Topic: To V, or not to V...

[duramax]

I plan to do it some day. Mustangs are everywhere and the Camaro is getting that way. I love the sound of A V8 as well as the torque.

[acsilverdragon]

For me I bought my Sky cause I loved the look...not because of the price...Adding a V8 just makes it that much better...if a corvette looked exactly like my sky....then maybe I would've bought that...nothing looks like a Sky....well maybe a soltice.....oh and Opel.. :p

[kennysabarese]

I can't find the video (Top Gear - Test drive of the new Mustang) but I used their test of the new mustang as my reference.  I personally haven't driven a mustang. 

2011 got much better handling. Autoblog and jalopnik have good reviews.

[kennysabarese]

If no one ever fixes the fuel supply issues of the LNF, I am thinking LSJ twin charge. I think it would be cheap with a junkyard LSJ and not run out of power up top like our current engine which is more like a diesel with the DI

[Ben L]

Most of the time it's the driving. Pe the amount of prep allowed in each class. Maybe we should look at PAX times? The OP didn't sound like he was was doing anything but tooling around.

Norm

PAX times?  We don't need no stinkin' PAX times.  Fastest is fastest.

[NormSky]

Boys can brag until the equalizer comes along. 

Norm

[Ben L]

I'm your huckleberry. . . .

[kennysabarese]

U - What draws you to the Mustang? It's so very different from what you have now.

[duramax]

For me I bought my Sky cause I loved the look...not because of the price...Adding a V8 just makes it that much better...if a corvette looked exactly like my sky....then maybe I would've bought that...nothing looks like a Sky....well maybe a soltice.....oh and Opel.. :p

Thats my feeling too. I got A killer deal on A C6 and was going to sell the Sky. I did not like the C6 at all. I like the Sky better. Michelle drove it for A while but got bored with it so we sold it and made A few bucks on it. I don't miss it. I love the look of the Sky but it should have had A V8.

[Gentleman Jack]

Why not a twin turbo V-6?  Or a twin turbo diesel?  Heck, it's only money.

GJ

[Kelu]

Why not a twin turbo V-6?  Or a twin turbo diesel?  Heck, it's only money.

V6 twin turbo or better a bi-turbo it might be a solution, diesel, no way sir, do you like smokers? 
But you don't care about the V8 sound? 

[Yamatr3]

I'll throw my 2cents in.  I threw the LS2 into my car because I wanted a reliable fast convertible roadster ( I grew up with Triumph's and MG's).  Turbo's are nice and all, bit require a bit more maintenance and care (IF you modify them from a stock GXP).  I'm sure some will argue that statement, but that's my belief.  A stock LS2 or 3 will be very reliable and require minimal maintenance.  Since putting mine in, I have not had to touch it once other than oil changes.

The main limiting factor with our cars is how much rubber can be put on the ground to to transfer the extra HP.  My LS2 is bone stock and dyno'd at approx 360 to the rear wheels.  With only 360HP, the car can spin the wheels at will in 1-3 and sometimes in 4th if I really hammer it.  I'm sure there are a bunch of turbo cars in the same boat.  If someone truly want to do a high HP Sol or Sky, whether a V8 or Turbo, you need to put more rubber down.  In order to do so, you need a wide body (If you don't want the wheels to stick out of the rear fender wells).  I have 10's on mine and they are as wide as you can go and be flush with the fender  (PAW sells the CCW wheels in 10'5's but they stick out of the fenders).  The frame of the car limits the rear wheel width on the back.  Look at the Corvette and see how much rubber they have in contact with the road.  The std version has 245's ft and 285's rear, Gran Sport has 275's ft and 325's rear, and the Z06 is the same as the gran sport.  To put the power down, we need more rubber on the ground.

Bottom line, I built my car because I wanted too.  I could have gone out and bought a Vette, built another turbo motor etc etc etc.  Does my car handle good?  Yes it does.  Dr Dave gave it his seal of approval, so I'm happy with the handling.  If my car handled so bad, I'm sure he would have said something so we could improve it.  Norms Sky always harps about the extra weight.  You'll never notice it on the street, or in the mountains etc.  If you were a professional driver on a professional race track you might notice it, but my car will never see the track.  I proved myself years ago with my racing skills, I'm all done with that now, so it's time to just have fun with what I want to drive.

Build the car YOU want, don't build what THEY want.

[Gentleman Jack]

Yamatr3,
Well said.  Build your car your way. 
However, the OP is looking for the pros and cons and posted a question or why / why not.  I think the OP is debating himself because he is unsure of the car he wants.  Great real life experience in your post.

The folks like Kelu and I are just here to confuse the issue with silly things like clean burning diesels that make 500HP and 600 tq or a nicely twin turbo'd  6cyl that will be very expensive, but a whole lot of fun.,

[Gentleman Jack]

And when will someone come out with and all wheel drive conversion for the kappa?

[wspohn]

The folks like Kelu and I are just here to confuse the issue with silly things like clean burning diesels that make 500HP and 600 tq

News bulletin - diesels no longer smoke.  They also win Le Mans.  Europe is full of high performance turbo diesels, North America is behind in this.

[Gentleman Jack]

Wsphon,
That was exactly my point to Kelu.  I have driven a few of the new diesels and they are very impressive. I would consider it an option if building a car, except for the cost!

[duramax]

V6 twin turbo or better a bi-turbo it might be a solution, diesel, no way sir, do you like smokers? 
But you don't care about the V8 sound? 

If there was A diesel that would work I would do it in A heartbeat. There is no way to match power and fuel economy with A gas motor. My 6000 pound pick up runs mid 11s and gets 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. It gets 16 mpg towing A 10,000 pound travel trailer. Only power mods are A adjustable programmer and waste gate valve. $600 and it will do that. I have 4" exhaust and A larger inter-cooler but they don't add power just lower the EGTs. That way I can use the power while towing without killing my motor. There are guys who have these trucks running in the low 8s with A lot more mods and they are still reliable and still get almost the same fuel mileage. And on top of that the engine will outlast the vehicle its in. No gas engine will ever do all that.

[duramax]

A stock Chevy Diesel Pick up has about the same performance and fuel economy as A redline or GXP but weighs twice as much.

[kennysabarese]

The LNF is practically a diesel without all of the advantages of a diesel. Ton's of torque down low. No power up top.

I think a big reason our car has a 4 banger is to show the world that GM can do it, and they wanted a show car to get the word out.

I think a slightly larger turbo is good on our cars, it moves your torque band, but raises it, so you just gotta change the way you shift a bit.

I just saw that the Hyundai sonata is using a twin scroll turbo and has a similar powerband and levels as our car.

There must be a reason that no one is using Variable Vane Turbos in gasoline cars. They are all over diesels... Maybe because the diesels

My opinion on V8: I think it's all about money and if you care about fuel economy. To build a 4 banger to make the power level that you want could be cheaper than the V8 conversion. The cool thing about a turbo is that you can move the power where you want, then get the economy when you don't want the power. The problem is usually that means high revs for track, but our engine struggles in the high revs because of fuel limitations with the big turbos, which is why I think the LSJ is better for race 4 bangers, but it won't have the fuel economy of the LNF. So I dunno!

[Kelu]

Yamatr3: awesome reply  for that i offer my precious Opel GT to swap with you Sol, PM for details 

Gentleman Jack: want a performance all wheel drive car? Buy an Audi if you can afford one  stop thinking ruining the fun of our cars 

wspohn: a diesel is a diesel even is 2L, V6 or V8 or even V10

When I read about diesels I was thinking about 2L I4 diesels to keep low prices but there is no high power from that, yes is plenty of diesels around here but there is nothing exciting about it. The most powerful 2L I4 diesel which I'm aware is this:

http://vimeo.com/8520271
which is too extreme for a DD. There is no way 400hp from a 2L diesel. If you talk about about big ass diesels than is a different story, you can't get that for the price of a LS2 or LS3 NO WAY, maybe you can get that over there but not here.
For me a diesel engine is just something which looks, works and sounds "useful", like a mule, duramax made an example, but in my opinion our cars has nothing to do with that, is more exotic car and deserves a stallion under hood (V8 gas engine) and not a mule which sounds like a truck.

[kennysabarese]

I think it would be pretty tough to fit AWD onto the Kappa. But anything is possible with money and determination.

[Gentleman Jack]

I think it would be pretty tough to fit AWD onto the Kappa. But anything is possible with money and determination.

It's the only way to put 500 hp down to the street in a Kappa.  It's either that, or tubbing the rear end.  If those are my choices, I take the AWD.

Yamatr3: awesome reply  for that i offer my precious Opel GT to swap with you Sol, PM for details 

Gentleman Jack: want a performance all wheel drive car? Buy an Audi if you can afford one  stop thinking ruining the fun of our cars 

wspohn: a diesel is a diesel even is 2L, V6 or V8 or even V10

When I read about diesels I was thinking about 2L I4 diesels to keep low prices but there is no high power from that, yes is plenty of diesels around here but there is nothing exciting about it. The most powerful 2L I4 diesel which I'm aware is this:

http://vimeo.com/8520271
which is too extreme for a DD. There is no way 400hp from a 2L diesel. If you talk about about big ass diesels than is a different story, you can't get that for the price of a LS2 or LS3 NO WAY, maybe you can get that over there but not here.
For me a diesel engine is just something which looks, works and sounds "useful", like a mule, duramax made an example, but in my opinion our cars has nothing to do with that, is more exotic car and deserves a stallion under hood (V8 gas engine) and not a mule which sounds like a truck.

Kelu,
I don't disagree with you often, but I think there is great potential in diesel engines.  A small 4 or 6 cyl diesel with the right forced induction can be great fun, very fast, reliable etc.  I am not saying I don't like a great V8, I do.  I love them.  I just think it has been done and redone over and over.  The diesel is a new possibility (even though it's OLD technology).  Clean, quiet and FAST with great fuel economy.

And if I wanted an Audi, I'd of bought an Audi.  The solstice was better looking.  Also, I like the 4 cyl turbo.  I think it is the right engine combo with the car.  With simple changes in ECM and a few minor modifications, it's capable of hanging around most Mustangs, Camaros, etc.  It's not a Corvette.  It's not meant to be, but it CAN be. 

And now, in an attempt to return to the regularly scheduled programming....

[Uranium-238]

It's the only way to put 500 hp down to the street in a Kappa.  It's either that, or tubbing the rear end.  If those are my choices, I take the AWD.

FWIW, SOB is going to be running the same size wheels as Ben has in his coupe this year. Should be interesting to see how that work out.

[LiquidPT]

News bulletin - diesels no longer smoke.  They also win Le Mans.  Europe is full of high performance turbo diesels, North America is behind in this.

And yet, it was a European (Kelu) who referred to diesels as smokers...

[elff]

Maybe they just weren't done all that well, But I have never driven a car that had a V8 dropped in it, that didn't handle worse than the original.
I'm not a fan of it.