[V8] The ultimate V8?

[dsaad@icehouse.net]

If you drive on level ground without corners and the road is never slick, then
the automatic would be fine. Aside from the very occasional (as in maybe 3 times
in my ownership of this car) blast past 120MPH, most of my driving is done in
the city.
Sure the 5-speed is a bit of a PITA in traffic, but the amount of control you
gain is for me the real attraction. I often drive on twisty mountain roads -
snow covered and slick in winter time. The manual tranny lets me drive at a nice
slow controlled speed without riding the brakes. In fact, I have what are likely
to be the original UFO rotors. The rears are definitely original. I personally
have put about 80K on them, and they (the UFOs) have a date of I think 1993
stamped on them. They were probably swapped under warranty for some reason by
the original owner. They still have a lot of life in them - probably due to the
fact that I can engine brake with the transission.

The one thing I wish I did have was the the correct "over-under" assist spring
for the clutch. I had to replace mine with a 200 model, and it is not quite as
strong. It does work out my clutch leg better though...

Dave


Contrast to my Explorer with Automatic - even in 2nd gear, I am constantly
riding the brakes on the drive down from the ski hill.

Quoting "Roger M. Woodbury" <rmwoodbury at adelphia.net>:

> A 4.2 litre five speed?
>
> Naaaah!  I doubt it sincerely.  About the only thing that a five speed does
> is give the average driver or average enthusiast an opportunity to exercise
> the muscles in the left leg.
>
> Considering the amount of time the vast majority spend in traffic, a five
> speed manual transmission gets annoying over time.  I don't care if a five
> speed is faster to "x" miles per hour, that magic "boy racer" feeling gets
> really old after shifting up and down ten times in a half a mile in stop and
> go driving.
>
> Since I parted ways with my '93 V8, I have been driving a 200 20Valve Avant,
> which I have written about probably far too much on this list.  The car is
> very fast, and the second owner did some stuff to the ecu and the waste
> gate, I guess.  For me heavy traffic is ten cars waiting to make a left turn
> onto The Downeast Highway opposite the (compared to most) the diminutive
> Maine Coast Mall.  Otherwise, almost all of my driving is open, rural roads.
> I have to shift the gears in the Avant relatively little compared to
> commuting to work in, say, Boston, or Los Angeles.
>
> Nope.  Boy Racer illusion aside, I think the ultimate V8 is a late 4.2 litre
> car that has had some help in the camshaft department and perhaps some help
> in lower end breathing.  Someone on this list wrote once that 4.2 cars that
> had been dynoed usually came out showing between 295 and 305 horsepower.  A
> 4.2 litre car with automatic transmission and a bit of top end help, and
> some help breathing, should produce 325 or so, and still remain docile for
> normal use.
>
> With that setup, anyone could win the race...to the Seven Eleven....
>
> Big deal.
>
> Roger
>
> (Still misses the V8!).
>
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