Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 8, 2006 Leadership Team Share Posted October 8, 2006 Ok, slight dilemma ............. Having just bought V7SLR (Nig's old car), I'm trying to make decisions about the direction to take with the engine ........ The engine is a very well put together 1900K (Scholar converted) but also has the benefit of a fully ported big-valve head (ie. bigger than vhpd spec), running on Jenveys and Emerald, 1444 cams etc, with everything carefully matched and balanced. Power is 244bhp on Dave Walker's rollers and it runs incredibly smoothly at anything from idle upwards This is where the dilemma begins ........... I have scattered around my garage a stripped vhpd motor, which had been running Omega pistons c/w fully floating Arrow steel rods. My original intention had been to build this up and fit in my last Seven - the head is brand new and has been mildly worked on by Oily 😬, the idea being to build a very nice 200bhp motor, maybe running KV6s/Jenveys/RBTBs, undecided. 244bhp (vs 200bhp) is more power than I'm ever likely to need - I tend to not want to rev to 8000rpm anyway, and I'm convincing myself that downgradeitis may be a worthwhile direction to go in, but the current motor is so sweet the decision has become somewhat clouded! But there is an option to just sell it complete and take the car back to it's more familiar SLR (vhpd) spec? So, a few questions to the enlightened: 1. Reliability ... I'm led to believe that the 1900 Scholar conversion is effectively bomb proof by nature of the way the block is strengthened. Is it likely to be substantially better than a well built 1800 vhpd? This engine has standard vhpd crank and "single tang" rods. 2. Are there any issues with the vhpd that come to light at 200 bhp - liners, rods etc? 3. Anyone care to guess the value that could be put on the 1900 motor as a sale item I would need to recoup enough to finish the build of the vhpd and fit the right induction setup. This whole thought process may seem like madness to many, but having strived for years to get more power out of my old car, I really don't need SO much 😬 Stu. Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naddy Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 "This whole thought process may seem like madness to many" 😬 😬 😬 err, yes. however, if you are keen to get rid of the engine, that red powder coating would match my car far better one thing though, not needing 244bhp and not wishing to rev to 8000rpm sound like a reasonable reason to leave alone IYSWIM... nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbell Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I helped JJ with his 1900K conversion a couple of years back and sat in the passenger seat as we tried to tweak the fuelling etc from a base map he recieved from Mick Smith. That conversion is the ultimate K setup as far as I`m concerned, the engine is beautiful for driving around at normal speeds but when you let it loose it is like letting some wild beast off the leash. As for reliability, JJ`s has been driven around Scotland just after it was built, across the USA in 2005, done a couple of track days and is now being given a hard time by his son and it`s still going strong after what must be at least 6000 miles. I think he`s stripping it this winter to check everything as a precautionary excercise, it will be interesting to see what he finds. Don`t change it, V7 is a piece of se7ens history..........it would be a shame to downgrade her............Nig would be distraught Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 8, 2006 Author Leadership Team Share Posted October 8, 2006 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I'll second Simon on this. I was about posting it before I had read his comment. If you are conserned for the reliability when you rev the nuts off it, then don't do it. You could even set up a lower limit, then the engine will be even more reliable! /regin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englishmaninwales Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 If you can't decide( 😳), Stu, I will fit your VHPD in my car just for you to try it out 😬 😬...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Indeed yes, it does sound like madness. You don't want to rev it to bits...so don't. Set the rev limit lower as suggested so that it generates 200 bhp around your self imposed rev limit - problem solved. If it drives so sweetly, why change it? I doubt you would recoup the build costs and at the end of the day, if it isn't broke don't fix it. Now what you need Stu for your spare engine is a scruffy old 1.4 kss that you can convert to 1.8..oh, I forgot. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Leadership Team Share Posted October 9, 2006 I've already lowered the rev limit but I'm sure it'd be pretty strong going occasionally to high 7000s anyway. I used to run the old car at a lower rev limit, and would drop it even further if on track (just to avoid the possible effects of the rising red mist 😬) I doubt you would recoup the build costs and at the end of the day Ahh, but I didn't build the engine so the finances are somewhat upside down! I'm aware I could sell the engine and finish the build on my vhpd unit, and still have spare cash for bits such as RBTBs! And then there's the issue that the value of the car may actually increase in doing so - this is why I have a dilemma! Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Leadership Team Share Posted October 9, 2006 Oh, and I wouldn't butcher Nig's engine - that would be immoral with such a well put together unit! Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris__ Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Sell the 1800, keep the ultimate spec 1900 and don't drive it as hard. Seems to make sense anyway, unless I've missed something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbell Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Don`t waste money on roller barrels............ Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnty Lyons Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Ditto don't waste money on Roller Barrels Tims have been a nighmare and will be swapped to Jenvys ASAP As regards the Scholar 1900 Simon is correct. It's [at least in my car] Bomb Proof. So don't change V7 just lower the rev limit and drive it within your means. 😬 jj N.I. L7C AO. Membership No.3927. Edited by - Johnty Lyons on 9 Oct 2006 14:26:29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Leadership Team Share Posted October 9, 2006 Ok ok ok I'm listening 😬 Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 If you didn't want all that horsepower why did you buy it in the first place 🤔 As one who missed out because you beat me to the post I'll happily take it off your hands now you don't want it ❗ *tongue* *tongue* Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Leadership Team Share Posted October 9, 2006 Ahh, interesting point 😬 I bought the whole car as a package not just for the engine, because it's a good car, of a good spec, but just like many peoples desire to increase power, change tyres, remove windscreens etc etc, there's often a desire to change things a little, in whichever direction. A posting today about swapping a 6-speed SV to 5-speed is one such example. Some time ago there was an excellent article in Low Flying titled "downgradeitis" about changing a JPE back to its' factory spec, because the car was something special. I feel with the Superlight and Superlight Rs all being numbered (unlike the R300/400 replacements) that originality and providence could be key in the future. Just because my car is more powerful doesn't automatically make it better than a less powerful car - it's just different. I'm old enough to not worry about having the last degree of output to be better than my mates 😬 And this is where the dilemma starts - there's probably enough value tied up in the engine to enable me to change the spec to anything I want - effectively nearer to a more original Caterham spec Maybe I'm way wide of what i should do, but it's worth considering my options Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBanana Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 What do you want to use the car for? In essence, how much quicker do you think you will be with 244hp on track than 200hp? Why not sell the engine, and get some training perhaps? Few people seem willing to invest money in themselves in driver training/coaching. This will allow you to use more of what you've got more of the time, rather than having the fatest car in the paddock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Leadership Team Share Posted October 9, 2006 Exactly Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I was lucky enough to pinch that car for an hour or so before he sold it originally 😬 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 Alcester Racing 7s Equipe™ 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbell Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Stop it...........Nig is getting upset 😬 Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrypike Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 banana is that an "s" or a "t" missing from your post 😬 🤔 stu if you have the time and money, i'd keep the 1900 in the car and build up an original spec VHPD motor as a spare/original if you think it'll maximise the value at sale time (perish the thought) david's 1900 (albeit 260+) hasn't been without it's problems, i suspect that a K @ 128bhp/l will need a refresh at some stage i'm still getting (gradually) quicker in my SLR despite the standard engine spec (177bhp) and have resisted the temptation to get a big spec K or duratec(which would wreck the "originality") so far 😬 nice quandry to have jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Leadership Team Share Posted October 9, 2006 I agree, probably taking the bits I have and building them into a sound vhpd unit would make sense - then make the decisions Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now