FAO Penski and other mod-heads

volospian

volospian

volospian

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Joined
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OK, I'm still in two minds whether to spend my cash on a nice modern powerful saloon, like an S-Type R, M5, E55AMG or whatever, but I really do like the thought of a highly modded scimitar. With some work (pas, electric heated seats, central locking and so on) it still ticks all the boxes for luxury, but has that lovely classic look.

However, I'm wondering how much stuffing a 400hp SBF in the front of a scimitar would affect the car. Cars are generally built around the engine, the scim was designed to have a 3.0 V6 in the front putting out, what 140hp?

As far as I can tell, the front end is similar to my GT6C, based on the TR models, with pita trunnions and so on. The rear end I'll replace with the Jag IRS if it can stand the power.

However, I'm still concerned that much power could be too much for the chassis. I don't want to spend a huge amount of money and then regret it when the car becomes virtually undriveable because of the power or handles so badly the extra power is totally watsed.

It will be an everyday car instead of the Jag or Beemer.

So, do you think it'll survive the transplant, or will it be all too much for a 30 odd year old design?

I haven't rulled out a blower yet, so power could be around 600hp.

I'm beginning to think this may be too much work to get it right and my cash would be better spent on the modern car that is much better equipped to take 400+ horses. :(
 
'Modded Reliant or BMW M5'

Worst. Thread. Ever.

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normal_reliant%20scimitar.jpg
 
Gilly said:
There's just no helping some folks :p
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No, I kind of agree with you in a way. The head says "modern" (maybe not the M5, not all that keen on it, probably more likely the S-Type R, but that's personal preference, there's no denying the quality of the M5) but my heart just doesn't get on with modern rides. I don't own a car less than 33 years old and when I did I just found them all so souless

I want to want to get into my car, not have a powerful car but not have the desire to drive it.
 
The M5 is an absolutely awesome car. If you can look at that picture yet it does nothing for you, but that old Reliant thing does, then I guess what you should do is clear.

Buy the Reliant - IMHO its the only car you'd be truely happy with rather than simply thinking 'This is nice' :)
 
[TW]Fox said:
The M5 is an absolutely awesome car. If you can look at that picture yet it does nothing for you, but that old Reliant thing does, then I guess what you should do is clear.
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That BM does nothing for me, looks common and mundane (no I don't like boy racer ott either) This on the other hand..

69seb23%20Hobbs-Hailwood%20Ford%20GT40.JPG


drool
 
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[TW]Fox said:
I wish they were common, I would never tire of seeing E39 Sports and M5's drive past. Unfortunately, you are completely wrong.
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BM 3/5 series? Apart from minor differences the bodies look identical.
 
[TW]Fox said:
I wish they were common, I would never tire of seeing E39 Sports and M5's drive past. Unfortunately, you are completely wrong.
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I dunno about that, I see quite a lot of E39 Sports and M5's about and they do get a bit repetative. Still like them though.

at the OP, I would go for the reliant if thats what you have your heart set on, especially if its going to be putting out 600bhp!!
 
The Scimi would be a great weekend car/project,but as a car for everyday use i just cant see it tbh.Were they ever luxury cars? i thought of them as a cheap way of getting a high performance car in a relatively cheap/light chassis.

I know what you mean about the appeal tho,i've just seen this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JPS-WORLD-CHA...7QQihZ012QQcategoryZ43114QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and i'd just love to go for it,was my dream car @18 and still as you say,ticks all the right boxes.If it wasn't so far away from me i'd have to at least go and pay it a visit - maybe a good thing it is in Plymouth :)
 
A scimmy isn't my choice of car but basically it's going to drive like an overpowered bag of spuds with a 400hp smallblock in it. A Jag IRS weighs as much as an engine and makes any car very rear-heavy.

You'd be much better off with a 300hp cosworth or something that is a lot more compact and light. With the added weight of the V8 silly things like parking become a real arm ache, overheating in traffic due to lack of ventilation etc.

Dad's Cobra had a Jag IRS and it would oversteer something horrific at high speed due to the weight at the back. Once it started coming round there was no way to stop it. Basically there are plenty of other axle options that can replace the original.

What you definitely don't want is a car designed for going in a straight line on our roads. Great for traffic lights grand prix but a ball ache the rest of the time.

Edit: and to the rest of you posting pictures of shiny Mercs and the like it just doesn't have any effect on anyone who doesn't like new cars. They are just pictures of the bottom of the status symbol scale to me I'm afraid, you won't convince us otherwise.
 
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[TW]Fox said:
The M5 is an absolutely awesome car. If you can look at that picture yet it does nothing for you, but that old Reliant thing does, then I guess what you should do is clear.

Buy the Reliant - IMHO its the only car you'd be truely happy with rather than simply thinking 'This is nice' :)
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But as we both know, a picture is just a picture, it has nothing to do with driving the car. Now I could test the M5 and say "Looks a bit uninspiring to me, but goes like and stink and is generally fantastic" but I can't then get into a custom 600hp scimitar and compare it.

I'm not talking handling as such, just the overall buzz from driving it. A lot of modern cars, for me, remove that buzz. You simply feel too detached from the experience. And besides, I'm more of a straight line speed/power person myself. I'd rather blat down the quarter mile at Santa Pod with my ears meeting behind my head from the acceleration than race around my local track (donnington park, by the way).

If that was my intention I wouldn't be buying a heavy saloon anyway.

My question to those with more knowledge about modding than me is "Will the scim be driveable with those mods?"

The M5 could end up being the best buy, but I won't know that until I have spent the money on the scimitar. It's a dilemma.

I'd only be happy with the scim if it meets expectations, but if that car is not pysically capable of taking the mods, then my money would be better spent on an M5.

The desision is easy for you to make, as you already consider the M5 to tick every box. For me it leaves some boxes empty.
 
Jonny69 said:
A scimmy isn't my choice of car but basically it's going to drive like an overpowered bag of spuds with a 400hp smallblock in it. A Jag IRS weighs as much as an engine and makes any car very rear-heavy.

You'd be much better off with a 300hp cosworth or something that is a lot more compact and light. With the added weight of the V8 silly things like parking become a real arm ache, overheating in traffic due to lack of ventilation etc.

Dad's Cobra had a Jag IRS and it would oversteer something horrific at high speed due to the weight at the back. Once it started coming round there was no way to stop it. Basically there are plenty of other axle options that can replace the original.

What you definitely don't want is a car designed for going in a straight line on our roads. Great for traffic lights grand prix but a ball ache the rest of the time.

Edit: and to the rest of you posting pictures of shiny Mercs and the like it just doesn't have any effect on anyone who doesn't like new cars. They are just pictures of the bottom of the status symbol scale to me I'm afraid, you won't convince us otherwise.
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The SBF is heavier than the original engine and so I think the weight balance would be similar. I could go for a different choice of rear end, that's not a problem, it's just that the jag rear end is a common (enough) mod on the scim and was really put in as a "it'll have a better form of suspension at the back" type comment rather than it being set in stone.

Overheating has been dealt with before, and PAS sorts out low speed steering issues. I prefer the SE6 anyway, andh a lot of them had PAS fitted from the factory, although epas may be a better idea.
 
You have to go with your heart, not your mind, as that is the only way you will ever WANT to get up in the morning and just go for drive for the hell of it.

Also you will have the light at the end of the tunnel during the build process. :cool:

Does sound to be a lot of work involved though. I would have thought you are looking at a ground up rebuild really, including a fair bit of work strengthening the chassis, they were a bit lively to say the least, even with 140 ish horsepower, personally I don't think the standard chassis would stay together long with 600bhp. But if it is designed and built with the correct ideas in mind from the start then it will work, you make it work, by designing it to.

It is definately a possibility, and could definately be done, given time and money, if I could I would certainly.

People are always asking me why did I spend over 9K on doing up an old 80's car why not just buy a new car. I tell them, I love the shape, the character, I positively drool over the fact it has NO electronic gizmos cluttering up the driving experience.
Yes there are some very nice motors out there for the same sort of money but they just don't do it for me, the same way old school does.

That's just my tu'penorth worth though. :)
 
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Dtab said:
The Scimi would be a great weekend car/project,but as a car for everyday use i just cant see it tbh.Were they ever luxury cars? i thought of them as a cheap way of getting a high performance car in a relatively cheap/light chassis.
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Luxury enough for Princess Anne to use one. If they're good enough for royalty, they're good enough for a commoner like me. :D

Besides, luxury is only toys, and electric windows, pas, air con, central locking, electric heated seats, leather, etc, etc. can easily be added.
 
volospian said:
Luxury enough for Princess Anne to use one. If they're good enough for royalty, they're good enough for a commoner like me. :D

Besides, luxury is only toys, and electric windows, pas, air con, central locking, electric heated seats, leather, etc, etc. can easily be added.
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NO, NO, NO, and thrice NO, you take all that junk off not add it :eek:
 
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