Random Musings

Okay, if you thought the idea of a lightweight sports car with a big diesel v8 was exciting, consider this.

There is a kit car company out there named Factory Five that makes various kit cars. Cobra replicas, hot rods, and perhaps most interestingly, a “build it yourself” super car.

Now the GTM super car kit is designed to be built mostly from 5th generation corvette parts, including the LS1 motor that’s usually under the hood. Now, we’ve already established that the 4.5L duramax due in 2010 is designed to fit in the same envelop as the average LS series gas motor, and for the time being, I’m going to stick to my assertion that the bellhousing bolt pattern will remain the same. If all that turns out to be reality, this vehicle is practically designed to take the 4.5L duramax! Sure, some intake and exhaust work will be necessary to point stuff out the other direction, however the “inverse” design of the intake an exhaust (exhaust ports and turbo live in the “V” of the motor, and intake is on the outside of the heads) might make this modification fairly easy.

Even at ~340hp, this thing should do 0-60 in around 3.5 seconds and put down a very low 11 second 1/4 mile! The best part is, where my proposed Saturn Sky would be near the limits of traction and structural rigidity, this vehicle is DESIGNED for big power and huge stresses. When the aftermarket catches up with the 4.5L, imagine how this thing would perform with over 500hp and 800-900ft/lbs torque!

Including the kit, the required C5 parts, and acquiring the new 4.5L duramax I imagine you could build one of these for under $70k. Just imagine! You’d have something that out runs and out guns just about any super car ever built, and still knock down huge MPG numbers when you stay out of the loud pedal.

I’m going to start saving my pennies now.

Since the first time I saw the Saturn Sky Roadster I fell in love with it. Though, with my particular passion for diesel I’d love to see one with a diesel motor.

Well, in 2010 GM is planning to release a 4.5L V8 Duramax. All of the marketing materials and announcements say that it’s being designed to fit into the space of an LS small block, so pretty much anywhere a current GM v8 fits, this thing will too. And it’s currently being estimated at ~345hp!

This is good news, cause there are already several folks who have swapped LS1s and LS7s into Sky’s and Solstices, and even some people making aftermarket kits.

Now no one has said anything about if the 4.5 Duramax will have the same bolt pattern for the bellhousing as an LS, but it’s probably a safe bet that it will.

A sky equipped this way should be able to out perform all but the most elite Corvette, and knock down 35+ MPG on the highway. Yum!

I tend to have lots of ideas about project cars that I think are pretty cool. The chances are I won’t ever build any of them, but I figured I could start documenting them here just for fun, or on the odd chance that somebody reads my ideas and decides to build one of them.

So, for my first submission..

I’ve been interested in the early to mid 70’s datsun z for some time. I even bought the “jags-that-run” book on converting one to a chevy 350 drivetrain. I’m still very interested owning one of these cars and doing an engine swap. Here’s what I think would be cool.

Take a 3.0L diesel, the modern common rail motor that is also dubbed “Blutec” when all of the emissions magic is done on it, out of a wrecked Mercedes and stuff it into a 240z. Yeah, there are bigger badder diesel motors but they are heavier and would extend past the front axle of the z. I’m looking for a small, fast, but most importantly agile car.

Of course, the ideal transmission for this would be a true 6 speed manual, but no production vehicle with the 3.0L has one so getting the computer to cooperate, and mating up a manual may be more trouble than it’s worth. However, if you carried over the 7 speed automatic from the Benz and fashioned a paddle type shifter to activate the up and down shifts (should be possible since there is an “automanual” setting for the Benz that’s clearly electronically triggered) it should still be a heck of a lotta fun in the twisties.