RE: A Road Map to Alfa Mods WAS Re: motronic pistons

["Brian Shorey" <bshorey@domain.elided>]

> Does one, say, start at the brakes and progress to suspension, then
> transmission/transaxle and finally the engine (and even then what engine
> mods go first?) as teh crowning glory of the modified car?
>
> Does it vary (and if so, a lot or a little?) depending on the model or how
> streetable of trackable one wishes the car to eventually be?

Of course it matters.  The first thing you need to do is determine how your
going to be driving the car, only then can you figure out what to do with
it.

There are no absolutes, and no right/wrong answers.  The rate at which you
can pour money into it is a major factor.  It's cheaper in the long run to
rebuild an entire engine with new cams, pistons, valves, etc, than it is to
replace the cams, then pull the head to do the valves/ports, then take
things apart again to do the pistons..

In general, for any kind of performance driving, I'd start by learning how
to drive.  Spend money on a decent driving school.  It will make more
difference than any single modification you can do to your car, and it will
work in every car you drive.

My only other recommendation would be to come up with a plan.  Then start
with the safety related mods, or the ones that will 'minimize risk'.  For
example, I'd do suspension/wheels/tires before engine mods, because it's
safer to have an underpowered car that handles really well than it is to
have an overpowered car..

Finally, overall it will be cheaper to sell what you have and buy something
that someone else has already modified.  If you have a nice, stock example,
you might even be lowering the value of the car by modifying it.

Fwiw,

bs

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