ottocycle

What autox and where? cheers, Dermot.

I am putting an informal drive together Sunday morning, October 7, to Wolfsville, Maryland for an antique engine show. It will be a mixed bag of friends with various cars (not all LSIS) old and new. Let me know if you would like to join us. We will meet at the Starbucks at the corner of River and Falls Road in Potomac at 9:00AM. I can give you details when you contact me. Cheers, Dermot.

Al, I just read your post. I think your cold start (choke) map needs adjusting. It should be a little easier to do than idle, midrange or top end adjustments as it need not be too precise. It is only needed to ease initial ignition and will be bypassed when the engine heats up. Your existing map will take over once a certain temp is reached. When you get it remapped after you do the headwork tell them and they will bump up the values. Try and find a shop who have worked with your system. While the principles are the same for all programmable systems, you do not need to pay the tech guy to learn the details of your system. If you know who markets your system in the U.S. they might be able to steer you to a dyno facility near you. Remember a dyno is only a tool/gauge. It is only as good as its operator/interpreter. Cheers, Dermot.

I wanted to publicly acknowledge the great help that fellow member Bruce Wiser (11Budlite) gave me by checking out some parts I bought off E Bay. He saved me an 8 hour drive each way by giving freely of his time to a complete stranger. As one who has had his finger in various car and motorcycle groups most of my adult life, I am humbled by the quality of people I am fortunate enough to meet through a common interest in inspired engineering. It was very generous of him and he has the dubuous distinction of possibly being the midwife to a turbocharged Hayabusa engine project (I hear myself saying be careful of what you wish for). Thank you Bruce and if I can ever return the favour please ask. If any other members need any help around Washington,DC. please let me know. Perhaps this should be a separate thread but I will throw it out here. I am interested in turbocharging a Hayabusa engine and would love to hear from anybody who has done so or has any info/links on the subject. Any ideas? Cheers, Dermot- Fury/Hayabusa. Bethesda, Md.

Hello guys, I wish I could join you. Have a fun safe trip. Cheers, Dermot.

Grist for the mill. Along the lines of the group purchase of scales, there might be benefit in the club putting together a DMV kit that members could rent for a modest amount, plus shipping, to get their cars through inspections. Bolt it on and bolt it off after the job is done. I have not thought deeply about it and I am sure each state has its own idiosyncrasies but a list of common parts might get one 75 to 80% there. Just a thought, Cheers, Dermot PS. Doug, I sent you an e mail about the engine and parts you were going to check out for me. Thanks again.

Al, Count me in. Sounds like a great idea. BTW: I put on a morning drive every New Years Day down here called the "Frozen Nuts Rally", its very early notice but you and others are welcome to attend. it is not marque specific. cheers. Dermot-

Doug, You might find a cheap set of nerf bars from one of the many Hot Rod suppliers put there that will get you through inspection. You can remove them when you get the paperwork sorted. Fighting the DMV may be noble but it will cost you driving time. Just a suggestion, Good luck, Dermot.

tdrc7, Thats the best concise definition I have yet read. Well done !! Dermot.

Hello all, I just thought I would throw in my 2c worth. Discussions like this enter the realm of the blind man feeling the elephant. Where one stands as far as ones vision of the seven is concerned dictates the influence these cars have on one. What follows here is one (blind) mans personal perspective. For example, my particular interest is more in the realm of power to weight ratios, but with an emphasis on keeping the weight off rather than boosting power. For example, take two cars, one weighing 3,000lbs. with 300 HP and the other 1,000lbs and 100 HP. Assuming equal levels of structural integrity and suspension sophistication, which would you like to take down a country lane? I think an important part of the LSiS definition is the absense of excess. No heater, radio, cup holders etc., only what is needed to get the job done. In my opinion, the Prowler does not come anywhere near being a LSiS. Its big, fat, heavy, underpowered and way over appointed. Other than that its perfect. To me the visual style is the least important part of the equation. The 7's style came into being as a result of it being the most cost effective shape to produce. Compound curves in alloy are expensive. The Panoz is a great car and its lineage is tied very closely to the 7, more so even than many of the 7 clones out there. (Grown from the ashes of a Costin designed, Irish built sevenesque sportscar with a great frame and suspension, the Panoz is a very American interpretation of the theme.) While very competent in its own right, it is too heavy and too well appointed to be a LSiS. Its hydroformed aluminum coachwork make it a difficult car to cost effectively build by hand. Add to that the financial part of the equation and we are really off to the races! Pounds per horsepower per dollar!! Elsewhere on this site there is a debate going on between the Seven fans and the Atom fans. I like the Atom. It is an audacious design and to me comparisons with the seven say more about an evolved 50 year old design than they do about the Atom. A clean sheet design in year 2000 should be orders of magnitude better than an evolved design. I do not believe it is. I think the Radical should be included in this discussion. My personal favourite in the LSiS debate is the Light Car Company Rocket, a 15 year old design currently undergoing a facelft but is very expensive...but it weighs less than 900lbs!!! Lets assume we have a 200lb. driver; In a 140hp Locost/Miata: Cost $10,000 Weight 1400lbs. = $875.04 per horsepower pound. In a 265hp Atom/Ecotec: Cost $65,000 Weight 1200lbs. = $12,310.60 per horsepower pound. in a 140 hp Caterham : Cost (est): $40,000 Weight 1250lbs. = $38,6100.00 per horsepower pound. It makes interesting grist for the mill. Please do'nt bother correcting my prices/weights, they are not exact and only used to illustrate my point. Let the games begin............... Cheers, Dermot.

Bruce, I got back a little earlier than expected and wanted to make sure you got the PM I sent you yesterday. Please contact me when you get a miniute. Cheers, Dermot.

Mazda, I'm glad you found the play. It should be a lot more comfortable now. I do have a bolt in roll bar. I took it out for the street because it looks like I am carrying a Jungle Jim in the back of the car. Autovanity!! I am thinking of putting a drive together for the 23rd. I know you are getting some work done on the seven then, but perhaps you might like to stretch the Vette's legs. Jeff, I would love to join you at the Point. What date and do I need any paperwork? I have no valid competition license. Cheers, Dermot.

Jeff, Thanks, I still have a way to go but at least she is on the road. I have ordered an upgraded clutch and hope to have it Tuesday. Are you doing any track days again this year? I an hoping to get to Summit Point before the season ends; perhaps you are comming up? It would be fum to chase you around ( if I can keep up). Cheers, Dermot-

Hello all, I noticed nobody has posted here in a while so I thought I would add a new post. I painted the car Friday, put the pieces back on it Saturday, and that evening called a few friends for an impromptu drive Sunday. Mazda came and shot a few photos. (See the General Discussion page Impromptu blat). Its funny, I do'nt have any photos of the car, been too busy putting it together. It was a great run, Mazda's car is an animal. I was very pleased with the way mine turned out, I have a list of things to do, of course, but she aquitted herself quite well. The suspension needs a better set up. I need to replace the clutch. It's fine until you nail it at about 6,000rpm, I'm thinking of new plates and some Barnett springs. If anybody has any suggestions please let me know. I thoughy you guys might find it interesting. Cheers, Dermot. PS: Does anyone live near South Windsor, Connecticut, that could check an engine for me?

Al- Thanks. I have taken to keeping a gas can in the footwell (empty now till I get around to anchoring it somehow). I will then try calibrating the gauge. I do not let it drop below 1/4 tank. I will check out the mirrors. I need side mirrors like Mazdas, motorcycle based. At the moment I see the curves of my rear fenders in 1/2 the view. Dermot.

Thanks guys. My car is an older Fury, much modified and different from what it started out as. Briefly, I bought it in Kent, England, off a guy who had a Rover V8 in it. It is registered as a 1969 model and it was used as a brochure cover car. I do not know much of its history except that the factory put in the Rover motor. It went like a raped ape with the Rover but was too nose heavy and when you hit the brakes hard at speed to negotiate a corner you could feel the rear getting real light as the weight transfer was horrendous. It felt like a pig on stilts, you had to be real judicious with the application of the gas pedal or it would break the rear loose. This had no end of spectator appeal but suffice to say at times it took a toll on my laundry bill. Added to that the fact that I had no leg room (I'm 6'3') and had to put on a smaller steering wheel so my hands could clear my knees. This only compounded the problem with the hard cornering. The Rovers head was in front of the pedal box so there was no room to move things forward. I like bike engines. They are as close to a Formula 1 motor as I will ever get in terms of technology per dollar. As a lifelong fan of the seven I am a great believer in lightweight cars. So, as a closet hot rodder and compulsive tinkerer, I put the 2 together. I added 12" to the footwell (still not wide enough, I would like a dead pedal for my clutch foot), modified the hood a Hayabusas are a tall engine.. The Hayabusa engine is in line and 2" from the firewall. I just got it on the road and still have a long way to go but I will talk to Mazda about posting dispatches here from time to time. I am more comfortable with a wrench than a computer. Mine is a live axled car, I believe the newer ones are independent. As a fan of suspension systems I like the fact that they used 2 Watts linkages to locate the rear instead of trailing arms. I am not so great a driver as to tell the difference but its engineering purity appeals to me. It has rockerarm front suspension. My future plans for the car are to get it sorted, so that I can do track days and learn how to drive properly. I want to learn more about vehicle dynamics so as to be able to diagnose suspension issues. At the moment I am comming in from track sessions so pumped with adrenalin (my favourite drug!!) that I could not tell you what the right wheel is doing at the apex of turn 5. (Either that or I an getting premature dimentia. I choose to believe the former!). I need more track time to improve my technique and be more comfortable at speed. I bought a spare engine so as to have back up if mine blows. If it does it will be during the season and I do not want the down time. I could swop an engine in my car in 90 mins. or less. ........................Paddle shift and a turbo sound great................. I've had a few people express interest in the car and am showing it to a friend in the composites business with a view to making copies of the body using more modern materials/techniques. The frame could be built with modern suspension bits that are available in America and re engineered to accomodate plus size drivers. I will do a budget as to what a kit will cost perhaps for 5-10 units and let you know. These things always end up costing more than one would initially think but it would be interesting to find out. What would people be prepared to pay for a kit? What interest is there? WestTexasS2K Thanks for the advice. I have about 4-5 degrees castor at the moment. I think I need to check my ride height. It may need more rake, I may be getting high speed lift that is registering as twitchy. I am hoping to get time to check my settings this week. I will keep you posted. Thanks and feel free to comment. Dermot. Fury/Hayabusa, Bethesda, Md.

Thanks guys, for the kind words. Mazda, glad you could make it and it was great to meet you. We should do it again. Your car is a BEAST!! Todays drive was her first run, painted her friday and put the bits on yesterday. i'm glad she aquitted herself quite well. I have a list of tasks I need to do. The list is longer than I know, but for now the following tasks need my immediate attention. (THE LAST 10% TAKES 90% OF THE TIME). Feel free to put in any tips, comments and suggestions you may have. 1). Heavy duty clutch plates/springs. (Unfortunatly it is not wheelspin when I hit the gas hard). 2). Mirrors both interior and exterior. The one's I have are crap. (Any tips)? 3). Find a better front end alignment set up. I have 3/32" toe in and she feels a little twitchy and nervous at speed. This could be due to the light weight and I need to adjust my feel. I am running 16 psi in front. 205-60-14 tires. 4). Figure our the calibration of the fuel gauge. 5). Go round the car and check all fastners and the shifter linkage. 6). Get some basic data aquisition installed to ensure the engine is operating in a "safe zone". I added 10% to the factory fuel map to make sure she is not running lean due to the air filters and headers. The EGT sensors tell me that she is safe but I need to get a wide band on her. By the way. I bought a a spare engine off E Bay but it is in Connecticut (7 hours each way). Does anybody in the club live near Hartford who could check it out/ pick it up for me. The owner appears genuine and honest but I have the usual concerns about sending a lot of money to a stranger. Of course I will cover any expenses. Thanks guys, Dermot.

Tom. I would love to take you up on your offer. I am hoping to get it on the road this weekend. What works best for you? Thanks, Dermot, Fury/Hayabusa.

Mazda, Serendipity. Thanks for the response, I will contact Tom. I am painting the car this weekend and will see when I can get over to Dulles, perhaps we can drive together. Cheers, Dermot. PS: Any recommendations on littery numbers?javascript:insertsmiley('%20','/aspnetForum/images/emoticons/smile5.gif')javascript:insertsmiley('%20','/aspnetForum/images/emoticons/smile5.gif')

Hello all, I thought I would throw my 2c in to the mix. I have a few comments. First: Kudos to Saunders for designing such a radical, innovative and brash car as the Atom. And also for having the testicular fortitude to build it. Second: I think Jeremy Clarksons video sold 90% of the cars (Al, I understand you are in the advertising business, what do you think?). Jay Leno's endorsement could not have hurt them. Third: The GRM article shows how a well driven, properly set up car can produce the goods even when outgunned by horsepower (There is a great U tube video from "BBC Top Gear" of an Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite beating a Mitsubishi whatever up Shelsley Walsh hillclimb that also illustrates this). Fourth: One can design and build some technically brilliant track day cars along race car principles but many will end up being, (A) difficult to drive fast or (B) need a particularly talented driver to get the best from them (pretty much the same thing). I think just like fighter jets, race cars are the most agile when they are on the razors edge of instability. Cars like the Lotus seven are fun to drive because they communicate well with the driver due to their layout.To paraphrase Keith, when you are almost sitting on the back axle the car does not talk to you, it shouts at you! It is a lot easier to feel the swing when you are at the weight end of the pendelum than when you are at the pivot point. Having said that, the driver who can sense the tail swing before it gets to the point of no return will probably be faster in a mid engined car if it has a tighter component layout and therefore lower moment of inertia. The point being that the indefinable characteristic of being a "fun" car to drive does not necessarily translate into being the fastest layout. A lot of people scoff at the idea of front engined sports cars and feel that the mid engined layout is the only way to go. I would say that the mid engine layout in race cars has more to do with aerodynamics than it has to do with vehicle dynamics. Look at the laptimes posted by English Clubmans racecars (before they allowed mid engined cars compete) or the track record of the Panoz LMP cars. Whats good on the track does not necessarily mean is good for the street. Application should dictate design. It is presonal preference. I like cars that shout at me! I also do not have the talent to feel a rear tire 3 feet behind my back move an inch. Fifth: Let the Atom guys play in their own sandbox. While it is human nature for the underdog to want to gloat when he/she wins it can also be difficult for someone who has invested a lot in a venture to admit they could have achieved a better result for less treasure even when it is illustrated to them. Is the site run by the sellers or the owners of the car? (Sound familiar???) Anyway, well done Keith. I would love to check out the Atom sometime, I am sure I will. For now I am quite happy getting my own project sorted. I drove it for the first time recently and was pleased I did not make a complete dogs dinner out of things. I need to tune the suspension. Anybody know of bathroom scales that go over 330#? Dermot. Fury/Hayabusa.

Mazda, I am afraid I have to bow out of the drive on the 15th. but I would still like to join the club. If it rains and gets changed to the following weekend, I'm in. To those who have never been to West Virginia it is very beautiful and the roads are great. I recommend it. Clear skys guys. Dermot.

Bob, Are you selling the Busa motor or are you looking to put it in a car. I am looking for a motor kit if anybody knows of one. Gauges too. Thanks, Dermot.

On the same topic, I need a new helmet (Snell 05). Who has the best prices? What do people like? I have used Shoei bike and car helmets and like them but will consider others. What is the experience of members? I have never seen a "consumer reports" on helmets. Any input? Cheers, Dermot.

Sorry, I had a "senior moment". I re read your post and realized it was a Club only event. Please disregard my PS. Cheers, Dermot Fury/Hayabusa.

Great idea, I will try to make it. Anybody else??? Thanks, Dermot. PS. Is it limited to members of this group. If you like I can invite some friends who drive other cars to make up the numbers.