CP
09-01-05, 08:57 PM
You know what its like -summer fun is history - the long cold damp winter nights drag on - your car's off the road needing to be fixed and you kind of lose the plot with it and associated tuning plans? You cant be arsed basically?
Well that was me til this afternoon. I haven't driven my Nova for so long I kinda lost touch with it. BUT :!: Jim, Dan and Benji, apparently of their own free wills, ( :o ) agreed to let me take their cars out for a quick test drive at the MK meet! Goody!
WOW! I had the best time! :D :D With me as Clarkson and Benji co-driving we tried each car on the same route back to back.
Jims: 1.6 T40 8v. As you may know Jims engine is fresh from a re-build which i had a little involvement in and it was my first time in it since it was rolling roaded. On start up the engine note seems much deeper and gruffer than I had remembered it. Ticks over ok typical 40's needs a bit of patience to get it to run clean and settled for a minute or two. We got wedged and i mean wedged! into Jims seats and off we went. Instant response is clean and pull is instant. The revs pick up sharply and as the car gets to about mid rev range the engine note changes and there's quite a considerable crackle very similar to my 1.4 16V. Slipstreamin off a roundabout in second i had to feed the power in to control the worst of the wheelspin. Get into third and traction is regained and there is a jolt as the car lurches forward at an impressive and increasin rate. Acceleration is fierce and continual - the engine seems sharp and crisp in its power delivery throughout. Gear change with Griffiths linkage is smooth and tight. This engine is strong no doubt in my mind. Overall impression on the public roads is excellent, brakes,ride, suspension the lot. Its a very fast car by anybody's standards.
Recommendations: LSD!!!! Knight rider red neon lights at the front :wink:
Dans:1.6 T40 8v Out of Jims and straight into dan's. This car immediately feels lighter and more taught. There's no apparent give or slop in the shell and from the start its off faster than any road car i have ever driven. Up and running immediately the level of grip is apparent. Its extremely impressive! Anyone who has Nova with power well in excess of 100HP and thinks an LSD isn't worth having is deluding themselves. Feeding the power in round roundabouts in this car is a joy and its possible in the greasy conditions to have it right on the edge of grip with complete confidence. Its much faster than Jims in the bendy stuff because of it. Heavy braking makes the car a little twitchy at the rear but otherwise it stops well for well worn brakes. Engine response is similar to Jims pulling hard and clean right the way upto the shift light. The difference between the 2 is very small but dans seemed to have a little less throughout and at the top end, giving the impression that his power is more torquey and from lower down. His easy and cheap steering and gear shift mods are very effective and out of the 3 i felt his gave the best feedback - its so responsive. Having lowered it the car corners flatter with a lot less roll. Overall impression on the public road is similar to Jims but probably faster point to point due to the handling and LSD. Its extremely fast and great fun to drive - i love this car and it only stands Dan at a few K!!! I cant think of any cars that can do as much as this car can for so little outlay!
Recommendations : Lower the seats a bit to lower the centre of gravity? Slicks, brake overhaul. Diet :wink:
Benji's: 1.4 T40 8v. Fire's up typical 40's and soon runs clean. Pick up and instant go is good and strong. All 3 of these Novas are fast off the start unlike mine! A nice gruff note when the accelerator is planted and whilst the initial acceleration isnt as good as the 1.6 's it does pull clean and the sr gearing allows it to accelerate mid range up to its peak very strongly upto top speeds on the same bits of roads not too much down on the others. Brakes were worse the wear from track day abuse but handling around the corners is very good tho not quite a sharp as Dans. I have a theory that its better to have a slightly less powerful engine than you think you could cope with rather than one that you feel is a bit of a handful. I think it makes you drive more confidently and smoothly and therefore a lot faster than you think. I get the impression that Benji's in the groove with this car because of this factor and on track there's no doubt he's a force to be reckoned with :wink:
Recomendations: Brake overhaul and get rid of absolutely all the weight!
It was an excellent experience! Its re-invigorated my interest in my Nova. I'd forgotten just how much fun these cars can be!! :D :D Yehaa!!!
Well that was me til this afternoon. I haven't driven my Nova for so long I kinda lost touch with it. BUT :!: Jim, Dan and Benji, apparently of their own free wills, ( :o ) agreed to let me take their cars out for a quick test drive at the MK meet! Goody!
WOW! I had the best time! :D :D With me as Clarkson and Benji co-driving we tried each car on the same route back to back.
Jims: 1.6 T40 8v. As you may know Jims engine is fresh from a re-build which i had a little involvement in and it was my first time in it since it was rolling roaded. On start up the engine note seems much deeper and gruffer than I had remembered it. Ticks over ok typical 40's needs a bit of patience to get it to run clean and settled for a minute or two. We got wedged and i mean wedged! into Jims seats and off we went. Instant response is clean and pull is instant. The revs pick up sharply and as the car gets to about mid rev range the engine note changes and there's quite a considerable crackle very similar to my 1.4 16V. Slipstreamin off a roundabout in second i had to feed the power in to control the worst of the wheelspin. Get into third and traction is regained and there is a jolt as the car lurches forward at an impressive and increasin rate. Acceleration is fierce and continual - the engine seems sharp and crisp in its power delivery throughout. Gear change with Griffiths linkage is smooth and tight. This engine is strong no doubt in my mind. Overall impression on the public roads is excellent, brakes,ride, suspension the lot. Its a very fast car by anybody's standards.
Recommendations: LSD!!!! Knight rider red neon lights at the front :wink:
Dans:1.6 T40 8v Out of Jims and straight into dan's. This car immediately feels lighter and more taught. There's no apparent give or slop in the shell and from the start its off faster than any road car i have ever driven. Up and running immediately the level of grip is apparent. Its extremely impressive! Anyone who has Nova with power well in excess of 100HP and thinks an LSD isn't worth having is deluding themselves. Feeding the power in round roundabouts in this car is a joy and its possible in the greasy conditions to have it right on the edge of grip with complete confidence. Its much faster than Jims in the bendy stuff because of it. Heavy braking makes the car a little twitchy at the rear but otherwise it stops well for well worn brakes. Engine response is similar to Jims pulling hard and clean right the way upto the shift light. The difference between the 2 is very small but dans seemed to have a little less throughout and at the top end, giving the impression that his power is more torquey and from lower down. His easy and cheap steering and gear shift mods are very effective and out of the 3 i felt his gave the best feedback - its so responsive. Having lowered it the car corners flatter with a lot less roll. Overall impression on the public road is similar to Jims but probably faster point to point due to the handling and LSD. Its extremely fast and great fun to drive - i love this car and it only stands Dan at a few K!!! I cant think of any cars that can do as much as this car can for so little outlay!
Recommendations : Lower the seats a bit to lower the centre of gravity? Slicks, brake overhaul. Diet :wink:
Benji's: 1.4 T40 8v. Fire's up typical 40's and soon runs clean. Pick up and instant go is good and strong. All 3 of these Novas are fast off the start unlike mine! A nice gruff note when the accelerator is planted and whilst the initial acceleration isnt as good as the 1.6 's it does pull clean and the sr gearing allows it to accelerate mid range up to its peak very strongly upto top speeds on the same bits of roads not too much down on the others. Brakes were worse the wear from track day abuse but handling around the corners is very good tho not quite a sharp as Dans. I have a theory that its better to have a slightly less powerful engine than you think you could cope with rather than one that you feel is a bit of a handful. I think it makes you drive more confidently and smoothly and therefore a lot faster than you think. I get the impression that Benji's in the groove with this car because of this factor and on track there's no doubt he's a force to be reckoned with :wink:
Recomendations: Brake overhaul and get rid of absolutely all the weight!
It was an excellent experience! Its re-invigorated my interest in my Nova. I'd forgotten just how much fun these cars can be!! :D :D Yehaa!!!