[DeTomaso] Doors blown off by Honda S2000 :<(

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

Hi guys,

I would hang my head in shame were it not for the fact that my engine 
problems are longstanding and well-known.

My engine was built by a roundy-round stock car race motor shop that knew 
lots about Ford motors and nothing about the 351C.   It was built for the price 
of the parts and a few cases of Labatt's beer (long story) so I can't complain 
overmuch, but unfortunately, it's really never been any good.

A few months ago I sent the particulars of my engine to Dan Jones for 
analysis--heads, pistons, cam, intake, etc. etc. and he agreed with my assessment 
that I have what may well be the very worst 351C ever built.   All the components 
are of excellent quality (Comp Cams camshaft, TRW forged pistons, Blue 
Thunder intake etc.) but are simply not suited to one another.

That point was driven home this afternoon.   My Air Force Reserve unit has 
one mandatory weekend each year where everybody comes out to get our mass 
training, and it turns into a bit of a show-and-tell day for the car guys in the 
squadron.   Yesterday I drove the 427 Cobra; today it was the Pantera's turn.   I 
even washed it! (First time since before Vegas 2008!)

My drive home consists of a few miles of roads through open fields, which are 
very straight, and a little bit bumpy; these straights are punctuated by 
sharp, 15 mph right and left corners.

I found myself heading home behind another pilot in my unit, who was driving 
his bone stock Honda S2000.   I caught up to him just as he was slowing for 
one of those 15 mph corners.   He rounded the turn, I was right behind him, we 
both booted it--and he slowly pulled away from me. :<(

That is just *so* wrong!

I decided that I would have to use cunning and treachery to overcome my lack 
of horsepower, so I set him up for a pass at the next corner.   There was a 
slower car in front of us, he followed the slow guy through the corner, I 
checked and saw the straight was clear of traffic, so I pulled out first at the apex 
of the corner and booted it.   Nose position is everything, so I passed them 
both in one whack, zinged it up to about 100, then backed down and cruised at 
about 70 with Tom in the Honda following a safe distance behind.

My car (with its recently Y-piped and gutted GTS mufflers) sounds awesome, 
and I could see Tom had a huge grin on his face just because of the sound.

Still, I should have been able to totally annihilate that little Honda, not 
watch its taillights receding into the distance when he was in front of me.

I can't wait for the Dan Jones 351C engine development program to conclude.   
I will continue to limp around with this dog of a motor for the rest of this 
year, but I think this winter it's coming out, and a bunch of excellent, 
mismatched parts will go on E-bay to be replaced by similarly excellent, properly 
matched parts, and then I'll be in great shape! :>)

Speaking of that program--Dan, how are the finances holding out? Are you 
still accepting donations?   I'd like to contribute to the cause, especially since 
I will probably be directly benefiting from the results of this research.   
Please remind us how to do so?

Mike


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