A well built race 302 will break the bank depending on who builds it.
Rebello L series engines run into the 3-4k range. RPM Engines in Ronhert
Park has a built L28 for a Zcar the is producing around 300hp but will set
you back 8K. A well built L20b will produce 150-170hp and be reliable and
parts are relatively cheap. RPM has an L20b in a 510 that is putting 184hp
to the ground which is around 220hp at the flywheel. Mind you that this is a
race engine 13.7:1 compression ratio running on 116 octane race fuel. It
gets the head freshened every 20 hours of run time.
Also the BRE race team was getting 175hp out of the L16 engines when the 510
hit the Trans Am racing series. And the 1600's that were being race around
that era were producing around 160 hp. I think a well built 1600 roadster
will be far cheaper that a well built Sunbeam Tiger.
Best bang for the buck. I say go for a 510 or 240Z. A nicely built L
series engine will last forever and will provide plenty of fun. Both cars
can be made to handle exceptionally well and can be very competitive in
certain classes.
If a convertable is what you want then I feel for the money a nicely setup
Miata can't be beat for autocross or road racing. Eveyday reliabe
driver.....well I love my roadster. Its gets the looks and with the L series
swap parts issues are a thing of the past
Other opinions may vary
Jimmy
----- Original Message -----
From: " Bob Davis" <rdavis4@cfl.rr.com>
To: "Adam Bradley" <ambradley@attbi.com>; "Karl Shepard"
<karls@structured.com>; <datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: Scared off of the car - I am not going to get it
> All vintage cars are more or less expensive to maintain. A good new crate
> engine, 289 or 302 (not one from a discount auto store) for a Sunbeam will
> cost a lot of money, too!. Then you need to do something about heads and
> exhaust. Triumphs and MG's aren't cheap either and they won't give any
where
> near the performance of a good 2 liter or a 1.6. I've owned and raced many
> of the English cars.
>
> A well maintained 2 liter engine will run a long time. Run synthetic oils,
> change the timing chains at regular intervals. Don't overheat it. Not a
> bullet proof engine but does give you a kick in the pants when properly
> tuned. Same with the 1.6.
>
> Bob Davis
> 67.5 2L Roadster
> Vintage Racer
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Adam Bradley" <ambradley@attbi.com>
> To: "Karl Shepard" <karls@structured.com>;
<datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 12:09 PM
> Subject: Re: Scared off of the car - I am not going to get it
>
>
> > Where can you get the timing set for $600??? Enquiring minds want to
> know,
> > and I don't even have a U20! Don't compare your newer car to a Datsun
> > Roadster. It's not about ultimate performance; at the Auto-X at Shasta
> the
> > 510's whomp on the Roadsters for the most part, due to all kinds of
things
> > - IRS, wider rear track, and I'm just guessing here 'cause I don't race.
> >
> > Sunbeam Tigers have parts readily available? Well maybe, since they've
> got
> > a Ford engine, right? But what about all the other parts that make it a
> > Sunbeam instead of a Falcon? Speaking of which, if you want a 4-door
'64
> > Falcon, I can help you with that... And you can't buy a nice Tiger for
> > $2300 or thereabouts, can you?
> >
> > It's not an incredibly expensive car if you want a driver. Overall they
> > are very reliable vehicles.
> >
> >
> >
> > At 08:37 AM 8/2/2002 -0700, Karl Shepard wrote:
> > >All, I have decided not to buy the 1970 Datsun 2000. After surfing the
> > >net yesterday, I discovered that to maintain this car it would take a
> > >boatload of money. What I wanted to do was race it as an historic. I
> > >can just see me getting this car completely race ready and then losing
> > >the nerve to race a very expensively rebuilt car. I called my
> > >father-in-law's grandson last night and left a message to decline the
> > >car. The rebuild of everything on the car is just too much money.
$250
> > >for calipers, more than $600 for the timing chains, NLA on many
parts, -
> > >this would be a nightmare. Breaking at the track would not be any fun
> > >at all. The owner was offered $2300 for it and I am going to tell him
> > >to take it.
> > >
> > >My 1988 supercharged MR2 by contrast is far cheaper, parts are readily
> > >available, and there are performance parts available for it. And the
> > >car is extensively modified. It is not however an historic, nor I am
> > >willing to tear out an almost flawless interior to make it raceable.
It
> > >would not be competitve in any class that SCCA would put it in anyway.
> > >So I will continue to hot lap the 2 on car club days at PIR and just
> > >have fun.
> > >
> > >I think I am going to look into Sunbeam Tiger or some other car that
has
> > >parts readily available and can be built up less expensively. I really
> > >do want to race some car next year and historics look like a lot of
fun.
> > >
> > >I will hang out on the list for a bit and then unsubscribe. From what
I
> > >have seen in my brief time here I am quite sure that your group would
be
> > >helpful and fun. Unfortunately, I cannot justify owning such an
> > >incredibly expensive car to rebuild and maintain.
> > >
> > >Karl Shepard
> > >
> > >/// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
> > >/// Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or go to
> > >/// http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> > >/// Send list postings to datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
> >
> > Adam Bradley
> > '70 Datsun 1600 Roadster SPL311-28181
> > '66 Datsun PL411 sedan PL411-022447
> > http://www.picturetrail.com/abend
> >
> > /// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
> > /// Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or go to
> > /// http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> > /// Send list postings to datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
>
> /// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
> /// Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or go to
> /// http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> /// Send list postings to datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
/// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
|