Lotus Elise -vs- K20A powered x1/9..

Rupunzell

Bernice Loui
What is the story behind this in car video?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud2_o9MUpfg"]YouTube - "Streets of Willow" with Bowl, racetrack.[/ame]

Maybe post this to Elise talk... and hear what happens.


Bernice
 
Didn't someone here say the K20 ....

...sounds like a lawnmower? :mallet:

If so...I'll take one really fast lawnmower, please! :music:


This car is one that Midwest-Bayless built for a customer. There was a video posted a few weeks back of it chasing a Ferrari through the mountains. I think it sounds pretty good.
 
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Hey Bernice... this has got to be...

Christian Naggier's ride... the Karate guy!

The red defroster vent and the rivets down the hood give it away!

I don't believe he posts on here but I can get in contact with him if you wish.
 
I remember seeing this car in Matt's shop back in April, definately a snazzy paint scheme and the car looks to have some real get up and go. In fairness to the Elise though a fair amount of ground was made up under braking and corner entry.
 
not to knock the X but it's likely a case of beating the driver, not the car

I agree, but I would rather have the X. Its design is much more tolerant of real world use. Totaling an Elise seems to be much too easy to do, with the body construction being all resin based (with an excellent aluminum internal frame) versus the strong steel chassis the X enjoys.
 
Ii was me that said they sounded like a high speed tractor

But your right, this does sound more lawnmover-like. Sorry, just my opinion.
 
not to knock the X but it's likely a case of beating the driver, not the car

Neither car seemed to be pushing its limit. So I don't think any real firm statement could be said about either car or their drivers.

It is well known that it takes a competent car to keep up with an elise around those corners, so I think that is as best of a conclusion anyone can draw from the video.

As far as a k20 sounding like a tractor/lawnmower or what ever appliance you want to put int the blank, I would have to say you use some fairly awesome sounding appliances!
 
is this the car?

Christian Naggier's ride... the Karate guy!

The red defroster vent and the rivets down the hood give it away!

I don't believe he posts on here but I can get in contact with him if you wish.

I remember I saw a couple pictures on Matts Place few months ago, I tought it was a twin!

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Larry...

...apparently needs a hearing appliance...:wacko:

...either that, or there must be some pretty badass tractors and lawnmowers in New Mexico.
 
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Right you are Ricardo...

I couldn't find the fotos I had of his car for some reason.

Its really transitioned over the years... I guess he can take a business expense write-off on the car... I think he has been coming to BFI and almost every other event in CA for over 10 years! Saw him up at Concorso back in 2006 too, or was that 2004?.

Except for the creative artwork and rivets.... its and all business machine!
 
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Hey Tom... ya gotta admit...

On this video it does indeed sound a bit weird... but who knows what it really sounds like.

I mean its probably a little video camera mic and possibly he had his muffler off, I dunno. But it doesn't sound like any tractor, lawnmower or refrigerator I ever drove!

But it does indeed sound a bit like my Cooper's Cooler ( http://www.coopercooler.com/demo.html ) with a hand blown 750ml bottle of Lafite Rothschild aboard... or was it a "Two-Buck Chuck"?
 
I've heard Christians car run...

...it was built about 20 feet from my desk.

I've owned 7 X's that started off with stock exhausts...I'd much rather have the sound of that K20 "tractor" over the sewing machine sound from a stock X1/9 exhaust.

Even though I think this car sounds good in the video, everyone knows how true sound doesn't come thru well over the net.
 
web sound?

everyone knows how true sound doesn't come thru well over the net.[/quote]
Really !? Thaomas, I thought some X web'ers thought my V stacks sounded good over the net? :hmm2:and the Abarth Vids I posted come through also.

Bottom line: The K 20 is based on Formula 1 tech. And "for me" formula 1, doesn't sound so good, even in person!
Besides webers on a Abarth style engine my fav engine sound is... 6,000hp ground pounding ear splitting Nitro Fuel Dragster. when I was painting our '58 Terashi at Auto Turismo in 1973 and I first heard John sr.'s 2 Litre start up it sounded similar to the nitro car.. it did! 14 to1 comp. THAT's the real sound of an engine ..for me.
If you like the sound of Form 1 then you'll love the K 20.

Japenese engines in the Best old skool heritgae cars?? ie: Britsh and Italian car designs many of the "late greats" of Europe would not approve I.M.O. (after saying that I'll put my helmet on)
 
Ron...

...didn't realize you heard the K20 X live and in person. Maybe you did hear the green one we had built, not certain. Christians doesn't even sound a bit like that one. I am sure your car sounds better in person than over the web as well, but still probably sits at about 1/2 of the hp (which is still commendable for an X) of the K20. I really haven't heard a web engine that sounds extremely sweet.

Otherwise, I still stand by my previous point that a stock X1/9 engine/exhaust sounds like a sewing machine. I think it was Road and Track back in the days of their reviews that equated the sound to a swarm of bees.
 
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I think the sound of a car is too 'personal' for us to expect to all get it.

My example, A decade ago I had a gutted cat convertor on my supercharged miata. I instantly hated it. (but it was better than a loud rattle from a broken element under the car) My work forced me to take like 13 comp days off, so I drove it out to Virginia and took one high school car buddy for a spin... He'd never been in it with the blower on. When I hit third gear Jim said "Your exhaust sounds like ass." and I had to agree. About 4 days later I drove down to NC and another HS buddy got to ride in her for the first time with supercharger... Same sort of sprint to 70 or 80mph and Paul was giddy and said "It SOUNDS awesome!!!! This car couldn't sound any cooler!" I had to laugh.:rolleyes: Both guys were V8 dudes at heart... one dug it, the other was nearly ready to break out his charge card and buy me something aftermarket to see if it would sound better!

Personally I'm a much bigger fan of my college buddy's MGB exhaust note over ANY 16valve 4banger I've ever heard. The Fiat SOHC thru carbs is pretty sweet too, though not quite as 'roorty' as some of the old brit cars. The two 83 X's I bought this summer both have FI... hopefully when I get one running the sound won't disappoint.

I also think alot of it depends on what you grew up with. 18-20 year olds who grew up with 16 valve honda's and mitsubishi's in their dreams probably love the K20. To me it's ok... I've definitely heard worse. But it doesn't tweak my '16 year old gearhead' heartstrings. What does? About 2 years ago I nearly threw my back out spinning around to find the car emiting the sound when I heard a Yugo start up in a Walmart parking lot! When I saw the little Yugo backing out of a spot I had to laugh out loud. It sounded like someone was stealing my old Fiat 128 from highschool!:)
 
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