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How to spend $15,850 on a new engine and run 13.9's

First, you start with a Honda Civic Si. Swap in a 2.4 liter block from an Acura TSX ($2,000; includes 6-spd trans). Add an Acura RSX head CNC ported by Skunk2 Racing ($2,400), a Hondata ECU flash ($995), Skunk2 cams ($850 (???!!!)), Cunningham connecting rods ($800 -- $200 apiece!), Wiseco forged pistons ($500 -- $125 apiece), RC Engineering injectors ($450 -- $112.50 apiece), forged valves ($380), titanium retainers ($150), Skunk2 header ($520) and Megapower exhaust ($490). Fart can extra? I don't know. Also $4,900 labor from Skunk2 and you've got a claimed $315 hp @ 7800.

No wonder the rice boys have to wear their big brothers' clothes: no money left after shelling out prices like these.

These numbers are from the November Car & Driver rice burner tuner face-off. I'm picking on the Skunk2 car because it's the only one that had the breakdown for all the goodies. Note too that this itemized list falls short $1,415 of the $15,850 total in engine upgrades that C&D reported. The complete car was $53,199 as tested -- C6 Corvette territory! All that money to run a best 13.9 @ 104, and 5.4 sec 0-60.

The others were just as bad, price wise. $39,184 as-tested for a 14.3 sec Si; $50,756 for a 14.5 sec Mini; $59,724 for a 13.9 sec Si; and $43,153 for a 13.4 sec Neon.

The Neon builders, Howell Automotive, even clams that their "primary clientele tends toward drag racing." Considering that Howell's turbo

2.4 package costs $15,404, someone please tell these riceboys that $15,000 in engine upgrades is A LOT of money to spend to go 13.4's. What is the deal, anyway? "I wanna go drag racing, I've got $15,000 for the motor . . . yeah, low 13's sound about right." Jeeze. Kids these days.

180 Out

Reply to
one80out
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Just think what would happen if you went to a junk yard, picked up a 460 big block for about a grand, and put the rest of the $15,850 into that! Cram that into an old able bodied Mustang or Camero, and, automagically, you'd easily get sub 10's. Way under! Definitely in the 9's, with a long shot at high 8's?

Reply to
John

Yeah but you don't get that nice slot car feel.

Reply to
ZombyWoof

Got to wonder where they get all that money... for the car and all the upgrades, and expensive clothes and jewelry they wear, and all the partying they do, and all the repairs they require, 'cause, at least around here, they're forever crashing and/or burning up parts of those things.... Is McDucks paying that much now?

Reply to
Spike

HO or 1/24th scale? and with or without the hand controller: 0 )

Reply to
Spike

Magnets or no?

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

I rather anti-magnet because it gives an unfair advantage.... beside.. it takes away the risk... that living on the edge feeling when you spend 1000 hours building the perfect car only to see it leave the track and explode... : 0 ) What a fad that was. Sadly, like drive-in theaters, another one pretty much bit the dust... : ( Although we now have a local track area with a variety of track types, GP, oval, Moto, for gas powered remotes...

Reply to
Spike

Oh man, I about lost my dinner laughing at this one! Well done ZW!

Along the same lines, you don't get that fart can sound either!

Hmmmm, yours was better!

Reply to
John

Without even leaving the house, pick up the phone and whip out the plastic and within a week have on your front porch (or drop shipped anyway)

A 514 ci/625 hp FRRP 385 series ($8000 at Jegs):

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A 460 ci/575 hp World Products Windsor ($11,000 at Jegs):
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A 572 ci/720 hp GM Performance Parts Rat ($14,000 at Jegs):
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Or a 632 ci/800 hp World Products ($17,000 at Jegs):
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"All motor," as the riceboys say.

180 Out
Reply to
one80out

Cousin of a friend just dropped a crate Hemi into his 1970 Challenger RT. Cost about the same. Much more desirable car.

-Rich

Reply to
Rich

Oh yeah! MUCH more desirable. I liked the '70 Cuda too! A friend got one in 1975, the year we graduated H.S. He was a farm boy and he built the engine himself. Said it wasn't much different than one of the tractors. Those need torque too! Last day of school, the last bell rang, we went to his car, popped the trunk, got out the chlorox, and he burns off his tires several times. Then, we spot him! Chopper, the vice-principal. I jump in, Johnnie pulls out into the drive, stops where Chopper is headed, wait, wait, wait, when he's within 30 feet or so, Johnnie revs it to about 3500 RPM, drops the clutch and hammer, and he smokes old Chopper til he's coughing! At graduation the next night, he just smiled at us! I think he was envious!

Reply to
John

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You can buy my high 8 second 155 MPH Camaro turn key for $17,000 right now. Has new belts and is ready to race.

Al

Reply to
Big Al

Brpppppppppppppppt, Shift, Brpppppppppppppt, shift then pop goes the ricer.

Reply to
ZombyWoof

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote: [big snip]

I'm not a fan of Neon but I'll call BS on these guys. There about a dozen hotted up SRT-4's in my town that are as fast or faster than my car (Kenne Bell fed 2003 Cobra). They all bought a Neon at around $20k

*brand new* and a few are knocking on the 11's at a track 5300 ft above sea level. They are mid to low 14's here stock, mid 13's with less than a grand in mods, and low 12's for less than $3k.

So, around here, it's around $21k to $22k for a mid 13 Neon. Which ain't bad at all.

Dan

2003 Cobra convertible With some stuff and things
Reply to
Dan

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