Drag racers, in pursuit of ultimate acceleration, balance the shift point
around the peak of
the power band. You want to go over it before you shift, so the engine is
still coming into
power in the next gear. The price balance of this is one of those defining
differences
between serious racers and the rest of us. :-)
But if you shift like that all the time, you will trash your engine.
Particularly a Spitfires
engine with its three main bearings and flexible crankshaft. This is an engine
that
isn't great at high revs (modern definition of high revs btw), especially the
later
1500.
The engine design is rather free reving. It will happily and blithly go right
on up
to self destruct rpms with nary a hesitation. This puts the burdon of self
control
right on you.
I take my stock 1500 up to 5-6k intermittently. Normally capping it at around
4k. I've seen this recommendation many Spitfire racers with a great deal of
experience.
Be aware as you build up your engine what rpms you are building it for.
If you build an engine that doesn't come into power until 7k, you're going
to be very disapointed in it.
********************************
So a kind of crazy question: what rpm are you meant to change up? did I thrash
my car this morning? Ive established that the engine makes a very different
noise than what Im used to - so going along with the engine roaring makes me
feel like im thrashing it - but a part of me says thats how its meant to sound
- it is old after all - and the sound proofing isn't exactly existant.
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