Got my new play car Saturday.

[Fat Arnie]

The 3200GT may have felt fast with its 236bhp/tonne.

New toy has 538 bhp tonne putting it comforatably ahead of MP4-12C, Aventador and Veyron.

It may only do about 155 flat out, but I forgot how quickly a quick Caterham goes. I can easily floor the 3200. This thing scares the **** out of me.


Told the Mrs the 3200 can't go before Xmas anyway, so may hang onto it now I've gone to all the effort of making it perfect!

 

[philw696]

That does look a bit of FUN.
Phil.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Looks great. Also, not much chance of losing it. Even at night I reckon that thing will glow!

Enjoy!

 

[bigbob]

Nice. K series?

Was driving my brother's Caterham yesterday - no
Windscreen either and then it rained!

 

[EnzoMC]

driven standard one of these and as you said you need a pair to boot it from standing start, is this the supercharged one if so the pull must be amazing, who needs theme parks

 

[GransportFan1]

Always wanted to have a pedal in a Caterham, 1.6 roadsport would be quick enough.

 

[Dan!]

Cool! Let's have some specs then Arnie.
Are you going to bring it to Llandow?

 

[Fat Arnie]

Specs:

Its got an all steel (meaning all forged internals) 255 bhp monoblock K-series and it weighs 475kgs. Revs to 9500rpm

0-60 is down to traction not engine power.

I trust you have seen my old car, which was even quicker (well 'til I crashed it) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V70i2KJOtZ0

That had a 316 bhp Vauxhall engine butv was 50kgs heavier. Both cars have a sequential gearbox, a la 90's touring car.

 

[Dan!]

All sounds pretty awesome.... so Llandow...?

 

[Wattie]

Very nice!
Cheers Wattie

 

[bigbob]

Specs:

Its got an all steel (meaning all forged internals) 255 bhp monoblock K-series and it weighs 475kgs. Revs to 9500rpm

0-60 is down to traction not engine power.

I trust you have seen my old car, which was even quicker (well 'til I crashed it) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V70i2KJOtZ0

That had a 316 bhp Vauxhall engine butv was 50kgs heavier. Both cars have a sequential gearbox, a la 90's touring car.

I was happily driving a 120hp Zetec Caterham so that must be awesome. How far will it go before it needs a top end rebuild?

 

[Andyk]

The 3200GT may have felt fast with its 236bhp/tonne.

New toy has 538 bhp tonne putting it comforatably ahead of MP4-12C, Aventador and Veyron.

It may only do about 155 flat out, but I forgot how quickly a quick Caterham goes. I can easily floor the 3200. This thing scares the **** out of me.View attachment 12124


Told the Mrs the 3200 can't go before Xmas anyway, so may hang onto it now I've gone to all the effort of making it perfect!

Mad cars Arnie..Can not hel but love them....No frills only what you need to have balls out fun...

 

[Fat Arnie]

The Vauxhall engine did 10k between what I would call inspections rather than rebuilds - The VX is very strong even at 150bhp/litre.

The complexity of the car and its one off nature generally meant the engine grenaded due to an external failure (several dry sump issues, and an ingested bolt from the airbox as well as oil cavitation) caused issues with mine in the past.

The K-Series is not as strong in standard form due to the through bolt design (head bolts also secure the main caps) but the monoblock addresses this using ARP studs instead. So probably good for 10k miles of mixed road/track driving.

When pulling apart the F355 engine destined for the P4 replica I am building it dawned upon me that these little 4 pots are still way further up the scale in terms of tuning over typical Ferrari engines.

I'd add they are balls out and no element of teh experience is ever "comfortable". If you have never driven one, never give up the opportunity. Even with 120bhp, these care have for 50 years, rewritten what fast (especially in corners) is all about.

 

[2b1ask1]

Looks like a lot of fun there Arnie

At 150bhp/litre you are close to superbike territory, I guess you loose a bit to gain enough torque to make it usable?

 

[Fat Arnie]

I used to go to the drag strip in the Vauxhall powered car, and would regularly beat the Fireblades and R1s. Hasyabusas were a challenge if well ridden. A bike is far harder to get down the strip in the 10's than a fast car.

On roads the bikes have neither the lateral grip or braking ability to get near, unless ridden by a complete psycho.

 

[Felonious Crud]

On roads the bikes have neither the lateral grip or braking ability to get near, unless ridden by a complete psycho.

Don't I know it! I seldom had the nerve to sling a bike hard into a bend. Back in my yoof when I had a YZF a Diablo and I were hooning around for a few miles. The straights were easy but there was no way I was going to try and corner as fast as something with that much rubber to hang on to the road with. As you say, it takes a complete psycho to disregard the consequences of ballsing up a corner on a bike, and not much less of a loon to have the balls to push a bike to its limit. It's what makes the IoM TT one of the most exciting races on the planet.