Cookwithvette

Okay, I work with a bunch of ricers. General manager has a Hyundi Tiburon (sp?). People think it's a cool sports car. One of the assistant managers has a riced up Saturn with a big ol' wing some think it's cool but he dragged it a few weeks ago. 17.something with a .95X R/T :lol: I'd race either one of those two.

The issue comes with one of the dishwashers. Generally he is full of :bs but well... read on. I haven't seen the car and he says the engine was swapped with one "built for performance" before he bought it. The car is a Honda Civic. :rolleyes:

Now you may be wondering, "Is this guy actually afraid to race a Civic?"
The answer is not really. Here's the thing, I know many ZZ4 owners are turning 13s but they usually have a better rear gear than I do. I'm stuck with a 3.08, great for the highway but I don't know it would affect 1/4 mile times. The other difference is I'm still running the Road Demon which is too small for this engine so I'm probably not getting the most out of this motor.

I know that a majority of ricers out there are all noise and no power. Thing is, I know some can be made into fast cars. Generally I wouldn't care. If I went to the track and got beaten by a stranger in a honda I wouldn't really care. It takes effort and skill to make a wrong-wheel drive car that is missing a few cylinders go fast. If you can do it, more power to you.

What are good times for ricers? Do I have anything to worry about?

I'm expecting to run a high 13 or maybe in 14 territory and 14 is what worries me. I will head out to the track by myself before attempting a race.

Okay, there it is. It is also worth mentioning that I've never raced anything before. Any tips/suggestions would be appreciated.

The Dude

No clue about what the other car will run or whether you'll beat it.

Race him. You win you party. He wins he parties. What's the big deal?

Unless, of course, there has been ill-advised smack talk going on. If that's the case, I guess we have learned a lesson.

page62

Why don't you spend a day at the track and see what the ricers can do?

If you look around, you can find used rear gears pretty cheap. You need a 3.55 or 3.70 to go with your other goodies!

69 N.O.X. RATT

I would much rather drive a 14 second Vette than a 10 second ricer :U

Good luck on the race but it would not matter to me, your friends still have to drive those ugly terrible sounding annoying little buzz bombs.

I hope it makes you feel good to know that I love to run by those ricers at 6000 rpms or so in my solid roller cammed 454 with three inch exhaust and flow master 40's. Every now and then I get one dumb enough to run me. I take particular pleasure in running away from them like they are in reverse.

dladd74roadster

From what I've seen, most people with ricers will run in the 16s or higher. It takes a LOT of money to get those cars faster than that. You have to ask yourself if the person you are racing has the means with which to make the car go fast. My bet is that a dishwasher doesn't. You have a ZZ4 in that car and even if it had a two barrel on it you would whoop up on a stock civic.

Here's the thing. I have a tired old L-48 and my car runs in the high 15s with a 3.08 gear. My car was rated at 190 hp. Given that you have a fresh engine with a smaller than optimum carb with the same gear, you should have no trouble blowing my doors off and I'll race and beat 95% of the ricers out there.

By the way, my wife has a Civic with a Vtec engine in it and it is slow as Christmas.

I say go for it and take no prisoners.

dl

Cookwithvette

The Dude, I've been very careful not to talk smack about his car. Since I know nothing about his car save the vague bits about "rebuilt for performance" and "performance muffler" I don't really have any grounds to make claims. Trouble is he's obnoxious (sp?) and I have to work with him almost daily. I would never be able to live it down if he beat me.

page62, I might end up doing that. Once the car is on the road and I'm ready to practice I'll be sure to do a little research too. Trouble with the rear is I need the whole shebang. Seals are leaking and gears are whining. Hmmm.... Since all that stuff attaches to the differential it would probably be easiest to swap that while they are off. So many parts.... So much money.

69 N.O.X. RATT, I agree wholeheartedly. I just don't want to put up with this guy's harassment. Whoh..... I never said friends. :lol: :cheers:

Corz

i have a similar setup, however I am not running a ZZ4. I have a 327 thats cammed with an intake (road demon) and a header back exhaust system.. i also have 3.08 gears and a TH400. i can take hondas any day of the week.. the fastest one that i have seen in my neck of the woods was a 00 civic SI that was supercharged and that ran a best of 13.8, so unless this guy is boosting with slicks you shouldnt have a problem taking him. now what i usually do when playin with ricers on the street is launching from 1500 rpm in first gear (i get very minimal tire spin) and the car pulls to 5K very quickly, hit second gear and just pull away.. now all you have to do is worry about launching.. if you dont have a track in the area, find a deserted road, and just worry about getting out of the hole.

btw I run a 13.9@102

Cookwithvette

Thanks, this is good to hear. I know first hand that this restaurant isn't exactly generous with the pay.

Alright Civic beeech, BRING IT!


[Modified by Cookwithvette, 7:12 PM 9/19/2002]

Cookwithvette

I too get little tire spin but my technique has been somewhat different, I just stomp it. :lol: Once the car is back on the road I'll try holding the car and bringing the rpm's up. Almost all western PA roads are deserted back roads. :yesnod: I'm not sure if it's boosted or not but I know he's not running slicks.

This is good information folks, thank you very much.

PaceCarTN

Unless you have already shot your mouth off about it, don’t race a Vette against a ricer, it's sacrilege. :nono:

If you have shot your mouth off then go for it. If you loose just go get another job, in a different town, in a different state. :lol: :lol: :lol:

:chevy :flag :flag :flag :chevy


[Modified by PaceCarTN, 1:29 PM 9/19/2002]

ericshaw

I beat a decently modded vtec prelude on 5 cyl and one rear wheel (snapped cam shaft with two worn lobes and a broken u joint)

Cookwithvette

PaceCarTN, Yeah, I know, I should have just laughed and told him to get lost. I didn't shoot my mouth off but I did accept the challange. See, that was the thing. It was a direct challange in front of a bunch of people and since most people at work are ricers I have to lay some serious American muscle smack down. :)

ericshaw, That is the funniest thing I've heard in a while. I'm feeling better and better about this. By the way.... your sig is great. :cheers: Oh yeah, the chef where I work is also named Eric Shaw. Weird...

VegasJen

most of the ricers i've heard consider "rebuilt for performance" consisting of a boosted up fuel pressure regulator and maybe, maybe a different cam. maybe what he meant was when it was rebuilt, they put a thinner head gasket in for a little more compression :rolleyes: ?
i think you should demand to see both the car he intends to run and proof he owns it. maybe he has a friend or relative who is NOT a dishwasher and maybe can actually make a rice fart run. if it's his, run him since you already agreed but just be warned: if you get spanked that'll be two places (your job and here) you can't come without getting your chops busted over it! good luck and :cheers:

nitrocharger

In most cases I would say that with a ZZ4, you have nothing to worry about. I would seriously try to get the inside scoop on his car though, but dont make it look like your worried about it. Find out what has been done to it. As pathetic as it sounds, a rice burner with a decent nitrous system (notice I didnt say NAUWSSS!) can easily hit the 300 HP mark. Since it's relatively cheap, I think a dishwasher could afford one. Practice lauches, away from enemy spectators, and get comfortable with your car. Try not to give out to much information about your car-if anything say it is a stock motor. That way if he beats you, you can comment on how wonderful Japanese technology has become 50 years after your engine was designed. If you win, he will feel even worse that his car cant take a 20 some year old car. Of course if you do lose, you will have to change your screen name b/c there will be many posts of ridicule against you. Beat that ricer, make us proud!!!!!!!!!!!!
~Christian

A C

I agree. :yesnod:

When I have been at the drags, the imports I have seen have generally run in the 16-17 second range. Even to get them into the 14's is expensive for a Civic. For a lot of us that's factory stock times. Unless he has some sort of extremely modded Civic, I wouldn't worry too much.

AC

'79ProwlerOrange

with my mildy hot rodded L-82, and 3.55 gears i beat up on mustangs, who beat up on ricers. ZZ4s have more guts than my motor. with 4.11s im taking SSs off the line. :yesnod:

Justin79-L-82

I wouldn't worry to much.... unless it's a honda s2000 or something :eek:

blackguard

My friend has a 95 integra gsr with a small shot of nitrous, intake, exhaust, just bolt ons. I've seen him run a 13.5 at the track on regular street tires.

Jack71

Turn him into Rice Pudding.

You will likely destroy him.

Approach -- Take one of his friends for a ride, and really lay off it. Like half throttle. Then brag to his how you will crush him. Then ask him to put some money down.

Hitch

All I have to say is be careful. I was into that scene until about 5 yrs ago and still get the mags just to see what is new. As before almost anyone can drop a B16A into a Civic now. This engine alone make more horsepower than yours in stock form. However as you have stated you have a ZZ4 W/ 350hp to his 200hp. Now if he does have some work done we'll conservatively say he has 250hp at the crank.

Now we enter the realm of power to weight your 3000 lbs on a good day his 2300 lbs everyday. Will the 700-800 lbs make a difference it depends on how much work was done to the motor on "his" car.

I definately wouldn't spout off to much yet. Happy racin...
Dave....