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Path: utzoo!watmath!watdcsu!haapanen
From: haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS])
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: small HP = big block HP?!
Message-ID: <1005@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Feb-85 01:21:34 EST
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.1005
Posted: Thu Feb 21 01:21:34 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Feb-85 09:09:34 EST
References: <258@oblio.UUCP>
Reply-To: haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS])
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 40

In article <258@oblio.UUCP> jeff@oblio.UUCP (Jeff Buchanan) writes:

>Thanks for the response.  Big block or small block, I must say I really
>like your attitude about hot cars!  It's so refreshing to hear from some-
>one who thinks that a 170 hp turbo 4- banger is not the ultimate
>street car.  I can really identify  with a guy like you.

I can't really identify with a guy like you, Jeff.  Gimme a break!  I
have never said that I think a 170 hp turbo 4-banger is the ultimate
street car.  However, do you think a 60's rat-motor 'vette is the
ultimate?  I hope not.  I expect both of us have our ideal set
somewhere in the Porsche 959/Ferrari GTO land.

So what?  Well, this leaves us with the question of where to
compromise when our financial resources run out.  If I had to
compromise, I'd like to keep a nice handling and a good cockpit as
opposed to the raw power.  I believe that you, Jeff, would choose
otherwise.  But even a nice turbo 4-banger like the 944 engine is not
that bad, is it?

In any case, I (and several other people in net.auto) believe that the
most fun is to be had not by street racing rat motors and injected
hemis but by driving small, nimble cars with reasonable engines (here
again, we go our separate ways --- I'm sure 100 hp is not reasonable
to you) but with a lot of emphasis on handling and maneuverability.
Like a Fiero (140 hp with a V6).  Like a GTI (100 hp).  Like a CRX (85
hp I think).  These little cars are a h*ll of a lot of fun, even if
they do get blown off the road at the lights by big V8s.  However, you
can't take your GTO Judge or '68 Corvette to a Solo II contest either
without being blown off the course by little Mini Cooper S's...

I can live without a V8 --- can you?


				   \tom haapanen
				   watmath!watdcsu!haapanen
Don't cry, don't do anything
No lies, back in the government
No tears, party time is here again
President Gas is up for president		 (c) Psychedelic Furs, 1982