Adam's Insane Ramblings, Part one.

[Adam]

For a long time I wanted to fit the rodeo 2.6 litre 4 cylinder engine to my gemini, I figured that this motor was about optimum for a road legal gemini under the light vehicle modifications scheme. This is still true, but now two point six litres just doesn't seem like enough, especially now that rodeos come with a 3.2 litre all alloy quad cam valve V6. This modern lump has all the good features one expects of a high performance jap import engine, only in a detuned form... I know in terms of physical size it can be made to fit....

Think of it this way, from a fully developed modern engine, that is, throttle body fuel injection on a custom manifold, ported and port matched head, possibly bigger valves, polished combustion chamber and exhaust ports, high lift - long duration camshafts, dyno tuned ignition and fuelling, you can expect to make around 75kilowatts per litre on PULP/Optimax, multiply that by 3.2 litres and you have 240kws, now a race spec TD coupe weighs in at under 900kgs, so divide 900kgs into 240kws and you have 3.75kg/kw. This figure on its own may not mean much, but for comparisons sake.

1991 Honda Civic Breeze 1.3 litre = 24.45 : 1 kg/kW
1978 TD Gemini coupe = 15.36 : 1 kg/kW
2001 VX Commodore SS 5.7 LS1 V8 = 7.12 : 1 kg/kW
2001 VX HSV GTS = 5.51 : 1 kg/kW
2001 Porsche 911 turbo = 4.98 : 1 kg/kW
1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE = 3.71

You get the picture I am trying to paint here? This would be a very very very very very very very very very very very very fast car. Soooo the legality of it, well it isn't, under light vehicle mods the largest N/A motor you can put into a TD is 2928 cubic centimetres. That said, the light vehicle modifications scheme isn't the only way to get a modified vehicle made road legal, the other option is going through the process of having the car registered as an individually modified vehicle.

The regulations here are much much more strict, you need to supply accurately drafted blueprints of your work in the minutest detail, including things like the grade of bolts used and even how much thread of the bolt passes through any given nut. The vehicle needs to exceed their expectations on structural strength, braking, passive and active safety, seatbelts, side intrusion and many other points, but the important part is, it is still possible.

Oh yeah, I just found out, holden makes a 3.5 litre version of the same motor... ooh baby, 262.5KWs...

Okay, now that you have read it, you must add a comment, if I don't feel that I am getting enough feedback then I'll probably get bored and stop writing stuff.

[old forum]

Sounds great in theory, but for an engineer to pass it, and you said it, the thing has to be basically indestructible. You mentioned a Diablo, I aint no expert, but I'm guessing there is a reason for the overly inflated price tag. It seems to me that kw's=$$....
sooooooo, that all said... I want to do it.

Adam says: True, the dollars we are talking are big but it is just so tempting...

[old forum]

adam, heres some interesting stuff i talked to you about the other day:
2000 model kawasaki zx9r with yoshimuira pipe and dynojet kit to suit, allows 135kw @ 11,000rpm at the rear wheel.

bikes dry weight = 183kg
fuel = 19lt at say 20kg
oil, coolant and brake fluid = lets say 7kg
rider weight fully clothed with helmet etc = 97 kg
total = 307kg (on the higher side of accurate)

2.27 : 1 kg/kw

the bike WILL do 0-100 in 3 seconds (stock@105kw)
0-200 in under 9 seconds (stock@105kw)
60-100 4.7 seconds (stock@105kw)

so by your list lol i've paid roughly the same price as the honda for better than lambourghini accelleration,this is a great way to prove an old saying, lose weight go quicker.

6.7lt per 100 klm.

and re: the 2.6 motor.....i would have it in the gem in a flash if my finances were in better shape, and the 3.2 if it was legal....my bike gives me the accelleration buzz....but my gem gives me a challenge mentally and otherwise and making it go harder faster and better is my goal. its easy to go quick......spend money!!, the challenge lies in creating the extension of your personality by putting your (see note below) into something........let that be a gemini!!!!!!

note below: blood, sweat, tears, pocket money, knuckles, nights, days, weekends, relationships etc etc etc.

cheers.
neal.




Adam says: Damnit, now I need to find an even more powerful engin to beat you in a straight line, or just stick to twisty wet roads.

[old forum]

I'm not much of a mechanic, read (cant install a fucking 32 36 weber) but I'm not too bad at yr 12 maths and according to me if you tuned a 2.6 litre to make 60 kw per litre and whacked that in a 900 kg td you would have 5.76 kg per kw. This solves the problem of legality, as regards size, and would almost beat a HSV GTS. But how many people drive a hsv gts like a gemini on the road? No-one, GTSs are usally controlled by a middle aged wanker who is having his crisis, so you'll launch harder and probably whoop some arse. ok so you wont beat a lamboughini but if you spent your money on a lambourghini you would prolly kill yourself if a pipmle faced hoon beat you driving a gem so we shoul let them be. on the other hand you get a fj20 det and whack that in. these are regularly tuned to make more than 150kw which gives a similar figure to the 2.6 at 150kw but these can be tuned to go even harder, i found a site claiming 240kws from one which would beat the lamboughini even, that is if your gem could hold itself together with that much power., i dont know about yours but my gem would be ripped to shreds after i hit 4000 rpm, im guessing. dont kow if you can comprhend these ramblings but i tried so adam, please continue to enlighten us on our way to gemini perfection. cheers simon
btw: what is the kg per kw ratio for a red vk commodore commonly driven people who need a thourough demoralising from a "pussy little" gem?

[old forum]

Is the 2.6 injected or carby'd. is it an easy to get passed swap. ie. does it require any body,brake mods?
thanks, simon
ps why do the other comments have an adam says and mine doensnt. you batsard, lol.




Adam says: I guess adam didn't have anything to say that day...

[old forum]

HI ADAM,

The Gemini i recently bought has a 1984 CHEV 2.5lt EFI engine in it although now it has been bored to only a mesley 2.6 i have plans for a STA supercharger blowing 9psi.
Just a taste of what i get to drive my Gemi made it to 180km/h up a hill leading to mount barker in South australia not to mention that i had 5 people in the car.
When i bought it engine cut off was set at 160km/h now it's been re mapped to 240 km/h although thats would be a scary speed in a gemi, i have got it to 200 once down Victoria road at north haven.
The car also has a full 3 inch exhaust straight from the block (so bloody loud) a k&n pod filter larger injectors a thermo fan replaces stock unit and is intercoold with a TRUST intercooler it currantly only has a turbo 250 trans in her but she'll have either an ozzy 4 speed made to adapt or a supra five speed.
So what do you think of my car oh yeah the guy that sold it to me owns a vs berlina (stock except fat straight through exhast) and i bet him in a drag up to 150 km/h so if you think that your gemi nw could give it a run BRING IT ON TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA WHERE ALL THE ACTION IS

[old forum]

if you managed to make enough money to put the engine into a gem, and then got passed for rego, as soon as you get on the road you would be a temporary australian!!!!! if you havent heard this term it is what they call motorbike riders. it is a known fact that there is more chance of dying on a motorbike ie same power 10th of the weight plus the F@#$wits that dont consider the riders.. back to the point, just think of the shit that would happen in a 260Kw gemini, death would be a definite probability!!!!! thats why lambourghinis are so expensive, only old people can afford them and if they do take off too quickly the suspension setup and traction control system will save the old bastards. basically you would have to be a definite FREAK to put a 3.2 into a gem, if your name was michael schumacher i could probly understand!!!!!