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[Andy B]

.....
now you know why so many porsches and ferrari,s are bright red?

Brilliant!! 

[2woody]

L-C had some very subtle suspension mods done to improve the handling, and yes it does handle better than an Omega, despite controlling an extra 150 bhp.

It's the typical Lotus stuff that lets it down, coolant circulation and fuel injection for example, where they went totally off the radar.

In comparison, the V8 engined cars are totally different, feeling completely solid to drive.

[omegadan67]

L-C had some very subtle suspension mods done to improve the handling, and yes it does handle better than an Omega, despite controlling an extra 150 bhp.

It's the typical Lotus stuff that lets it down, coolant circulation and fuel injection for example, where they went totally off the radar.

In comparison, the V8 engined cars are totally different, feeling completely solid to drive.

coolant circulation or fuel injection are not typical lotus stuff, Lotus's reputation was/is how a car handles and always has been how it goes was an after thought.

Colin Chapman was the greatest car Technician of our time his motto was always speed through lightness and handling was more important to him than outright speed.

the lotus carlton/omega was a masterclass on the princapals of that mantra deverstating in the right hands and enviroments docile at all other times with predictable handling even on the limits.

Having owned both a lotus carlton and lotus omega
both right hand drive for some 60,000 miles conbined i never had fuel inj or coolant problems even after 160 mph autoban cruises.

the best performance car i have ever owned bar none

and ive owned a fair few
evo 6 ayc
scooby 22b sti
cosworths of all variants
lamborgini jalpa
porsche 928 s4
porsche 993 911 carrera 4
to name but a few

and as far as i know lotus never did a v8 carlton/omega.

[feeutfo]

L-C had some very subtle suspension mods done to improve the handling, and yes it does handle better than an Omega, despite controlling an extra 150 bhp.

It's the typical Lotus stuff that lets it down, coolant circulation and fuel injection for example, where they went totally off the radar.

In comparison, the V8 engined cars are totally different, feeling completely solid to drive.

coolant circulation or fuel injection are not typical lotus stuff, Lotus's reputation was/is how a car handles and always has been how it goes was an after thought.

Colin Chapman was the greatest car Technician of our time his motto was always speed through lightness and handling was more important to him than outright speed.

the lotus carlton/omega was a masterclass on the princapals of that mantra deverstating in the right hands and enviroments docile at all other times with predictable handling even on the limits.

Having owned both a lotus carlton and lotus omega
both right hand drive for some 60,000 miles conbined i never had fuel inj or coolant problems even after 160 mph autoban cruises.

the best performance car i have ever owned bar none

and ive owned a fair few
evo 6 ayc
scooby 22b sti
cosworths of all variants
lamborgini jalpa
porsche 928 s4
porsche 993 911 carrera 4
to name but a few

and as far as i know lotus never did a v8 carlton/omega.

No they didn't, but 2woody does own a v8 commodore and a Loti Carlton of some sort I believe, so is in apposition to make a comparison between the similarly sprung pair.

As a point made earlier though, the age of the Carlton was showing compared to my brand new suspension set up, on a section with hump back bridges tight consecutive 30-40mph bends and a round about. 8-). I let him go before the next straight though.  .  . 

[MV6Matt]

Always had the impression that there wasn't much point tuning the v6, as it .......

would likely break or overheat or spew coolant or leak oil .............   

And the 3.6 never spews oil and coolant from its HG, does it....... 

If there was the desire by the manufacturer, or a *proper* tuning company (ie, not the likes of the retards at Courtney and similar), I'm sure both S6 and V6 could be encouraged to (realatively) reliably give that sort of power.  Downside of V6, not sure how much you could increase the cc with that block, though it would need a new crank anyway....


...but probably cheaper to through an off-the-shelf v8 in

I'm intrigued, what makes Courtenay retarded? :-?

Who are *proper* tuning companies? :-?

Curiouser and curiouser...............

[MV6Matt]

@ 2woody

As some one suggested, how easy would it be to put the 2.8T V6 in an Omega? What gear box would work?

Alternatively, (with ref to the Diesel thread on this board), would it be easy to put in one of the 1.9 DTI Vectra/Signum lumps in (very tunable I hear)?

Interested to know any thoughts etc

How was the trip abroad?

Matthew

[feeutfo]

@ 2woody

As some one suggested, how easy would it be to put the 2.8T V6 in an Omega? What gear box would work?

Alternatively, (with ref to the Diesel thread on this board), would it be easy to put in one of the 1.9 DTI Vectra/Signum lumps in (very tunable I hear)?

Interested to know any thoughts etc

How was the trip abroad?

Matthew

If changing lumps, mayas well be a big lump, like an Ls1 v8? As gm nearly did themselves.

But I didn't realize the Saab tubo v6 only runs 1 turbo off 1 bank. Might make istalation easier  :-/

[2woody]

to all....

yes I own both a Lotus Carlton and now two Holden Commodores - both completely different approaches to the same thing. The Holdens give me the impression that they'll never break no matter what I could do to them, whereby the Lotus is usually broken, but no less good for it - I bought it because it is still the boss.

regarding the Saab engine, if it's still on the same 54degree architecture, then it'll fit quite easily, I'm pretty sure the diesel will, too. ( but it is still a diesel, mind ).

probably the best perfrmance car I've owned was the Honda NS-X - and I don't even like mid-engined cars. Go figure.

trip abroad was significantly better than I anticipated - no early-hours extraction by shadowy figures in a Hercules for starters. But seriously, that part of the world is actually fascinating to go to and I'd recommend it, but maybe only once. And it's stacked with Chevy Lumina SS's (hint Chris)

[MV6Matt]

Hi Stuart,
Glad you're home and no shodowy figures or Hercules!

Is the 2.8T V6  'still on the same 54 degree architecture' as you put it?
Would an existing Gearbox work without too much argy-bargy on this engine?

Any rain in Northumberland?

Matthew

[Kevin Wood]

I think the Saab 2.8t is a GM LP9 - so ally block and a 60 degree Vee angle.

You can bet they mounted the turbo under one of the heads which means it'll be too wide without some major surgery to the manifolds, etc.

Kevin

[MV6Matt]

I think the Saab 2.8t is a GM LP9 - so ally block and a 60 degree Vee angle.

You can bet they mounted the turbo under one of the heads which means it'll be too wide without some major surgery to the manifolds, etc. Kevin

Yup, probably! They'd have to make it difficult wouldn't they?

Matthew

[feeutfo]

Guessing exhausts will have to made anyway for rear wheel drive, addressing the turbo position then....?

[feeutfo]

But as said preveiously, what does the Saab turbo put out? 290bhp?   :-/ is it worth the agro and extra expense of fitting a front wheel drive lump in a rear wheel drive car? For a mere 70 bhp?

Ls1 your looking at 350 to 390 depending on exhaust restrictions. A much better gain for the agro. 

[2woody]

looks like it's probably a "no" on the 2.8 engine.

or at least a "not easily".

[MV6Matt]

looks like it's probably a "no" on the 2.8 engine.

or at least a "not easily".

Fair enough!
So it's either the muscle of the V8 (yum! yum!)
or the MPG of the deisel..........

(rummages around for his bank robbers outfit............)

Matthew