QuestionQUESTION: Do you have any tips on taking the body off of the chassis? I am 19 years old and own a spitfire 74'. What is your opinion on the weber dgv? What exhaust/header brand/setup would be the best ? thank you.
ANSWER: Hi Earl,
Send me an E-mail address and I will send you a diagram of a spitfire body to frame bolt location.
Weber carbs are good but on any 4 cylinder engine I prefer dual SUs over the Weber. I have not seen dyno tests of different header pipes nor complaints on headers. So I would just look at price and warranty as some headers are prone to cracking if not installed correctly and are under a strain.
I take it that you are looking for some performance improvements.
I use to race motorcycles when I was young and indestructible. I learned that when you are looking for power you first have to decide what you want the power to do. ie; acceleration, top speed or any combination of both.
The carb./carbs, intake ports, intake valves, compression ratio, cam design, exhaust headers and exhaust pipe system and kind of fuel MUST all match the kind of performance you are seeking. Any high RPM power requires a lot of expensive internal engine parts.
A stock car driver friend once told me you do not need cubic inches to gain horse power, you need cubic dollars.
If you are just looking to up the power a little for street use, You can raise compression ratio a little, install a street cam and most any header and an open exhaust.
Let me know.
Howard
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: why doesnt my car go over 65 it just stays at like 3200rpm with the foot to the floor
AnswerEarl, you need to get a few items out of the way before trying to find a fault that restricts it to 3200 RPM under load.
You need a compression gauge, timing light and a vacuum gauge. If you don't have them, they are not expensive and can be purchased at any auto parts store, even Wall Mart.
Do a compression test, be sure the throttle is wide open and the engine turns over at least 4 or 5 times. Should be 125 to 180 on all cylinders and little difference between cylinders. Then set the ignition timing to specs. (sticker under the hood always over rides the manual)
Now you can connect the vacuum gauge to the vacuum port on the manifold and run the hose out form under the hood and put it under a wiper arm so you can view it from the drivers seat. (be careful when closing the hood not to pinch the hose. Take the car out for a test run. If the gauge reads zero at the level off speed than you have a stopped up exhaust system. (providing you did the compression test and it was good and you set the timing) (Also providing there is no missing or backfiring at the level off speed which you did not indicate there was)
Let me know what you find.
Howard
