Topic: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

... intentionally, I mean - not like burning up a turbo mid-race, or other things like that.

And, other than the homemade electric vehicle entries, which are epic.

Like if you have a good handling car, but an unreliable engine - has anyone gone lower power _reliable_ rather than high power [regardless]?

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Not directly, but we have imposed lower rev limits on our cars for the sake of long term reliability. Both the daytona and the Saab are/were 6k redline cars, and we impose a 5k limit just for the sake of long term engine health. Helped with the daytona, Saab seems to take the beatings much better.

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Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Technically yes. After the stock triple-carb version of the three-cylinder, two-stroke engine (46 hp) in our SAAB 96 failed and destroyed its block, I replaced it with an earlier single-carb version (44 hp) because that's what I had available. It worked okay until it failed and destroyed its block. I don't think any of our drivers noticed a difference in performance between the two. I certainly didn't.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Would replacing a Buick 3800 (supercharged no less) with Chrysler 213 flathead 6 in a fouth gen Camero a sufficient downgrade?

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Well, we put an olds 350 diesel in a 1985 corvette and ran it on vegetable oil for, errr, improved fuel economy.

And, well, some unanticipated benefits included incredibly minimal tire and brake wear. However, those may have been offset by an increased head gasket consumption rate.

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Ok, the answer appears to be "Yes", and successfully so. Also, far beyond what I was contemplating; so if I go that route, I'd still be within the envelope.

Good to know - thanks!

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Yes, our Vette currently has an engine out of an old chevy pickup in it, to replace the tired L83 it came with.

Makes less then 190 ponies to the wheels and I have the dyno sheet to prove it!!!

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Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Guessing it would depend on your class and mentality in endurance racing.   class a is going to need some semblance of hp and torque or a very efficient and strategic race to minimize pit stops for driver changes and fuel.  Imposing a lower max rpm is easiest way to doing it.

9 (edited by OnkelUdo 2020-11-23 05:15 AM)

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Spank wrote:

Well, we put an olds 350 diesel in a 1985 corvette and ran it on vegetable oil for, errr, improved fuel economy.

And, well, some unanticipated benefits included incredibly minimal tire and brake wear. However, those may have been offset by an increased head gasket consumption rate.

Before you mentioned the Corveggie and re-awakenned my memory of this, I thought our flathead 4th gen Camero was the ultimate downgrade...now I wonder.  If yu count the drivetrain that came in the car as purchased, we might still win.  3800 SC with small pulley and headers is about 280 hp with 300+ lbft of peak torque downgrading to 105 (non SAE) HP and 245 lbft of torque...we are likely a wash on HP reduction.

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

I . . . um . . . didn't think this was going to turn out to be a contest about the amount of hp shrinkage . . . but I might jump in too, just to see how cold the water is.

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Lemon_Newton-Metre wrote:

I . . . um . . . didn't think this was going to turn out to be a contest about the amount of hp shrinkage . . . but I might jump in too, just to see how cold the water is.

I mean, we cannot brag about our good looks, sparkling personality, or winning race record so the volume or depth of our stupidity is about all we got.

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

True. And entertaining.

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

OnkelUdo wrote:

[
Before you mentioned the Corveggie and re-awakenned my memory of this, I thought our flathead 4th gen Camero was the ultimate downgrade...now I wonder.  If yu count the drivetrain that came in the car as purchased, we might still win.  3800 SC with small pulley and headers is about 280 hp with 300+ lbft of peak torque downgrading to 105 (non SAE) HP and 245 lbft of torque...we are likely a wash on HP reduction.


We dyno'd the Corvegge at Thunderhill. I can't remember the torque numbers -- but I'll try to dig them up. I recorded it just not sure where those bits went.


Anyway, the stock 1985 corvette was supposedly 230hp and 330ftlbs of torque according to google national corvette museum

We got 77hp on the Thunderhilll dyno.


You guys downgraded by 62.5% according to your numbers.

We downgraded by 66.5%

We WIN!

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

Spank wrote:

You guys downgraded by 62.5% according to your numbers.

We downgraded by 66.5%

We WIN!

Yeah, but mine started out a lot smaller even before the downgrade, so...

Upon further reflection, this is not a comparison I wish to pursue.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: How many have _downgraded_ the HP of your base vehicle?

We swapped out our e30 higher hp motor (325i-180ish hp) for the lower hp eta motor (120ish hp).  First reason for the swap was that I was much more familiar with the ETA.  Second and more important reason was that I love passing the "i" motored cars.  4th place overall at NHMS this fall.  First amongst the 9 other e30's running, and I believe that we were the only ETA of the bunch.  Fuel economy played a big part of our "success" this year.  But our car is pretty quick too.  Imagine how well we could do if we had people who knew how to drive! wink

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