"easiest" way to make a 200 mph car

[asp integra]

was talking about this with some buddies, what would be the easiest/cheapest way to make a 200 mph car? it would need to be a good car to begin with, aerodynamics and such. what would you go with about how cheaply could you do it? im not going to do this, just thought it would be interesting to hear everyones ideas

I think for me I would go with a c5 vette and turbo/supercharge. would probably be the least expensive way to go. what are your thoughts?

[Darell_n]

Or just buy a 2013 Mustang Shelby GT 500 for $54,200. It is claimed to reach 202 mph. Toss on a $200 nitrous kit for insurance.

Cheapest way I could think of is an early to mid 90's Camaro with a junkyard 6.0L truck motor and turbocharger.

[Kloubek]

I actually think the cheapest route would be an oversize engine transplant into a small sports car; something along the lines of a blown LS in a FB or FC RX7 ought to do it fairly easily.

The issue with going a route like this is that a car like that naturally came with a 5 speed at best, and is not likely geared for those kinds of speeds.... so that probably means a tranny transplant as well. But if you manage to get a junkyard find, anything is possible. I had a 944 turbo which (when running properly) was every bit as fast as many exotics until it ran out of gears, thanks to 500 horsepower and a fairly low curb weight.

You don't really need ridiculous amounts of horsepower as long as the chassis is light. Darell mentions a mid 90's camaro with engine transplant, but then you're looking at a 3500 pound car as opposed to, say, a FB (2300) or FC (2600). Fieros were also around 2600 pounds once you shed the GT garb and there are kits to drop in V8's for those already available.

You'd also need to consider how sketchy a car that is made for slower speeds might be with that much extra horsepower. Just because you CAN get up to 200+mph doesn't mean you wouldn't be risking your life doing it....

[Darell_n]

I would still prefer an aerodynamic full size car. A little extra weight is a good thing at top speed. (not racing for time) And using a domestic model you know a hundred people have had the same project, so the aftermarket is there and waiting for cheap.

[Darell_n]

Found an interesting list of drag coefficients for many cars:
http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Vehicle_Coefficient_of_Drag_List

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Darell_n
Found an interesting list of drag coefficients for many cars:
http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Vehicle_Coefficient_of_Drag_List

Some surprising numbers there... my Audi has a lower co-efficient than my MR2 did?

[Darell_n]

But look at the far right column that has the final number taking frontal area into account. This is what kills full size vehicles. The corvette is impressive.

[dirtsniffer]

There is way more that goes into how 'slippery' a car is than just the size of the front end.

[Darell_n]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer
There is way more that goes into how 'slippery' a car is than just the size of the front end.

You are correct. It is drag coefficient * the frontal area. Unless you possess the formula for 'slippery' the world doesn't know about.

[m10-power]

Porsche 996 Turbo with a ecu flash and exhaust will do 200mph easy and
can be had for mid $40k

Would do it all day long as well which would be very hard to find in any other car.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Does the car have to be street legal?

[sillysod]

Can't find the video, but Car Craft magazine had an article about a 1993 Mustang Cobra with a Kenne Bell blower that broke 200mph.

The cheapest way to break 200mph is going to be huge horsepower and loooong gears.


Specs from a quote on mustangforums.com

SCTA C/PS WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD HOLDER: 206.055 MPH
THE CAR: 2003 Yellow Cobra with black center hood, #265 of 8395, birth date: 5/30/02, 1 of 490 Zinc Yellow Coupes
MOTOR: Custom Bored & Stroked with Billet rods to 306.65 cubic inches – 783 rwhp & 828 tq. w/ conservative tune
WHEELS & TIRES: Goodyear Land Speed Tires Rated to 300 mph on Diamond race wheels
HEADS: Ported/Polished/.5” studded/Special Cams & Valve Components
AIR MANAGEMENT: Accufab TB with 2.8L Kenne Bell, Custom blower restraint
EXHAUST: Kooks long tube headers, removable cats, & Magnaflow exhaust with Tips
CHASSIS: Full chromoloy cage and K-member, Two Fire systems. DSS stage V halfshafts, IRS brace, SFI steel bell housing
MISC: UPR Blue Thunder Shifter, 3 hook quadrant, firewall adjuster, Every cooling mod known to man, Total Fuel System
Upgrade with Aviator pumps, T-56 with Viper Gear Set, 26 spline input shaft, 31 spline output shaft, everything cryogenically
treated and micronited. Line lock, Kirky Racing Seat, Custom Stroud Parachute, Raptor Shift light and guages, .5" wheel
studs and 1" open ended lug nuts, complete 10 rib pulley system, MAFia, SCT X-Cal, Battery relocate & external shut off
switch, PA Alternator, H&R springs, 160 T-Stat, Hood pins.

[Graham_A_M]

Like what Kloubek said, toss in an LS(X) series engine (with nitrous) in an FD. Find one with the 6speed manual transmission (or find just the tranny and mate it to whatever LS you find). You'll probably have to redo the rear axle since the gearing wont be accommodating to your plans, but that should work fine. Under $20k easily.

I dont know if anybody makes gearing under 3.00, but you'd have to check. Worst case scenario you can have gears built to work in (whatever) rear end you choose on. LOTS of stuff available for a Ford 9" rear, as everybody uses it since its indestructible and in good supply (and therefore cheap). Even with 3:10 gears, 200mph should be in the bag. Those LS series have a decent enough redline that it shouldn't be an issue.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Under 20K, this would do it:

Barrett-Jackson Lot: 435.1 - 2003 TOYOTA CELICA CUSTOM "JET CAR"

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=435.1&aid=223

[Toma]

Need 600 to 650 engine hp to run 200 mph.

[SKR]

http://www.ussarcherfish.com/roadrunners/1616.jpg

That truck ran 197mph at Bonneville, so I don't know if I'd say it's necessary to have something that's light or not shaped like a brick. It's a bit over 900hp and the weight as far as I can tell right now is in the low to mid 6000lb range.

It's also ran the quarter mile in 10.59 seconds at 129mph, and still gets over 20mpg on the highway. With different gearing and engine tuning, I'd imagine. Diesels are cool like that.

[962 kid]

Seen it done for under 10g. Friend had a FC turbo and sold off the stock drivetrain, put in a 1JZ with some custom camshafts mated to an R154 and HX40 and wired up with an Apexi PowerFC. Made the mounts himself, cheap and dirty build. 80/20 methanol injection mix on top of that to get it up to 35psi. Hit a rev verified 300+ speed, don't remember if he hit 320 but it was not outside the capability of the car.

LS in an FD is not the way to go, not enough power and too much money.

[AudiPWR]

There are a ton of people on the 1 Series forums who claim they have gone 200mph in their 135i. I have seen videos of them going up to 190 so I don't think it would be impossible. I would imagine it would run for less that $30K for all the mods to reach those speeds if claims are true.

Edit: Damn, only read to the 996 bid.

[bituerbo]

Audi RS6 + a chip will do 200mph for $20k.
My Stage 3 A6 is apparently good for 180mph.

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by 962 kid
LS in an FD is not the way to go, not enough power and too much money.

You tend to know your shit so I'm not totally denying this, but assuming gearing is not an issue, I find it hard to believe that a 500hp LSX wouldn't be enough to make an FD go 200mph. 500hp would not at all be hard to achieve with the LS6 coming naturally with 400hp and a blown LS would likely be 550-650hp.

2006 Lamborghini Gallardo : 520hp, 3150 curb weight. Top Speed: 192mph.

FD, LSX: 500-600+hp, 2800 curb weight. Top speed: ?

Is it the easiest way? Nope..... transplanting is some work for sure. But say someone took a FC shell ($1500) and dropped in a engine from a wreck and maybe transmission ($10,000), I can't imagine you'd find anything that could beat it for that kind of price.

[Darell_n]

A stock 6.0 L with an eBay turbo will make 1000 hp through a truck intake and exhaust manifolds. Just upgrade to Vette valve springs and choose a vehicle to run 200mph in, other than a truck.

[theken]

kawasaki or suzuki 1400ccT in a smart car

[sputnik]

I would start with a 32 Ford hi-boy...

http://www.hotrodscustomstuff.com/OLD_SITE/DS%20Frame/Bonneville-sm.jpg

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by bituerbo
Audi RS6 + a chip will do 200mph for $20k.
My Stage 3 A6 is apparently good for 180mph.

I can't imagine a RS6 priced <$17,500 is going to survive that, lol.

[zipdoa]

5 cylinder audi + GT30R turbo = 200MPH for $10-15k.

here's an s2 spanking 320km/h
nK6GwHjaxIY
and another s2
7cIIFb3yc6U


and if you're going to break records:

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/3122/image24124.jpg

[962 kid]

Originally posted by Kloubek


You tend to know your shit so I'm not totally denying this, but assuming gearing is not an issue, I find it hard to believe that a 500hp LSX wouldn't be enough to make an FD go 200mph. 500hp would not at all be hard to achieve with the LS6 coming naturally with 400hp and a blown LS would likely be 550-650hp.

2006 Lamborghini Gallardo : 520hp, 3150 curb weight. Top Speed: 192mph.

FD, LSX: 500-600+hp, 2800 curb weight. Top speed: ?

Is it the easiest way? Nope..... transplanting is some work for sure. But say someone took a FC shell ($1500) and dropped in a engine from a wreck and maybe transmission ($10,000), I can't imagine you'd find anything that could beat it for that kind of price.

Sorry, I guess I should clarify. LSx FD would either be too slow (in stock LS1-6 form), or too expensive to get past the power you could make with an REW on race gas. Like you said, to get an LS to a legit 600hp is a pricey NA build or forced induction and neither of those is really a wallet-friendly build imo.

Shoehorning a big engine into a small car is always a good way to go fast, swapped FC is definitely a candidate given you have the time/skill/tools to do all the fab yourself. As for being the cheapest way... there are some pretty talented/innovative people out there haha. I think the biggest thing would be how much are you willing to risk - going 200mph is one thing, going 200mph *relatively* safely is another entirely.

[Kloubek]

Yeah I agree. That's what I was saying earlier... these cars just were not designed to go that fast so you're taking your chances they might just become your goodbye flight out of this world.

[blackpeople]

Ok this is a quick brain storm, This list is also based on your mechanical ability.

Buy non running fc rx7 off kijiji $1000
Go to the junk yard and pull lq4 or lq9 gm 6.0L on half price day $100

Quick engine rebuild with gaskets and arp hardware and gaskets open up ring end gaps and so on $600

Custom built cheap turbo kit using flipped around truck manifolds, ebay intercooler and piping and twin magnum power T76mm ball bearing turbos $2000


2wd turbo 400 transmission from junk yard on half off day, rebuild with shift kit, clutches and torque converter $2500

Engine swap kit with drive shaft and motor mounts $1000
efi live and mega squirt or whatever stand alone you require. $1000
fuel mods, injectors,pumps, lines $1000
tall tires and light rims $600

Misc stuff $500


All this should put you under 11G and put you in a 700+whp car that should weigh in at under 3000 pounds with driver.

Now dont flame me cause this was just a quick brain storm.

[SKR]

One problem I can see is Turbo 400s are 1:1 3rd gear which would have you revving the absolute piss out of that motor. 28" tires with a 3.08:1 rear end puts you at 203mph at 7500rpm. I don't know where those LQ4 or LQ9 motors like to fly apart at.

[zipdoa]

Aerodynamics play a huge role above 160MPH, no?

[sputnik]

Originally posted by zipdoa
Aerodynamics play a huge role above 160MPH, no?

Aerodynamics or money.

The reason why you see 200+ mph Bonneville salt flats cars with huge amounts of detail to aerodynamics is because their cars are often bound by engine sizes, fuel types and other factors based on their racing class.

Building a 200 mph car isn't hard. All you need is a credit card with enough room and as much displacement and/or boost as you can fit into an engine compartment.

Building a 200 mph TDI or Ecotec is where things get interesting and a LOT more technical.