New to me 79 1500

ricar said:
I used to race BMX bikes and really IMO racing is racing. Obviously there are vast differences don't get me wrong, but the goal is to be smooth. If you try to be fast, you won't be but if you try to be smooth fast will sort of happen. If that makes any sense.
As to the suspension again, it seems to me that there are differences in the suspension heights depending on where you live. So with that is there not a "best of"? I can't see them changing the chassis based on the market.
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Being "fast" is all about being smooth..

The oem "stock" chassis/suspension as delivered, as designed is excellent.. Before making any alterations/modifications best to have a proper reference point before changing anything. The idea & belief changes/modifications are needed to as delivered, as designed oem is based on the belief & idea the design as delivered is inferior in some way... which is simply not true in any way and false in every way.

Back in the 80's when SCCA ran honest show room stock endurance racing (not like spec Miata today where National class Spec Miata cars are prepped by parting out 10 or more Miatas for parts to make one "competitive" car), the exxe won in class more than a few times.. This is with as delivered, as designed stock oem chassis, suspension, power train..

24 Hours of Nelson Ledges, 1980's R&T Articles

With the help of a friend who has just about every issue of Road & Track from back in the day, He photo copied these articles from 1984 & 1987 when the X1/9 dominated Show Room Stock racing, class SSC for years starting in 1983. Here is the article from 1984, note Porsche ran a "Prototype 944"...
xwebforums.com

If the exxe is so poor as delivered, as designed why this result? and countless others including Colin Chapman of Lotus admiring the design and more of the exxe?

~Ever driven a really proper exxe.. to 10/10_?_

As for the Honda fit motor, with a bore of 73mm, 89.4mm stroke with a con rod length of 148.9mm = con rod to stroke ratio of 1.67..
~Designed as a Econo-box motor.. will always be an Econo-box motor regardless of how much power is produced. It will be rev limited and never happy run above 5,000rpm for hour after hour after hour..

Lampredi 1500cc motor oem exe engine. bore of 86.5mm, stroke of 63.9mm, con rod length of 128.5mm = con rod to stroke ratio of 2.01..
~Race engine in disguise or why the stock exxe Lampredi SOHC easily revs above 5,000 RPM hour after hour and easily runs as delivered to nee 8,000 RPM.. Not a lot of alterations needed to achieve 100hp from a stock 1500cc Lampredi SOHC..

What about brakes? One of the Most Important aspects of any motor vehicle? As delivered the front brakes are prone to lock-up and cooking due to liability mandated requirements for brake performance from that era of non-abs and more..


Bernice
 
The engine in my exxe as delivered would have cost about $10,000 to achieve 100hp. That is not a number that I came up with myself, it's a number quoted to me from several people. The Fit engine is something around 120hp as delivered, lets say with wear it's down to 110hp and I paid $400 for the whole car, sold the exxe engine/trans for I think $600. So now those parts are back on the market to people who would wish to restore their car. My trans was popping out of reverse, which is a common issue with the exxe trans and those parts are getting harder to find, and prices are going up by the day. My dad is a big exxe fan, hard core stock kind of guy, weather cars or motorcycles, they had to be stock. Driving his exxe home from Ottawa to Brampton, about 4.5 hours all highway, the exxe could barely make up up the driveway. He had cracked all the exhaust valves. I doubt that would happen with the fit.

I can beat the crap out of my Fit engine and if I blow it get another for $400 or less. Or even swap for another engine as my ECM is pretty much universal. I was thinking an old Suzuki GIT or Samurai. Still, I really don't think I need to justify an engine swap, look at all the guys swapping engines into the exxe, from day one engine swaps were being done in the exxe. This for me was simply a cheap engine that would fit with minimal modification the the chassis. All I had to do was change engine mounts, I have no love for the Fit engine, I'm not going to go rave about it, yes, all about economy, long stroke small bore and you can't change the bore, there is no room in the cylinder walls. Still, it has been used in a racing and is used in small airplanes.

Again, my question was the exxe was released with various ride heights, is there a best of? Will the best ride height make me faster? No. No it's won't help me to be a better driver, no it won't do anything for me. Unless I win the lottery and get to spend the rest of my days renting track time.
 
The standard US ride height is the best standard ride height. One can of course lower the car. For where I live I prefer the standard suspension due to road quality etc.

No, you don’t need to justify your choice of alternative engine. I like that you are breaking your own ground.

Is the L15 ’the’ ideal engine which emulates all that is X and Fiat, no its not but it is certainly a good competent engine which will work well with the car as the car it comes out of is pretty similar in regards to the size, weight etc.

Thanks for bringing us along.
 
More excuses, My son is on a hockey team that plays primarily on weekends. He's on the ice sometimes 4-6 hours and adding drive times, I may be gone 8-10 hours over a Saturday-Sunday and my daughter is into rock climbing. It's funny, I'm busier now than ever and they are both teens. My daughter turns 16 this year and is looking to get her licence so that may help. Also, it's hard to get motivated to work in the cold garage. That's honestly my biggest issue lol. Still, I just got a couple adapter hoses for my EWP. Man this stuff seems to just be on every street corner in the states but up here the closest "speed shop" I know of is about a 45 minute drive.

Anyhow, by March that bug will start biting and all the wasted time will haunt me and the wife will be getting mad!
 
ricar said:
More excuses, My son is on a hockey team that plays primarily on weekends. He's on the ice sometimes 4-6 hours and adding drive times, I may be gone 8-10 hours over a Saturday-Sunday and my daughter is into rock climbing. It's funny, I'm busier now than ever and they are both teens. My daughter turns 16 this year and is looking to get her licence so that may help. Also, it's hard to get motivated to work in the cold garage. That's honestly my biggest issue lol. Still, I just got a couple adapter hoses for my EWP. Man this stuff seems to just be on every street corner in the states but up here the closest "speed shop" I know of is about a 45 minute drive.

Anyhow, by March that bug will start biting and all the wasted time will haunt me and the wife will be getting mad!
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My daughter played hockey and softball. It's why my b16 swap took almost 10 years! Wouldn't trade that kid time for anything. Keep at it little by little :)

Odie
 
Hey good read, I just bombed through all of it! I've already begun my own Fit swap -into a 128. Also a 2008. Your process has been enlightening but I think I'll have an easier time of it (yeah right) as I'm staying mostly stock. Keep at it!
 
ricar said:
The engine in my exxe as delivered would have cost about $10,000 to achieve 100hp. That is not a number that I came up with myself, it's a number quoted to me from several people. The Fit engine is something around 120hp as delivered, lets say with wear it's down to 110hp and I paid $400 for the whole car, sold the exxe engine/trans for I think $600. So now those parts are back on the market to people who would wish to restore their car. My trans was popping out of reverse, which is a common issue with the exxe trans and those parts are getting harder to find, and prices are going up by the day. My dad is a big exxe fan, hard core stock kind of guy, weather cars or motorcycles, they had to be stock. Driving his exxe home from Ottawa to Brampton, about 4.5 hours all highway, the exxe could barely make up up the driveway. He had cracked all the exhaust valves. I doubt that would happen with the fit.

I can beat the crap out of my Fit engine and if I blow it get another for $400 or less. Or even swap for another engine as my ECM is pretty much universal. I was thinking an old Suzuki GIT or Samurai. Still, I really don't think I need to justify an engine swap, look at all the guys swapping engines into the exxe, from day one engine swaps were being done in the exxe. This for me was simply a cheap engine that would fit with minimal modification the the chassis. All I had to do was change engine mounts, I have no love for the Fit engine, I'm not going to go rave about it, yes, all about economy, long stroke small bore and you can't change the bore, there is no room in the cylinder walls. Still, it has been used in a racing and is used in small airplanes.

Again, my question was the exxe was released with various ride heights, is there a best of? Will the best ride height make me faster? No. No it's won't help me to be a better driver, no it won't do anything for me. Unless I win the lottery and get to spend the rest of my days renting track time.
Click to expand...
Somehow I've been missing this thread for some time and just now catching up with it. Your plan to swap in the Honda Fit drivetrain is excellent....ignore the haters. I am in complete agreement with your perspective comparing a modified Fiat engine to any modern engine. Great job, keep at it! ;)
 
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