datsun-roadsters
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Re: Fairlady Big Valve Head

To: Tony Genovese <chaztg@hotmail.com>, marcsayer@home.com
Subject: Re: Fairlady Big Valve Head
From: Adam Bradley <ambradley@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 12:33:17 -0800 (PST)
Since souping-up my R16 is a long-term goal, who has a formula for a
good combination stroker crank/piston/etc, camshaft, head mods, and
better breathing?  Is there a do-it-by-the-numbers approach to better
performance without losing much low-end driveability, or is each engine
different, even if we all start with a stock R16 and add U20
crank/pistons/etc.?

Would I be better off to simply maximize what I've got by reducing
weight and drag as much as possible (i.e. electric fan, get rid of smog
pump)?  Maybe I should just leave my engine alone and stop eating those
hamburgers and fries (17lbs = 1hp net, according to Bob Sharp).


Adam
'70 1600 SPL311-28181
'67 1600 SPL311-08240 SOLD!  On it's way to Southern CA


--- Tony Genovese <chaztg@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Sometimes getting an education can be a harsh lesson in the facts.
> But Marc, 
> you are right on the money, and it is definitely a case of
> buyer-beware!
> Unless you (roadster owner) have a lot of time to ask around, do some
> 
> digging, & look into some research materials, I'd say you had better
> be 
> prepared for the consequences if you embark into a modification of
> the 
> engine you have--and as a further caution, don't do it unless you
> have a 
> good reserve of back-up parts just in case the part or systems you've
> had 
> modified turns out to do you no good.
> In my ideal world, I would have a stable of different engines and 
> drivetrains for my cars that I could experiment with for the best
> results. I 
> think this is essentially what carmakers do and have done over the
> years: 
> just a bunch of good old fashioned R&D and trial and error.
> What the enginners at Nissan have built & given the general public is
> pretty 
> good equipment. I'm not saying that it is perfect for every usage,
> because 
> obviously racers do modify their stuff. But I've been of the opinion
> for a 
> long time that backyard mechanics no different from guys like myself
> are in 
> a sort of LaLa land when they talk about what they have planned for
> this 
> project and that. But most of it is just "talk". . .
> What racers do for every fraction of horsepower and what normal car
> owners 
> like most of us do to get a little more ummphh are not really
> related. 
> Racing and roadstering are two very different worlds.
> Just be careful, because we are dealing with old cars with an
> evaporating 
> parts market. What you do with good intentions to make your car
> peppier 
> could really backfire and leave you stuck with a real dog.
> That's a little more than my alotted 2 cents, but I hope it spends
> just as 
> well.
> Tony Genovese
> San Diego
> a Z & a roadster.
> _________________________________________________________________
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