Grassroots mag

[Jim Crate]

> Anyone see the current issue of GRM ? They have a test of econoboxes for under
> 20K bux, dynoing the cars and runing em at the autoX. They had the Spec V on
> the dyno and it made like 138WHP and 146lbs of torque. It was also slower in
> the slalom than the SVT Focus and some other cars. They also had all the cars
> in a tunner form, but they royaly f***ed up cause they included Disco Potato
> SEntra and called it a SE-R, where in the pics U can clearly see its a SR20
> and not a QR25. On a side note the new SRT Neon should kick some ass for 19K
> bux... 60 in 5.9 sec. Neon ACR beat every single car tested in the shootout by
> far in the autoX that and it made some pretty good power- not far from the
> "more" powerfull SE-R.

So, Mike, trying to stir stuff up again? :-)

You left out the good parts, like the fact that even shifting to 3rd, the
SE-R Spec V was faster to 60 than all the other stock cars in the test, and
only a couple *tenths* off the two non-Nissan tuner cars!  Also, while the
Neon did do well in the autox, the only other car to beat the SE-R was the
Focus, and only by a little.  Also not bad considering the SE-R had to run
most of the course in 3rd gear...  Anyone wanna bet what would have happened
on a road course?

Even more amazing is the fact that this SE-R is down on power about 10 hp
and 15 ft/lbs torque from others I've *seen* dynoed.

Now the Disco Potato, on the other hand, was pretty embarrassing.  It
couldn't launch, and even with race tires, was slower than other cars with
street tires.  With full suspension, race tires, more power, and better
gearing, it could only run the autox about 2 seconds faster than the stock
Spec V.  Of course, it might do better on a road course too...

As for the Neon ACR, despite not really being very fast in a straight line,
it was the fastest in the autocross, beating even the tuner cars.  I guess
that shows what a little suspension development will do.

Jim Crate
91 240SX SE
86 BMW 535i
http://www.the-crates.net/cars/index.html