating parasitic drag.

To overcome air resistance:
bhp = 0.5 x Cd x Frontal Area x Speed cubed

340 = 0.5CdA X 170^3

0.5CdA = 1137008/340 = 14037

So, bhp required for 200:
bhp = 200^3 / 14037

bhp = 8000000/14037 = 570

bhp for 210mph is 660!

The way I would approach it would be to make the aerodynamic improvements, then retest the top speed (gearing allowing).
From the new figures you could work out your new 0.5CdA and therefore how much bhp you need to reach your target speed. Obviously you will need to think about gearing to match the peak power to the top speed.

[dilbert]

danhay said:

It's important to reduce the amount of drag the Lotus produces to make attaining 200 as easy as possible. Drag is produced by forward facing parts of the car and also by rearward facing parts where the airflow detatches creating parasitic drag. To overcome air resistance: bhp = 0.5 x Cd x Frontal Area x Speed cubed 340 = 0.5CdA X 170^3 0.5CdA = 1137008/340 = 14037 So, bhp required for 200: bhp = 200^3 / 14037 bhp = 8000000/14037 = 570 bhp for 210mph is 660! The way I would approach it would be to make the aerodynamic improvements, then retest the top speed (gearing allowing). From the new figures you could work out your new 0.5CdA and therefore how much bhp you need to reach your target speed. Obviously you will need to think about gearing to match the peak power to the top speed.

What sort of aerodynamic changes are you thinking of?

I'm also wondering when an Esprit stops looking like an Esprit.

I'm guessing that square back end will have to go. A tailcone perhaps?

[GingerNinja]

I would suggest buying a Mazda RX-7, then get the factory triple rotor engine fitted (known as the Banzai conversion). This pushed power up to around 550bhp/450ft lbs in a 1450Kg car - it's good for over 200mph.

[dilbert]

If it takes 600bhp to get an esprit to 200Mph, it looks like it could be possible.

The following link suggests that Lotus have developed the engine to be capable of in excess of 600bhp presumably on the dyno. They don't say how long it should last.

www.lotusespritworld.co.uk/ETechnical/V8_Engine_Spec.html

[Mannginger]

With current exchange rates this may run things close!

www.lingenfelter.com/class_list_015.htm

VIN: 1G1YY1S735111869
Exterior: Yellow
Interior: Black
6 Speed manual transmission

Car has approximately 6,000 miles
745 rear wheel hp

Includes:

Full 427 cid Twin Turbo package

Adjustable boost controller

Lingenfelter custom camshaft

Two Garrett true ball bearing GT28R turbochargers

Two high efficiency air to air chargecoolers

Custom molded silicone air ducts

4 into 1 custom exhaust manifolds

Two turbo outlet adapters

Mechanical turbocharger scavenge pump

Two K&N 360 degree conical air filters

Stainless steel exhaust system, 4 polished tips

$85,000.00

[speedy_thrills]

HarryW said:

so long as you have a sound engine to begion with.

That could be a problem being a TVR!

[Fire99]

Hi All,

Firstly i think attaining a Genuine 200mph is harder than people think. The claims made by manufacturers are with absolute optimum conditions not 'normal' road conditions.
If you had a 3 stone pigmy driving on a day with 0 wind on a near-zero friction road surface and near perfect air pressure/density/temperature with juuust enough fuel to do the run then it may get close.

Look at all these top-speed tests...There is often a huge variance in book figures and figures attained on the day..

So just hitting 200mph is harder than just popping yer backside in a Lambo!

Personally i think its brave going down the Lotus Esprit route since lotus have been more renowned for their handling than their top speeds and i think the body is designed accordingly..
(as someone eloquently indicated, we want 200mph in a straight line, not round a chicane!)

Yes i think a Jap Turbo-mobile would find this task easier and it does have a gearbox made of metal cogs rather than wagonwheels!! but thats not very british!

Im not an expert on the Lotus Twin Turbo V8 apart from the Dark-Ages French gearbox but i think it will need work on its body to reduce downforce and negate most of the 'Lotus Effect!'

Before you start pushing huge power, make the car as slippery as possible so you have a good starting bed.

Then the car needs big boost!! Very Big Boost! and possibly NOS on top to give another 100bhp..

Get the compression low.. If the chargecooler is water-cooled cool it with Nitrogen perhaps..and get big boost into the engine!
My guess.. Slippery body plus near 700bhp..

What figures were the Esprit's in GT racing running?

[Turbo T]

There are a number of Supras in the UK capable of breaking the 200 mph barrier.

If you were to build a project car from scratch a TT Supra 6 speed would probably be the cheapest way to break 200mph. BTW, you cant get 800 bhp for £5k, at least not with any degree of reliability!

[M@H]

bayliss said:

I work for Fifth Gear. One of our current projects is to attempt 200mph in a modified Esprit.

One wonders why Fifth Gear didn't approach PH before kicking off with the Lotus. I would wager that this thread has produced more food for thought (and indeed the Cosworth that has done 201.8) than the initial "brainstorm" session that decided on using the Lotus in the first place...

Matt.

[Boosted LS1]

Martin_S said:

Boosted LS1 said: Would a blown ls7 in a tr8 stand a chance? Won't be done until the end of the year though. Boosted. First check your gearing ratios, Boosted...then see a psychiatrist. 200mph in a Triumph?

I know, it's worrying but with 300 x 10 x 17 on the rears a 6 speed box (2 overdrive gears)and an LS7 427 ci plus boost it should be pretty quick. I'd have to soften the suspension a lot as at 140 odd mph I used to get white nuckles. That was scarey enough on concrete roads.

Boosted

[Turbo T]

For £20-25k we could build a Supra TT to reliably do 200mph. That would inc. a Car.

www.vortexpower.co.uk

>> Edited by Turbo T on Friday 15th April 11:24

[AlexH]

Can't resist:

My favourite thread on making a car go faster

Think I actually saw it somewhere on PH originally...doesn't help any but is amusing!

[chris.mapey]

AlexH said:

Can't resist: My favourite thread on making a car go faster Think I actually saw it somewhere on PH originally...doesn't help any but is amusing!

Thank's for posting that again. Never fails to make me chuckle...

Chris

[andygo]

Ssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Just be quiet, or the T2000 to$$ers wil be banning fifth gear as well. And lord only knows which lesbian rights league will start whingieng about VBH's tits flying round in that TVR she was hooking round Anglesey the other night.