Suzuki Samurai was Re: [geeks] SPARC proprietary (waaaay

[Phil Stracchino]

On Tue, Oct 21, 2003 at 05:09:41AM -0400, Michael Schiller wrote:
> On Monday, October 20, 2003, at 08:44  PM, Phil Stracchino wrote:
> >
> >Whereas what they actually are is lookalike fiberglass bodies on top of
> >mechanically near-identical steel-tube rollng chassis with mechanically
> >near-identical powertrains and suspension.
> 
> I could be wrong, but when a driver is driving a 'Monte Carlo' doesn't 
> that imply that the engine (at least the block) was originally made by 
> GM, and when a driver is driving a Ford that the engine block came from 
> Ford? Or am I showing my ignorance of NASCAR here?

Well, theoretically, yeah.  I'm not certain it necessarily follows
(don't a lot of the teams buy their engines from specialized engine
builders?), but in any case, my recollection is that they have to comply
with strict limitations on everything from power output to inlet throat
diameter, and by the time they're done complying with tech restrictions,
they might as well all be using the same engine.

The other thing to consider is that the GM engine a NASCAR racer gets
bears about as much resemblance to the GM block you see when you open
your hood as the Chevy Monte Carlo you see going round and round at the
track bears to the Chevy Monte Carlo in the local dealer's showroom.  It
might share the same basic block casting and MAYBE the same castings for
the heads, but that's *it*.


-- 
 .*********  Fight Back!  It may not be just YOUR life at risk.  *********.
 : phil stracchino : unix ronin : renaissance man : mystic zen biker geek :
 :  alaric at caerllewys.net : alaric-ruthven at earthlink.net : phil at latt.net  :
 :   2000 CBR929RR, 1991 VFR750F3 (foully murdered), 1986 VF500F (sold)   :
 :    Linux Now!   ...Because friends don't let friends use Microsoft.    :