RE: V8 conversion comments

[Steve An <stevean@domain.elided>]

The Monster Miata came in 2 variations, one with the 5.0 Mousetwang motor 
and the Mega Monster with the Kenne Bell supercharger. I visited Monster in 
Escondido and test drove the car in the rain (it actually rained in SoCal), 
it was just horrible, it just plows like a pig due to the extra weight up 
front, needless to say straight line was impressive. You can't tell me 
Monster didn't do a first rate job, they upgraded everything but to no 
avail. I guess it's hard to overcome Newtonian physics, though the Swabian 
engineers surely tried hard  with Der NeunElfer. I am glad I turbocharged 
my Miata instead.

I reckon the Spider would fare far worse since it doesn't have nearly the 
same torsional rigidity. Ever drive an MGB spider with the Rover V8? just 
horrible, you can feel the body twisting.

On the same trip, I also visited Dave Mericle (the elder) and checked out 
his Rotary Giulietta, but it was not complete at the time.

I got a ride from Mark Smith when he was developing his Factory Five car 
and thought, it too understeers badly,  like every other Cobra replicas out 
there, but I could not really tell since I was not driving.

V8 conversions are best done to Volvos, ( search for Kingv8 or Ross 
Converse). I drove a Volvo 740 with the Z06 motor and the 6-speed tranny, 
again in the rain, simply awesome. I had thought of putting a V8 in my old 
Audi 5000CS Quattro wagon, since it would solve all the reliability 
problems with that turbocharged motor but it was my wife's car and I wasn't 
allowed.

        - Steve.


At 11:25 PM 10/21/2002 -0400, GLewis4457@domain.elided wrote:


> In a message dated 10/21/2002 10:21:25 PM Central Daylight Time,
> owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:
>
>
> > So a better line might be:  "A Spider? Why do that when you could do it to
> > a
> > Miata!  That would turn a lot more heads (cause they'd know what it is) and
> > be just as much of a challenge - if not more so.
> >
>
> Been done!!!!!  Ford 302 I think.
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