[Pasy]

Speed is determined by the point where the total drag is equal to the power available to overcome the drag. As you pointed out, the primary drag is earodynamic and is a function of frontal area and CoD. With the Calibra it is a little lower (height) than the average and has a CoD of under 0.3 which was the lowest production value for around 15 years.

Main thing* I like about mine is that at a steady 120kph (75ish mph) gives me a well over 40mpg (32 in US gallons).

*It was also damned cheap [thumbup].

BTW, how's the Trans-Am getting on? Been missing your updates on it.

Picked up a "busted" T56 transmission for the car. Had it apart, but nothing was wrong. Put it all back together and it goes through all the gears smoothly without issue. *shrugs shoulders* Thought about doing a Viper rebuild kit to handle a bit more power but I won't be putting the 650hp through it for a while (long while at my rate) so I just put it back together. 2nd gear was a little worn, but the key's were in good shape. 2nd gear gets worn fast because of all the power shifting from 1st to 2nd. Its also about a 20lb savings going from a auto to a 6spd. Looking into a lightened flywheel, but not seriously yet, should make the engine rev much more freely if I do decide to go with one.

I have the cam, the heads have a 3 angle valve job by a local speed shop of good repute. Mostly just waiting for it to warm up. 1 3/4" long tubes are on order, still need a custom y-pipe, but I've got an exhaust cut out

Once its all up and running its time to rebuild the front end chromoly tubular road race k-member, coil over shock kit up front..... Fiberglass hood, aluminum reinforcement bars from an older 82 transam if i can Find them, they are rare, but worth about 30lbs off the front end, combined with a fiberglass hood, and a chromoly tubular k-member and coil overs its overall close to a 100lb weight savings on the front of the car. Battery relocation kit is in, so thats a good transfer of weight to the rear of the car. All in all should be down under 3100lbs in street trim with full interior. I'm about 3350lbs now. Going from iron to aluminum heads saved about 50lbs.

Most everything being done is weight savings and handling mods. Engine mods this year are limited to a competition valve job, cold air, hot cam, and long tubes. I'll have the money to do the heads right along with a supercharger next year. Probably got about $1300 in suspension and upgraded brake parts to dish out. And I want it painted this year too along with all new carpets and recovered seats. So thats why no serious engine mods. This engine will actually be less powerful than the old one, but the car will handle so much better. I've gone from 16x8's to 17x9's all around. Should be a fun car for the occasionally auto-x and track/drag days.

[Smittoh]

Main thing* I like about mine is that at a steady 120kph (75ish mph) gives me a well over 40mpg (32 in US gallons).

*It was also damned cheap [thumbup].

How much did you pay for it. And does NZ use gallons? I thought they used litres like us. My car is capable of over 600km per tank full (40L) when just cruising steadily. But where I live, I mainly drive in peak conditions and heavy traffic (unfortunately) where I can do about 500km per tank full or a little over 12km per litre.

Also I paid $1500 for my car, its got lots of torque had been tuned and I believe has got performance parts in it, so its quick and fast and cheap on fuel. So I think I got a pretty good deal. Didn't come with rego unfortunately which cost me an extra $1000 and took me an extra 6 months to save up for it.

[Karlmarks]

How much did you pay for it. And does NZ use gallons? I thought they used litres like us. My car is capable of over 600km per tank full (40L) when just cruising steadily. But where I live, I mainly drive in peak conditions and heavy traffic (unfortunately) where I can do about 500km per tank full or a little over 12km per litre.

Also I paid $1500 for my car, its got lots of torque had been tuned and I believe has got performance parts in it, so its quick and fast and cheap on fuel. So I think I got a pretty good deal. Didn't come with rego unfortunately which cost me an extra $1000 and took me an extra 6 months to save up for it.

It was a grand - bought it for the engine but decided it was too good to wreck and, whilst it was a bit rough, I decided to keep it as a second car. It's great on long runs and with the traffic NAZIs (cops) there's little point in having a fast road car. Gave it a squirt a while back and it was certainly still pulling harder and harder as it passed 190kph (still under peak torque) in 5th so I've little doubt it would run out to 230+ speedo and quite possibly a fair bit more.

Here's a clip of a fast drive in Germany http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69cxIbYLUFs Note the orange engine warning light

Yup, litres and kilometres here as well but, as I'm an old fart, for mileage to make sense I convert it to mpg.

Usual method of measuring consumption is litres per 100km and the car has a display where you can read the average or instantaneous consumption - can't quite hit 40l/100km at full noise in 1st gear.

Fruity, way to go - as they say "power without control is useless". Whilst you 'may' lose out in a straight line, you'll be lifting a leg on them everywhere else
[thumbup]

[Smittoh]

Here's a clip of a fast drive in Germany http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69cxIbYLUFs Note the orange engine warning light

I wander if we still have that long road in Australia that has no speed limit. I would like to go there and see what my car can do. Seriously, I think it would be awesome.

[Karlmarks]

I wander if we still have that long road in Australia that has no speed limit. I would like to go there and see what my car can do. Seriously, I think it would be awesome.

You've got a whole state - Northern Territories!

[Smittoh]

You've got a whole state - Northern Territories!

Yea I knew we did. But most of those roads are dirt, and I don't feel comfortable driving 200+kmph on a dirt road[rofl].