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

[Charles Engles]

Dear Chastened Mike,


           1) Yup, them S2000 are very respectable little sports cars.   I was an instructor for a guy with one about eight years ago at Hallett.  I was so impressed, I still want one.

           2)   Good parts do not an engine make.   Please take notes when Dan Jones opines on your engine parts options and selections.   As a complete idiot & neophyte, I followed his advice and built a 401 HP dynamo with pretty modest parts chosen with his input.   Its not the parts, but how they play together.   Given the new knowledge forthcoming from the dyno project, I think you'll have the recipe and specs for a marvelous powerplant a la Dan Jones.  Oh, and I don't think that you'll have any problem sponsoring an engine pulling party at your place.........

           3) Send the Dan Jones Dyno Project money.  It is for a very, very good cause.



                      Warmest regards,  Chuck Engles



----- Original Message ----- 
From: <MikeLDrew at aol.com>
To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 7:40 PM
Subject: [DeTomaso] Doors blown off by Honda S2000 :<(


> 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
> 
> 
> **************
> Feeling the pinch at the grocery store?  Make dinner for 
> $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001)
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