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What's The Sweet Spot For Power?


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#16 KTS

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Posted 20 March 2019 - 10:05 PM

850 turbo !  :proud:



#17 Mrpeanut

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Posted 20 March 2019 - 10:14 PM

Good thread. I was always told to forget numbers and put an engine together to suit how I want to use it, not chase a number and risk not getting the drivability I want. I took that advice. The engine was a 1330 with an evo1 cam, excellent gas flowed head, maniflow rcm exhaust (road version) and cooper free flow manifold. The engine was amazing, pulled from low down and went plenty fast enough. Number wise 88 horses and torque. That engine was the sweetspot for me.

#18 rich_959

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 07:50 AM

 

 

Agreed, very sensible approach. I asked a similar question when planning my project. I also drove a few cars from standard up to 110bhp (all naturally aspirated A series). For me, the sweet spot was around 90bhp with a sensible 'road' cam giving a broad torque curve. It's amazing how very different a group of different tuned 1275 minis can be. 

yes, I can imagine.

I'm tempted by a mild turbo (as I have the engine already), but a nicely tuned NA at around 90bhp is a bit more fitting... particularly in a Mk1.

 

why do people keep going on about BHP? it is Torque that you want. a car with bigish BHP can be a right pig to drive.

 

 

Agreed Nick, which is why I mentioned the torque curve. I only quote the BHP as they were the estimated figures available to me from the kind people who let me have a go in their cars (nobody seems to estimate torque, like they would BHP).

 

My car will never see a rolling road, so I'll have no idea what power or torque it's making - just a case of choosing components that will hopefully give the performance and driving style I'm looking for, which as you say will be governed by the amount of torque that makes it get down the road.



#19 NDT

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 08:04 AM

As an old colleague of mine (ex Aston Martin and Tickford) used to say - it’s the area under the curve that matters.

#20 sansamn

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 12:59 PM

As others have already said BHP isn’t the whole story, torque makes for an enjoyable drive. BHP = pub points

That’s the reason I picked my daily driver – 2016 Polo GTi. It has bags of torque (236lb ft and 189BHP) and a turbo to kick in once the revs pick up. Its real hoot to drive

While my Mini is a very different beast in some ways it’s a very similar car to drive. 1275cc, SW5 cam, MG Metro big valve head, HIF44, Miniflow Free flow exhaust and 3.44 diff – haven’t had it on a rolling road but I guess it’s somewhere near 80BHP. Like my GTi it pulls great from low revs and just flies up hills. It’s rare that I drive my mini at any real speed (above 60 mph) but for nipping round town, racing round roundabouts and blasting down country lanes have the torque to pull away from low revs makes for a really fun drive



#21 Bobbins

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 04:50 PM

BHP wins bar room banter, torque wins races.

#22 sc-em

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 05:55 PM

Keep the magic wand gear lever and tune the 850. My ex had one many years ago. Such a quirky thing to drive and change gears.

I had 1293, 276 cam, flowed Downton head, LCB and RC40 (HIF44 I think) Plenty quick enough and I always remember coming home from Leeds over the Peak district and embarrassing a chap in a Jag who thought he could keep up on the twisties. It was badged as a 850, but the adjustable spax and lowered ride, easily kept him at bay....until the straights.






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