Guest KEINoze Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 I decided to burn off the excess carbon out of my engine while revving hard against an '03 BMW 330ci covertible. It was a wide open back road with absolutely no cars for at least half a mile on either side--no intersecting roads either. I usually never do these kinds of things, but what the hay. From a rolling start, I thought the guy was toying around with my slow car. Actually, through my blarring stereo I could hear that BMW straight-6 screaming its heart out. Hmmm . . . I kept up right beside him until both of us had to make a right turn. Of course, he slowed down to a halt for the turn. I just backed off and let him go on his way. I already did my job of removing some carbon deposits out of my engine anyways. Mission accomplished for me. I know my car hates being driving constantly below 4000rpm. Before I get my hopes up, is my stock 240Z fast enough to keep up with a 330ci? I seriously doubt it unless that 330ci came with an automatic. He obviously didn't miss a shift with a manual because there were no jerks or slowing down at any point. If 100% stock is this fast, I'd wonder what a bit of head work can do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akeizm Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 maybe it was in 1st Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 I doubt it... I ran a 2004 Acura RSX type S in my wife's 328i Automatic THIS MORNING at a stop light and the car was screaming for all it was worth, while my wife's 4 dr BMW walked it... Kid was PISSED! Those bimmers are QUICK! Maybe the driver was pasing you and admiring an oldie but a goodie! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 You have got to be joking right? Rolls eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 My wife's 325is 5 speed and my silver 72 240z (all stock except exhaust, electronic ignition and K&N-which her car has also) were dead even from 0-70 or so. Could be a 330 auto/convertible and a 240Z are real even. The auto and additional weight are both penalties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 The E46 BMW 3-series aren't particularly fast cars. The rumor is that acceleration suffered in going from E36 (1992-1998) to E46, and that even the 330i is slower than the E36 325i. Also, it's very true that the automatics are appreciably slower than the stick-shifts. My 1992 325is' owners manual says: 5.6s 0-60 for the stick-shift, and 7.0s 0-60 for the automatic; 15.8s 1/4 mile for the stick-shift, 17.0s 1/4-mile for the automatic. Seat-of-the-pants experience suggests that the 15.8 1/4 mile is reasonable, but the 0-60 time is too optimistic. By the way, today's typical V6 family sedan (Camry, Accord, Maxima, etc.) should be able to match or beat that 15.8 1/4 mile time. I only bought the BMW because it was RWD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 I was gaining on a newer BMW convertible (not into BMWs so I couldn't tell you what model it was) which I could tell was a standard. This was in my previously less than stock '82 280zx with 200k miles on it (also a standard). I waited until I could tell they got on it and then mashed it and started passing them. It surprised me I'll tell you that much. However, I also got the trash beat out of me by a '97 Firebird automatic (v6). I beat the crap out of it off the line but after about 50 he zoomed by. So go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 heh 5.6 0-60 that would give you a low 14 second quarter mile time easy, my Sentra can run a high 15 second 1/4 and I get more like a high 7 second 0-60. DEFINATELY too optimistic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 My 'Ol '71 Known as Goldmember would lay waste to most any new import including my buddies B18 swapped CRX, which I assure you would kill a 330 conv. Of course, I was relentless on it and she was a lightweight due to major metal removal thanks to mother nature. She also sported a header, straight exhaust, tuned SU's and air horns. And pretty big tires for an ol rusty 2.4L. The ol' hook and run would gettem everytime. From a roll, not so great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Well We're talking a bone stock Datsun Zcar in the initial post, right? This would be an original 17-18 second quarter mile car, right? If THAT is the case, I'd put money on the Bimmer... Just my opinion... Zcars are great springboards to something great in modified form... Pretty pathetic in stock trim, and I mean TRULY stock trim. SlowNrusty, I'm DEAD serious... Kid was so pissed, he asked me WHAT I was spraying in the 328i... I laughed and told him my C5 Vette was sitting at home awaiting his car to grow up and become something besides an RSX... He wasn't amused... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 bastaad525, you’re absolutely right – those 0-60 and 1/4-mile numbers are mutually inconsistent. The “literature†(coffee table books) suggests that a 1970 240Z should be capable of mid-16’s. 280Z’s, however, are indeed probably in the 17’s or maybe low 18’s. Also note that the BMW convertible is easily 200 lbs heavier than the coupe/sedan. Did he have a passenger? And one other possibility: the BMW might have been running 87-octane gasoline, in which case the engine management computer probably was pulling out timing to avoid detonation at high load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 KEINoze, I'd not dive into the engine just yet. A 3.90 diff from a 280ZX and a 5 speed will wake your car up more than head work. When you say your car is stock, you mean stock steel wheels with hub caps stock? Or do you mean, It's got a couple of things done to it stock? I mean, even light wheels and better tires can make a differance on a car that is hurting for that sort of attention. I don't think my '71 ever had any internal work done to it. It was very light though at 2153 lbs and it had 235 60 14 tires on it on 8" wheels and ZG flares. I drove it unmercifely. It had a good tune on the SU's and the horns made a noticable differance, as did the Accel super coil. The trick is not to race anyone from a roll, as they would almost always be able to take me by 3rd gear. I won all of races from a stop. I would just set there at idle, then as the light was about to change, I'd floor the gas and just before the engine wanted to blow, I'd dump the clutch and just barely spin the tires and very few cars can do that. I give you props on sticking to the beemer. Mike Kelly! Don't make me resurrect 'Ol Goldy! You may wind up with a piece of rust threw a headlight of your wifes new car! (jk) FWIW, I roasted a M3 last night in my Z28, which is pretty modified. The M3 had obvious exhuast work and the driver was an enthusiast. I could tell this since his license plate read "95MPWR". The first time we went at it he missed a shift(how do you miss second?). He told me at the next light. I replied to him that "It happens...". We do it again and I put about 2 cars on him in second gear. After that we went our seperate directions as to avoid the local law enforcemant. My Z28 is VERY unassuming. It looks completely stock. It has a noticable lopey(but not too much) idle though. Stock wheels with bald drag radials(they don't look like sticky tires at night while prowling the streets), and stock exhaust tips and muffler make for a true sleeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Jamie, Come gitsome! Hahaha Seriously, my point in weighing in on this thread was to point out that in near stock trim, most L6 Zcars are pretty slow... A 16 second timeslip in a early 240Z that is unmodified is pretty hard to get... A few magazines recorded them with professional drivers back in the day... But I never personally experienced that in stock trim and I've owned 18 of these cars... With a cam and some exhaust work and a little timing, I was running 15s in an early 260Z with no bumpers... I even let a NHRA licensed driver drive the car to a 15.40s timeslip... They just aren't that quick without gears, and some head work/ induction... The wife's old skewl 97 328i is fun. It is not a race car, has four doors, and is an auto... And I've surprised a NUMBER of much more worthy vehicles with it... But I suspect it is driver and not car... Oh well! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KEINoze Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 Sorry for the delayed reply. The modifications on my car is as follows: 280ZX NA drivetrain (tranny and diff) '83 280ZX NA 6-spoke wheels with 195/60-14 tires . . . and that's all. I have a 280Z distributor and a K&N stock replacement air filter, but nothing more than some quick shifting. (Forgot to mention I also have a shortened shifter which proved in my past to save you a few tenths of a second) In stock form, it barely has enough power to spin its wheels so you get a really nice jump from a standstill. I might go to California Speedway next Friday for their 1/8 mile event. Maybe that'll give me an idea of how slow my car is! LOL I personally reckon that my car should be able to do mid-16 times (not for an 1/8, but for 1/4). It's just a guesstimation though. I'd be happy if it's below the 16.5 mark! My goal is to break the 14 second mark. That's obviously not with the engine I have now! I'm currently researching all the different options I can take before I make a commitment to build. I know I should reach that mark with a mildly tuned NA L28. Magazine reviews and their test times mean nothing in real life. Most drivers out there don't even have half the skills of those journalists. Those guys literally don't care how much they abuse the car as long as they get the best times. I also bet they have some tricks up their sleeves since they do so many of the same tests. If I were them, I wouldn't be afraid to do some rev-matching and clutch-less shifting. It's only fun if somebody else is paying for it! It's up to the driver to squeeze out those final tenths of a second on a car. Those tenths make the difference on a track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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