It's not as Big as you may think!

[Aloof]

The difference in acceleration between a "standard" car compared to a "performance" car is not as much as you think. So often on this forum we hear of traffic light contests that end in "my car was so many lengths ahead by the time we hit 80km/h....blah,blah,blah,blah".

Reality check! Compare car (A) 6 sec to 100km/h to a standard car(B) 9 sec to 100km/h.
Some people assume that car B. needs 3sec more to get to the same point that car A. reached when accelerating to 100km/h. NOT TRUE!!!!
The fact is that, depending on a lot of factors (including gear ratios, torque and power delivery), the difference will most likely be less than 1 second!!

For argument sake, lets say that an SS can accelerate to 100km/h in 6 sec. over 120 metres from the start line. An executive 6 cylinder will cover the same distance (120 metres) in less than 7 sec.(85km/h).

From here it gets interesting. The next 200 metres seperate the men from the women. Still under WOT, the SS takes 6 sec. compared to the Exec's 8sec. over the same distance.

The next 80 metres tell the true story of why men Need a V8..... The SS will travel the next 80 metres in less than 2 sec and cross the 400m line at 168km/h while the poor Exec takes over 3 sec to cover the remaining distance and finish at a whimpering 140km/h.

So what's the point I hear you ask? The point is that in a lot of cases when people are bragging about how they flogged a GT or whatever by so many car legnths by the time the hit 80km/h, they may be surprised to find that they were only actually racing themselves. :p

Yesterday, I read about something like " GT, I just ate one!"

A GT takes 4 seconds to get to 80km/h. To have pulled "car legnths" on one to 80km/h would mean you are driving a V8 supercar, not a VX Calais. Sorry mate, he wasn't racing you! :lol:

[VX2VESS]

The next 80 metres tell the true story of why men Need a V8..... The SS will travel the next 80 metres in less than 2 sec and cross the 400m line at 168km/h while the poor Exec takes over 3 sec to cover the remaining distance and finish at a whimpering 140km/h.

:

168 kph and 140 kph for a v6 in 400m :confused:

[VX2VESS]

dang that kph not used to that for the qtr, mph i was thinking

[Beej]

You are forgetting to account for reaction time and launch technique - traffic light drags are won or lost based on a combination of those two factors plus power.

Cheers,

Beej

[VX_CALAIS]

O.K - As this is aimed at me ...

I only said About 80 K, as in a little over but close enough

And I said
MUCH to my surprise we were neck and neck for the first couple of seconds untill we had to change gear, mine being an auto was quick to change, his seemed to change quick but bogged down allowing me to get a car lenght in front

I ment by this that his bonnet was just behind my boot. I only posted because I was happy that my car went well dispite poor DYNO readings. I know a hell of a lot of things go into making a car move !!!! I did mention mine was an Auto and his seemed to be a manual, this also contributes.

I also know that 0-80kph means shit so I (for the first time tonight) took my car to Calder park, I've NEVER been before so was just spectating at first then decided to run my car SUBS / BOX / 3/4 FULL OF PETROL AND ALL. I was just interested to see.

I ran a 13.8 at 102MPH. Next time I'll be more prepared and hopefully get a lower time. My point is I aint no keyboard racer and I (try) not to talk shit !

Other people just can't help themselves :booty:

[payaya]

i never thought it took another 3 seconds to get to the same point as the faster car :eek:

you got to be stupid to think that.

[Doug]

Ignoring the mathematics and the GT example - I think QikSmurf is right as far as concept goes.

To 80km/h I get most of my gains over hard driven 6's and near stock LS1's on launch (hi-stall) and the 1-2 change (shift kit). (Both tend to give me half a car length.) Otherwise I'm just walking forward. Its only really above those speeds (which I rarely bother with) where I pull away hard.

How many forum members have run some of the high rwkw supercharged cars on this forum, and marvalled at how you weren't miles behind by 80km/h? (Their traction issues aside.)

Having said that - now adays I'm more likely to sit on a dragging cars rear quarter panel to see what revs I need to keep up. It normally takes a lot less revs to keep up than it does to move quicker.

[V82xist]

Beej, has already hit the nail on the head.
Traffic light duels are all about the launch and geting your power down.
An auto is always going to be easier to get off the line were a manual may get to much wheel spin, bog down or get it right depending on driver experience road surface, power etc. If the GT was a manual and he bogged it down the Calais would destroy him to 80ks. There is often a big difference between theory and reality if the theory doesn't take into account all the possible variables. QikSmurf, you need to get out more and get to the drags to see how much difference .5 seconds makes on a reation time then about .3 seconds difference at the 60 foot mark = car lengths.
I have a video of my car versus pdv666 which shows this difference and at the end of the 1/4 in our race he did a 13.3 and I did a 14.1 but with the reation time difference (as you would see on the road) he crossed the line 1.3 seconds faster which is a huge gap on the road.

[Old Kiwi]

"my car was so many lengths ahead by the time we hit 80km/h....blah,blah,blah,blah".

For argument sake, lets say that an SS can accelerate to 100km/h in 6 sec. over 120 metres from the start line. An executive 6 cylinder will cover the same distance (120 metres) in less than 7 sec.(85km/h).

:

I'm not sold.

@ 85kph, you are travelling 23+ meters per second. If the SS hits 85kph in 6 seconds @ 120meters and the exec hits 85kph in 7 seconds @ 120meters, the SS would be at least 23 meters further down the road when the exec hits 85kph - more than a few car lengths in my book. And that does not include the lead the SS would have over the exec in the 1st 120mtrs.

As for a proper race between say - my stock clubbie vs a Ford GT or something, My car probably has a small advantage (probably be half a car length), but if one of us cant drive well, or mucks up the launch, that could equate to 1sec or so = a few car lengths at 85kph.

[JasonBB]

Having a 3.73 diff in a auto my car is pretty quick of the mark, I haven't come across a car yet that has at least given me a run for my money, saying that I haven't come across allot of the guys on this forum. :D
I don't know why I cant seam to get a lot of drag's off the lights though. :confused:

[Old Kiwi]

Having a 3.73 diff in a auto my car is pretty quick of the mark, I haven't come across a car yet that has at least given me a run for my money, saying that I haven't come across allot of the guys on this forum. :D
I don't know why I cant seam to get a lot of drag's off the lights though. :confused:
:lol:
Me too.
Nobody will race me in my car, but I go out in the wifes 1600 VW Golf (70kw's), and its all on. I even had a FPV GT blow me away last night :mad:

[gsw]

The difference in acceleration between a "standard" car compared to a "performance" car is not as much as you think. So often on this forum we hear of traffic light contests that end in "my car was so many lengths ahead by the time we hit 80km/h....blah,blah,blah,blah".

Reality check! Compare car (A) 6 sec to 100km/h to a standard car(B) 9 sec to 100km/h.
Some people assume that car B. needs 3sec more to get to the same point that car A. reached when accelerating to 100km/h. NOT TRUE!!!!
The fact is that, depending on a lot of factors (including gear ratios, torque and power delivery), the difference will most likely be less than 1 second!!

For argument sake, lets say that an SS can accelerate to 100km/h in 6 sec. over 120 metres from the start line. An executive 6 cylinder will cover the same distance (120 metres) in less than 7 sec.(85km/h).

From here it gets interesting. The next 200 metres seperate the men from the women. Still under WOT, the SS takes 6 sec. compared to the Exec's 8sec. over the same distance.

The next 80 metres tell the true story of why men Need a V8..... The SS will travel the next 80 metres in less than 2 sec and cross the 400m line at 168km/h while the poor Exec takes over 3 sec to cover the remaining distance and finish at a whimpering 140km/h.

So what's the point I hear you ask? The point is that in a lot of cases when people are bragging about how they flogged a GT or whatever by so many car legnths by the time the hit 80km/h, they may be surprised to find that they were only actually racing themselves. :p

Yesterday, I read about something like " GT, I just ate one!"

A GT takes 4 seconds to get to 80km/h. To have pulled "car legnths" on one to 80km/h would mean you are driving a V8 supercar, not a VX Calais. Sorry mate, he wasn't racing you! :lol:

Thats what i don't understand, people call certain cars slow and bloated and how they absolutly belted one in their supercharged machines, eg. ba gt or xr8 when compared to a stock car of a different brand it may be only tenths of a second slower. But you here these stories of I was three car lenghts in front of it by the time i hit 80 crap. Just because the ba is .2 of a second slower then the equivilant vy does not make it a slow car, it is just not as quick. If .2 or .3 of a second does make the BA slow then standard higher spec vy's should not be considered quick. BA's will beat most other standard cars on the roads in australia. My opinion is the better driver in each standard equivelent car would win. I have driven both higher models of vy and ba's and to me there is not much difference in speed.

[gsw]

:lol:
Me too.
Nobody will race me in my car, but I go out in the wifes 1600 VW Golf (70kw's), and its all on. I even had a FPV GT blow me away last night :mad:

nobody will race me in my car as well, it sounds mean but has not much go (only a 302). Funny thing is as soon as i get in the mini everybody in there commy's and fords wants a go.

[dvx]

i'd like to thank you all for taking the fun out of traffic light drags. do your kids all still believe in santa? :p :limpy:

[VX_CALAIS]

Thats what i don't understand, people call certain cars slow and bloated and how they absolutly belted one in their supercharged machines, eg. ba gt or xr8 when compared to a stock car of a different brand it may be only tenths of a second slower. But you here these stories of I was three car lenghts in front of it by the time i hit 80 crap. Just because the ba is .2 of a second slower then the equivilant vy does not make it a slow car, it is just not as quick. If .2 or .3 of a second does make the BA slow then standard higher spec vy's should not be considered quick. BA's will beat most other standard cars on the roads in australia. My opinion is the better driver in each standard equivelent car would win. I have driven both higher models of vy and ba's and to me there is not much difference in speed.

I think most people here are just shit stiring, most here (including me) have respect for the ford V8. I would of never been close to the GT had I not spent a fair amount of money on mods.

Grumpy Smurf and the like love cutting people down, shame really as everone else on this site have constructive comments ... :rolleyes:

[Drewie]

I think it also depends on how hard the given person is trying, put the shoe on the other foot, how often have you had some hot looking ricer or tarted up machine give you a run at the lights, you use maybe two thirds throttle and maybe 4500rpm, cream them then back off for them then to whizz by,
I wonder if they then say to there mates...geez had a run with a GenIII and there was not a lot in it, I got done but not by much.......

[VX_CALAIS]

I think it also depends on how hard the given person is trying, put the shoe on the other foot, how often have you had some hot looking ricer or tarted up machine give you a run at the lights, you use maybe two thirds throttle and maybe 4500rpm, cream them then back off for them then to whizz by,
I wonder if they then say to there mates...geez had a run with a GenIII and there was not a lot in it, I got done but not by much.......

Fair comment, in my case when we were both flat stick I could hear his car rev and I'm pretty sure he was trying, he didn't seem to gain on me at any time ..

anyway, not important. It's just a bit of fun and yea - I was pretty happy with myself (no matter how misguided that was). If we can't have a little fun every now and then and enjoy the car what's the point ? why cut people down for ?

[Drewie]

Fair comment, in my case when we were both flat stick I could hear his car rev and I'm pretty sure he was trying, he didn't seem to gain on me at any time ..

anyway, not important. It's just a bit of fun and yea - I was pretty happy with myself (no matter how misguided that was). If we can't have a little fun every now and then and enjoy the car what's the point ? why cut people down for ?

Sorry VX_CALAIS I was not even thinking about you when I made the above statement, sorry mate if you took it the wrong way, was not intended. I was just making the point that with me personally I often wonder if that is what some of them think.

[rodp]

I think it also depends on how hard the given person is trying, put the shoe on the other foot, how often have you had some hot looking ricer or tarted up machine give you a run at the lights, you use maybe two thirds throttle and maybe 4500rpm, cream them then back off for them then to whizz by,
I wonder if they then say to there mates...geez had a run with a GenIII and there was not a lot in it, I got done but not by much.......

I hear that. I've had a few morons tell me how slow my 8 is because on taking off and changing around 2500-3000rpm, it does sound like you are giving it a bit in comparion to most V8's and most ricers believe that V8's don't like to rev too hard. Occassionally, at the next set of lights I've launched it and gone to redline to show that that the GEN3 actually likes to rev, and what they heard before was a casual off the lights that they could barely keep up with in the first place. :D

Not so sure about the calculations by the OP either. Coming through Kiama this afternoon, behind a hothouse SS VY while he was beside an EB Falc where the lane merged ~200 meters up the road. EB jumped the lights in a cloud of grey smoke, VY launched on the green and I stuck to his tail. We both made it in with many car lengths to spare, and I know what an EB sounds like at full throttle... :lol: :lol:

[sKeptiK]

All this because someone beat a Ford..... the BA sure has put Ford back on the map to cause this much ado about nothing

[Nawdy]

:lol:
Me too.
Nobody will race me in my car, but I go out in the wifes 1600 VW Golf (70kw's), and its all on. I even had a FPV GT blow me away last night :mad:

It's funny how they won't come near you if your in your own car.... I had a VS SS do my Mrs off the lights recently in her Astra (with myself, 3 kids and luggage in the car with her), and she was awfully pissed off because they just laughed at her (as she said at the time - what was the point of dragging in an Astra?).

Funny how they suddenly lost interest with a run at the traffic lights when we come across them the other day, and we were in the SS. The Mrs had that look of satisfaction all over her face!!! :D

[VooDoo]

I just wish more of em would attend drag meetings so i can put my barge beside a few. Whenever there are fords at willowbank they seem to refuse to line up against ANY ls1 inc my big barge. (even reversing out of the lanes to avoid a matchup)

[Swordie]

When I was student and had no money I would drive my mother's 120Y. No one would race me.

[Aloof]

VooDoo,

I have a mate who would love a run with you. He has a XR6T that is stock and he has run high 13's at willowbank before. The best I could muster from the SS was 14.1 on the same night.

I'm not saying he will win or you will win, just that he is keen to race LS1.

Funny how the other camp seem to think the same about us. They all seem to think that LS1's don't want to challenge XR6T's!!!!

The XR8's don't seem to have the same issue.

Be warned though......Cold nights at willowbank seem to do wonders for turbo engines!!!

Whoever wins though?? Doesn't matter. As long as we have fun. I think a lot of people take things too personally just because of the car they drive. I know I will be crucified for saying this but.........its just a car!! I think when you go to a Holden v Ford show you really begin to appreciate the people behind the wheel, not the wheel they are holding!!!