P4 demo car

[Fran Hall RCR]

Well chaps....

we are going to turn our lovely yellow P4 into a driver and keep her around as a demo car.....I cant say it upsets me as its not exactly hard to look at.....
(unless one of you lucky lads wants to buy her now.....or even then as a turn key.....)

We will be installing a mild 350(ish) HP 302 Ford engine and a G50 transaxle.....Enzo will be rolling in his grave.....

We hope to have her running pretty quickly and do a little Summer tooling.....see ya on the twisties....

 

[Ron McCall]

That's cool!

 

[David]

Couldn't you run the Mercedes V-12 in this minus all the superflous garbage and running home made intake with webbers? David

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

You certainly could........

This car just sold last Friday.....so we will have to build another one now.....

 

[Bruce B]

There is a Testarossa V12 long block for sale on Ebay !
I know you shouldn't post Ebay here, but your buyer may be interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-F...03QQihZ007QQcategoryZ6763QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[David]

I don't know if the flat 12 would fit easily, my sports racing ferrari book has some stuff on the flat 12's and the rear chassis looks a bit different.

Fran, I emailed you about the Mk IV, I'm shagging about with motor and transaxle options so I'm in no hurry but can you send me some info back when you get a chance. Thanks.

David

 

[CliffBeer]

The 355 motor and transaxle would be a nice compact fit here. Likely the spacing of the motor and axle flanges would be OK here as in the 355 it's a mid-mount engine that is fairly compact. The 355 motor is a sweetheart that sings to 8,500rpm and 400+hp and the transaxle is built to take the torque.

 

[Ron Earp]

The 355 motor is a sweetheart that sings to 8,500rpm and 400+hp and the transaxle is built to take the torque.

Or built to take the lack thereof. IIRC this motor only made around 265 ft lbs or thereabouts....

 

[CliffBeer]

Ron, I don't understand what you're indicating. The 355 motor makes significantly more torque than 265 ft/lbs.

 

[Jac Mac]

268 ft lbs actually @ 6000rpm, so if you consider 3 ft lbs significant they must be loooong feet.

Jac Mac

 

[CliffBeer]

288 according to the specs I have - perhaps a European car? Anyway, there's 380 hp on tap which is enough to drive the 355 to 60 in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 185. This, in a car that weighs 2,950 lbs. In the demo car discussed here at around perhaps 2,200 lbs the above will be more than plenty of power..... I own, and work on, Ferraris so I know of what I'm speaking.

 

[Jac Mac]

Not doubting that you know your Ferrari's Cliff. Just that Fran had suggested fitting a 350ish HP SB Ford which would have in the region of 360/370 ft lb of torque @ around 4000rpm. Not sure that Enzo would like someone tweaking his tranny with that much torque, better to soften the blow and spread the load @ higher RPM which is what they do.

Jac Mac

 

[J. Salmon]

The performance is going to be first rate regardless, but a 12 would just sound correct in this car. The 355's flat crank engine has it's own unique sound with an ethereal wail at high rpm that is unmistakable. But the original P4 had a twelve, and there is something about the sound that is special throughout the rev range. The emotionally correct 12 c Italian offerings would be really pricey. A modern german motor would probably be the more realistic choice.

 

[Mike Duell]

The 355 motor and transaxle would be a nice compact fit here. Likely the spacing of the motor and axle flanges would be OK here as in the 355 it's a mid-mount engine that is fairly compact. The 355 motor is a sweetheart that sings to 8,500rpm and 400+hp and the transaxle is built to take the torque.

I have to agree with Cliff. You will have that perfect wail in the higher rpm's and even though it is not the correct motor, it will still be Ferrari. Quite a combo for such a beautiful car.

Here is another choice (1999 Ferrari 360 Modena Engine Drivetrain):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1999...2QQihZ007QQcategoryZ33615QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


--Mike / Turn Ten Racing, Inc.

 

[CliffBeer]

Well, good thread - lots of differing opinions and that's great. I was only suggesting the 355 motor because it is, after all, a compact and powerful ferrari engine at least, and, one that is possibly affordable. Yes, the 12 cyl ferrari engine would be more accurate however you're looking at doubling the cost and complexity over the V8 and more like 10X cost v. the SBF.

Not many people drive their testarossa because rebuilds are $25,000.... And the 12 cyl and gearbox is a really loooooong unit so packaging it will be difficult.

The 360 motor suggestion is a great one too - more power, and, comes with that flat crank wail which is quite amazing if you haven't heard it before. I love my ferrari V8.

 

[Andy Besic]

Why don't you guys stop arguing about it. Each of you buy a RCR P4 and put in YOUR engine choice. Then post video with sound of the performance shoot-out and let the cards fall where they may!

If everybody agrees on rules to the build and tests, we could probably get Discovery Channel to air it along the lines of a combo of Pinks and a biker build-off.

I'll watch.

 

[CliffBeer]

Why don't you guys stop arguing about it. Each of you buy a RCR P4 and put in YOUR engine choice. Then post video with sound of the performance shoot-out and let the cards fall where they may!

If everybody agrees on rules to the build and tests, we could probably get Discovery Channel to air it along the lines of a combo of Pinks and a biker build-off.

I'll watch.

Andy, that's a good one. I'd definitely like to watch that as well!

For the moment I'll just enjoy the wail coming from my 3.2 quattrovalve Ferrari V8 when getting to 8,000rpm through tunnels in the Seattle area....

 

[Jac Mac]

Sleepless in Seattle

Andy, that's a good one. I'd definitely like to watch that as well!

For the moment I'll just enjoy the wail coming from my 3.2 quattrovalve Ferrari V8 when getting to 8,000rpm through tunnels in the Seattle area....

You wont be able to hear it with all those torquey V8's accelerating away from you!! HE HE.

Jac Mac

 

[Mike Dozier]

Neal Foreman has (had ?) a V-12 in one of his P-4s...really neat !
Don't recall which Ferrari donor he used...but wasn't a Toasty-roasty.

MikeD

 

[Keith]

'Twas a 400GT sir.