Re: weight differences

["Rod L. Wiggins" <rwiggins@rs6000.baldwinw.edu>]

> 
>    Based on this, and thinking about my last post (re:  hondas), here's some
>    other 
>    power:weight ratios:
>        Accord  2400#  120bhp 20#/hp 
>        4kcsq   2850#  115bhp  24.3#/hp
>        5ktq    3350#  162bhp  21#/hp
>        200q20v  3800#  217bhp  18#/hp
> 
> Lotus Europa   1516#  126bhp  12#/hp  (@ 35 mpg... Nyah Nyah)
> 
> And I won't even rub the salt in by noting the Lotus Seven weighs a *lot*
> less than that...
> 
>    This reminds me of a colleague's comment (he's a performance driving
>    instructor with an '89 944 Turbo):  "the cheapest performance increase is to
>    reduce the weight of the car."  food for thought.
> 
> That was certainly high on Colin Chapman's design philosophy . . .
> 
> 					-RDH
  It was also Chapman's design philosophy that if it lasted beyond the 
end of the race it must have been overbuilt. I have had experience with 
several Loti and have found all of them needing major "reconstructive 
surgery" as a result of these extreme weight savings. The most common 
examples are in the doors with  those power windows that tend to be much 
stronger than the doors they live in (or used to). Ah, the virtues of 
plastic cars....

PS. Thanks for the help with my Esprit question. Greatly appreciated.
 
> P.S.	Of course I admit the Europa had neither AC nor a heater (it
> 	did have a warmer, but I can't in good faith call it a "heater").
> 	It did have electric windows . . .
>