Thinking about selling my Rotus on a no-holds-barred auction and getting a Caterham.

[Ruadhd2]

Sold

Edited October 30, 2011 by Ruadhd2

[rnr]

I am confused about all the technical engine comparisons i.e. Crossflow versus Zetec versus Duratec. The Stalkers seem too brutal, though I don't want anything pokey. I don't want the s2000 based cars due to the need to rev for action or a Miata based car. Prefer normal aspiration. Prefer something that has fuel injection instead of a carburetor(s) but flexible.

 

I am hardly an expert but in terms of ford power

Duratec > Zetec > Crossflow

 

As far the revs I believe the big hp Duratecs rev to 8500 which is the same at the later S2Ks. The S2K may have (slightly?) less low end torque than the Cosworths but is cheaper and will give 240 bhp all day everyday.

 

If $$$ is no object its an easy decision to get a Caterham R500 which will have better sales support and relatively easy parts availablity. If $$$ is limited you need to decide between lower power spec reliability (eg Cat R300) or a more powerful but less supported car (eg: Ultralite, Duratech Birkin). It comes down to the old racing: Cheap, fast, reliable - pick any two

[yellowss7]

What are you going to use it for? Sunday drives, Autoxing, trackdays????

 

No need to go big power unless you NEED it AND can USE it. Kitkat was as quick as anyone on the track with his crossflow. Yeah, Croc was faster down the straights, but it was not an issue in the braking and turning portions of the track.

 

Personally, I believe modest power is easier to use unless you are a driving God like Croc, or enjoy gardening at the track. :smilielol5:

 

Mighty Mike's Birkin looks awesome and so does the Yellow Caterham. There was one other Caterham that on the site that someone said might be available, that looked nice too. Good options. Good Luck.

 

Tom

[Ruadhd2]

Looking to buy a Boxster S.

Edited October 23, 2011 by Ruadhd2

[MightyMike]

The Zetec in my Birkin puts down quite a bit of power despite the high altitude here in Denver. It is a hoot to drive and most of all, very reliable.

[xcarguy]

Check out this link. This might be your ticket: http://www.classiccarsltd.com/modules/auto/detail.php?id=675

[Croc]

From hearing your needs as being some day touring and the odd track day then you are not far off what I strive for. My key criteria was a car I could bitch slap into shape so that it was reliable as a Toyota. A new car takes some time to get there so expect to have to work towards that goal.

 

To challenge the thinking so far - why not an LS Stalker? Solid chassis and handling package, parts are easily picked up at the local Napa, plenty of horsepower if you want it, mechanics easily found, if a Brunton part is needed then they are just down the coast in Florida. Once sorted the LS motors would give reliable performance, capable of lazily cruising along with no stress.

 

Anywhere in the 175-220hp area seems to be a nice sweet spot in Zetecs or Duratecs - reliable performance without being too fiddly for the road. On a track they would keep up with most things except for the long straights and you catch them back at the braking area anyway. I believe you get most of your performance benefits through a good set of sticky tires and a well set up handling and suspension.

[Jeb Hoge]

Shoot, a Stalker with the 3.4L carb'd pushrod V6 can make 200hp with plenty of torque to shove you around, and just about any corner garage mechanic should be able to work on it. That's the setup I went for a ride in a few years back & it had a lot of pull. It's probably the cheapest option, still gets you into a Stalker setup, but won't launch you off into the woods if you get an unfortunate calf cramp.

[Kitcat]

One of the most comfortable car seats I have ever sat in is the stock cloth Caterham seats (Tho I added a small lumbar pillow). If cruising is important, comfortable seats are also. Ditto heat. These cars really get HOT inside. A Duratec, with headers annd exhaust on passenger side shd, in theory, be cooler. And its nice to have an overdrive 5th gear so the engine rev's dont drive you crazy. Wind buffeting is an issue too. On my new cycle fendered Birkin there seems to be much less wind intrusion as comapred to my clam fendered Caterham.

 

So, just break the bank and get a new Duratec Caterham:).

[pi7ot]

I feel your hunger.

I would like an IRS Birkin or Cat with either a Zetec or Duratec.

I'll have to stick with my Old Birkin unless the deal of a lifetime comes up.

 

m

[Ruadhd2]

Made a decision. Did the math. Selling the Rotus means taking a 10k dollar loss plus 25k to get another 7. Gonna run the Rotus til

the rotary blows and then put a GM V6 in it.

[Boxologist]

I guess I am looking for a Sunday drive up to about 4 hours each way and a few track days a year. Don't need awesome power but like reasonable power when it is available. Definitely don't want anything pokey.

 

The Rotus has around 220 horsepower and I really enjoy it upon demand.

 

I have found that it is hard for me to find a reasonably priced performance rotary mechanic in the DC area who is responsive and doesn't keep your car for long periods of time. Also, my setup is highly proprietary with a specially modified oil metering system and Racing Beat modified Holley carb that was made specifically for this kind of engine. So, I sort of need a mechanic who likes the challenge of tuning a rotary without taking advantage of my situation.

 

Find John Vitamas who is active in WDC region SCCA. He has started playing with a 2nd gen RX7 last year. He may know a good shop or have other info that help you keep the upkeep on the mazda bits under control.

[Ruadhd2]

Great info. Thanks

[speedwagon]

try joining; http://www.rx7club.com/forum_index.php there is a wealth of info on there and some of it is regional, good chance you can find an excellent tuner in your area, if you take care of one of them they are hard to kill. I am in the same shape as you with a superformance s1 and a rotary 13b with a weber 48 and while not the engine of my choice; it runs, have two turbo engines in shop, but my choice for replacement would be either Miata or 5.0 ford/trans from a mustang. almost as light, narrower (important), hard to kill, and hop up parts galore. john

[MMTX]

I have written previously about the "need to rev for action", as you say, in regards to the 2 liter Honda S2000 on this site and on Miata.net.

 

However, I have also written on this site a theory that I have had that the same anemic torque band experienced in the 2600 pounds of the S2000 could actually be an advantage in a 1200-1300 pound Seven. The need to control lots of potential wheelspin off the line and in low speed maneuvers with an engine that produces abundant low end torque can certainly make actual performance suffer, or at the least be much harder to control, even though it can also be a lot of fun.

 

Well, I finally got to test that theory today. The results were better than I would have thought, especially with my dismal tests of 2 L (not 2.2L,which is much better) S2000 Roadsters.

 

First, unlike the experience of the 2600 lb S2000 Roadster, you don't have to rev it high to drive around, nor do you have to stuff your foot in it to get it to move. If you want lots of wheelspin it will still easily do it when provoked, but it is very easy to modulate the throttle get all the usable power to the ground in the straight or in sharp turn. It will still happily disconnect 245mm wide treaded racing tires if you want to, but the way the power develops in this engine, you have lots of ability to modulate the throttle.

 

I did find that it was not necessary to run it past 5000-6000 RPM to have an enjoyable, spirited drive that would still be faster than most production cars. And, yes, they really do light up about 5000, but I did find that you didn't have to run it past 8000, well below the redline, to even feel the sticky rubber slip at 80 MPH. (BTW, I did do this in a safe place, on a deserted country road.)

 

In a Seven, that motor really does come into its own.

 

As a plus, the transmission ratios feel reasonably well spaced, the shifter is extremely smooth with very short throws, and even more important, the transmission is very strong and durable. In this last regard, I would consider the Honda 6 speed more like the Nissan rear drive boxes, which can handle up to 700 hp.

 

Having driven the 2L in an S2K, it may not be my all time favorite, but it is right up there. We just need to take them all out of S2000's, where they are doing less good. (kidding)

 

Oh, and if you really want all that low end torque, they are supposed to take nicely to superchargers. Lots of torque by 2500 RPM, I was told by the owner of the car I drove that a supercharged version is still very controllable. He also has the SC.

 

BTW, if you're a non-mechanical person, this may be a very nice settup, as the S2000 engine uses the stock EFI and computer. Simple and reliable.