Re: Fast 164L (and then some)

["Rich Wagner" <drsavage@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dave wrote:

>My car has been modified to develop
>somewhere around 400-450 HP.  Using a crude calculation assuming power
required
>is proportional to velocity squared, this shows it ought to be able to
reach
>192 mph with the appropriate gearing.  I would guess a more realistic
number is
>180 or so (I know of one 700 HP Z28 which has reached close to 200 mph).

Dave, please don't take this as a flame.  I've just noted a few things that
I'd like to discuss.  Let me know if my tone isn't appropriate.

Power required is proportional to velocity cubed.  Doubling your speed
requires eight times the power.  So, if your car can reach 155 MPH on 275
HP, it would top out at 182 MPH on 450 HP.  That would be it's absolute
terminal speed.  It's real terminal speed would depend upon gearing.

>The Alfa OTOH has the gearing
>but not the torque to reach these speeds on the road.

As you'll see in my following post, the 164 base and L models are actually
geared perfectly for reaching their terminal speeds.  The S model is in
fact geared short, and will hit the rev limiter before reaching it's
terminal speed.  Effectively, it has too much torque for its gearing.


Rich
Montrose, CO
'82 GTV6 Balocco

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