Ok... I'm wondering what kind of ballpark fwhp numbers I can get... I'm probably going the bridgeport 12a route. Not sure what carb yet, what are the limits of the stock one? Haven't found an exhaust either, but it's going to be something with a DB or two of legal. No emmissions crap, the car is an '81. No A/C, P/S, airpump, or any of that bullshit. Just the motor, water pump, and alternator.

Anyone have a rough estimate on what a stripped fb can weigh? All that will be in it is dash, door panels, and seats. Door panels might not even be there... we'll have to see What else can be removed from the car that's heavy/often forgotten?

 

Carpeting... that often weighs alot, any unneeded brackets... mounts, whatever. if this car has power accessories, which i don't know such as power windows, remove the motors and covert it to manual mirrors.

 

I mean... windows not mirrors.

 

About 230fwhp, and down to some 1950 lbs.

It may pass noise tests but whether it passes other local regulations is a different matter.

As for weight, spare wheel, passenger side wipers, and smaller battery. Go for light magnesium alloy wheels possibly with smaller front tyres. With Canadian weather you could even get a smaller radiator.

 

Wouldn't it be rwhp, or am I missing something?

~brian

 

fwhp = flywheel HP
unless you have a honda.....

I was actually thinking about a BIGGER rad......

Carpeting and etc are allready gone... I forgot about stuff like passanger side mirror and wiper.
About battery stuff: is a motorcycle/lawnmower battery big enough to start a ported rotary?

 

get all that sound dedening tar off the floor pans etc thats good for some weight. fiberglass or carbon fiber hood, and fenders would help too. Also, not sure if this applies to your car, but if its got a ton of layers of paint on it those will add more weight than you think, paint is heavy stuff. I take it this is going to be a street car?

 

for now, yeah.. a weekend car

It's got a few layers of paint (yellow) but they're not going anywhere.
The tar is allready gone

 

Search for Hawker Genesis batteries. I've got one in my car, 13.5 lbs, and it has no trouble turning the car over.

 

hmm, I may have to do that!

How about the stock carb... How much HP is it good to? Can it be modified, or is there an easy swap-in?

 

can't use a stock carb on a bridgeport and the power estimate on a properly built 12a BP would be around 250-280 rwhp

 

what do you use? Does it retain a manual choke, or what? Do you need an adapter? Pricing?

 

i use RB intake manifold with Holley 600, you would need a throttle adapter plate which is like $16 but it's possible to make a custom one yourself from some old bracket. Choke cable is going to have to be extended. Pricing for intake and carb is 190 and 250 respectively. Hope that helps

 

You paid $190 for the intake, and $250 for the carb? According to Racing Beat's website, it's more like $250 for the intake and $650 for the carb. Or am I missing something?

 

i only bought the intake manifold from RB and that was through the local speedshop, everything else i got separate. The whole intake kit with carb and all that is about $800 from RB, i spend about $450 on mine with everything.

 

if I spend $650USD on a carb it better make a low compression 12a with a clogged exhaust have 350HP. That's crazy. I'm now thinking more along the lines of a big streetport... and I think the stock carb can be made to handle it, and handle it well.

Now I'm thinking that I'll just get an engine (I actually might have a whole parts car for $300, I have to see!), and run it without a rebuild (stock ports), but modify everything else... eg exhaust, carb, emmissions crap, etc, until the motor dies or the winter after next comes. When that happens, I'll rebuild and port for even MORE power...

 

why do you want to use a stock carb so bad??
go with a weber carb, mated to a bridgeport its a hand full to drive!!!
you can modify a stock carb, but its tricky, talk to Sterling, he knows all the tricks to those carbs!

 

I'm not intent on staying with the stock carb - I'm just not sure an expensive alternative is required...

 

12a bridgeport- using a modified Nikki the data I have is a maximum of about 230hp. Going Weber IDA 48 or bigger will get you significantly more but 280 rwhp about 340 at the flywheel sounds very high but I could be found wrong with a dyno sheet. Certainly factory race engines were not getting that power with PP.

 

I think I would be more than happy with 180-220 at the flywheel... that's alot out of a 1.1 liter naturally aspirated engine!