^ hey thanks for getting back on track

 

Broken blinker,
My comments were made based on my experiences running against drag-tuned FWD high hp drag cars (I have a '72 Firebird built for road race)- the few times I went drag racing against an import race car he blew me off the line. In all fairness a RWD road-race car isn't likely to win in a drag race with a FWD drag car, but I didn't really care- I just wanted to see what this import could do. I'm sure a Cobra with slicks would be an entirely different matter, and holeshot the Civic.

As far as my comments on top end, I've yet to run with any Civic that could stay with me at top speed (around 150-160 mph)- even the really fast ones who pass me at first back off at around 135-140 mph. Am I saying there are no Civics that can go 160 mpg- no, but would you really want to? I don't hear alot of road racers talking about building a Civic for a top end race.
F-bodies and even Mustangs, on the other hand, have the longer wheelbase optimal for top end. And if the factory builds it to run fast on top, you know it will handle the speed.

Geno

 

Thanks for clarifying all of your comments, they made much more sense this time around. I guess at that extreme top end (160) the civ might run out of gearing...

 

I may be a newbie here and to imports, but I'm old school Detroit musclecar- and ifyou haven't already noticed, alot of us build cars to handle and brake, not just accelerate. No doubt a 460+ hp Civic is badass, but so is a 650+ hp Cobra or Firebird.

I've drivendifferent types of performance cars (MB E63, Porsche GT3, '71 240Z, Infiniti G35) hard and at their limits- all of them get the blood pumping. I guess my next stop is a 400+ hp Civic.

Geno

 

If you're really making 465whp you will destroy any stock or bolt on Cobra.

 

Bingo. Civic gearboxes aren't typically made to go fast. The chassis isn't typically made to be stable at 100+MPH either. I'd pick a sorted Civic in a twisty course, but not in a straight line at much less or more than 1/4 mile.

Most quick Civics would probably destroy my buddy's 928 in a 1/4 or in twisties, but that's not where the car shines. It's not extremely quick. Crank it up to 160MPH+ though, and most Civics would be just a dot in the rearview.

 

kommando thats not true. You can push civics and civic gearboxs past 160 mph

 

it depends on where it's geared. If I'm doing 70 and the tach is at 3.5, guess what, i redline at 140. It doesn't matter how much power I have if that tach can't go any farther in top gear.

 

All I know is simple physics dictates that lighter cars at higher speeds tend to become unpredictable in their handling characteristics. Honda Civics are very light economy-minded cars, not purpose-built performance vehicles. If you can build your Honda econo-box up to the level it can take on purpose-built performance cars, good for you - that's pretty cool all by itself.

But when it comes time to find out what you got - keep it off the streets, is all I'm saying. It's bad enough dealing with all the crappy drivers by themselves... let alone some dumb-*** street racers with a hard-on for speed and disregard for other people's safety (and probably unproven vehicles).

 

I wanna name my cat Geoff