[s-cars] musings

[Tom Green]

Well, in fairness to Teddy, I think he had in mind a "big block"  
Yamaha for power,
in a V4 or V-twin tandem configuration instead of the yugo engine.  :-)

Although, it does leave the question, after you strip everything out  
that doesn't
look like a race car, what is left of a Yugo???

Tom

On Mar 30, 2007, at 7:43 PM, Vincent Frégeac wrote:

> I had one as a rental car, back in the early 90s. Stupid me asking  
> for a
> _manual_ rental car and don't asking _which_ manual model they  
> have. And I
> can tell you, even with only seats frame, half a steering wheel and  
> shaved
> pedals, the half-cylinder engine wouldn't be up to spirited driving at
> redline in first gear. It feels like there's more wheels than hp in  
> this
> car.
>
> And at that time, my comparison was just a CGT with a little 110hp,  
> but a
> ton of low end torque though.
>
>
>
> Vincent
>
> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] De la part de Theodore Chen
> Envoyé : 29 mars 2007 20:33
> À : Tom Green; s-car-list at audifans.com
> Objet : Re: [s-cars] musings
>
> eh, just get a yugo.  they're cheap.  strip everything out that  
> doesn't
> look like a race car.  weld the differential and make it into a spool.
>
> -t.
>
> --- Tom Green <trgreen at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> You don't need a Cooper or Cooper S for great mini fun.  If you  
>> can find
>> a half-decent body, there is a group in GB that installs two  
>> motorcycle
>> engines and suitable running gear in the mini.  These things do  
>> like the
>> revs--quite a tune at 13K.  :-)  And, each engine has about twice the
>> original
>> HP of the mini.  It probably needs some wind tunnel testing since I
>> bet it can
>> swap ends faster than the original tt.
>>
>> You won't need the big garage, Vincent, just pick it up and  put it
>> on the porch.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>> Vincent muses:
>>
>>> Since most listers ruled out the Audi requirement, here is another
>>> fun car:
>>>
>>> In my never ending quest to justify a 4 doors garage in my to-come-
>>> one-day
>>> house, and on a more reasonable note because I'd like an over-40mpg
>>> daily
>>> commuter that's still quick and fun in traffic, but over everything
>>> just
>>> because it's fun, I test drove a '90 spec RHD Mini Cooper. I was
>>> expecting
>>> some decent speed with the small 1.3i in the uberlight body but  
>>> never
>>> expected _that_. While it took some time to be accustomed to the
>>> RHD, once
>>> this little inconvenient was gone the well sorted out micro engine
>>> felt like
>>> only red line would make him happy while the car was flying through
>>> traffic.
>>> The car being barely longer than a bike helped a lot changing lane
>>> when cars
>>> were almost bumper to bumper. Of course, 9am traffic in East-
>>> Montreal has
>>> nothing in common with an autocross track but the speed the car was
>>> capable
>>> of when turning corner - with some tire noise I have to admit -
>>> gives a good
>>> idea of the fun potential of this little gem on a technical track.
>>>
>>> If you consider a B5 S4 meets the cheap criteria, at 10-15K$, a well
>>> restored post 80s urMini Cooper will certainly meet the cheap,
>>> somewhat
>>> familiar, _uberuberfun_, decently reliable if post 80, cheap
>>> criteria. And
>>> the miles long list of upgrade parts will be much cheaper than any
>>> upgrade
>>> on any Audi.
>>>
>>> BTW, a month ago, I found someone in Texas who has plenty of
>>> Australian
>>> (read recent and no rust) urMini, most of them Mini Cooper. I can't
>>> find the
>>> url anymore but I found him through eBay so he should appear there
>>> once in a
>>> while.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Vincent.
>>> '96 S-Bitch
>>> '81 Fiat Speeder
>>> 'XX Micro something or something else to come
>>>
>>> -----Message d'origine-----
>>> De?: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
>>> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] De la part de Lee Levitt
>>> Envoy??: 28 mars 2007 13:20
>>> ??: s-car-list at audifans.com
>>> Objet?: [s-cars] musings
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> So I've got work up to my yinyang and I'm thinking about what kind
>>> of car I would build up as an autocross/track car.
>>>
>>> Requirements - cheap, familiar, fun, reliable, cheap.
>>>
>>> Does not have to be particularly competitive...
>>>
>>> Should be a car that I would/could drive on the street without
>>> being illegal or wincing...reality is that autocross/track time
>>> will be relatively minimal for a while...eventually I'd like to
>>> spend more time with it.
>>>
>>> First thought is an early B5 S4.
>>>
>>> Other initial thought is a B5 A4...
>>>
>>> I know some will suggest Miatas, Boxsters, etc, but I want to stay
>>> in the Audi fold for this fun car. Not sure why, but I do... :)
>>>
>>> Lee