Killed a ricer....

Mark_in_Tulsa · March 3, 2005

Ok I finally after 3 months with this truck I got a chance to race a ricer. We were both at a red light and he was a 2 door civic, with a coffie can muffler, and one of those big v-tech stickers that give you 15 hp. He also had an oversized rear spoiler, which we all know we need more drag on the rear end with a front wheel drive car.

But anyways he took off hard first, and my highschool days instinct kicked in and I floored it also. Well to the next top light was prob a hair under a 1/4 mile, and I was ahead by half a truck length, and I was gaining on him.

Well we come up to another light together, and this time(for those who live in Tulsa know where I am talking about) and this time we come up to Sheridan, and we are on 71st heading west. And the thing about this intersection, is as soon as you cross the intersection, there is a HUGE hill that just keeps going up about for 1/3 of a mile.

Well on this launch I got to much spin, because I think my rear tires were sitting on this stupid hump at this light. So he got an even better jump this time. Well by the time we got up this hill and down the flat stretch of land on top, it was prob about 3/7 of a mile and this time I was ahead by about 2 or 3 car lengths.

Now my question is, I gained and passed him a lot easier when we were going up this huge hill, but why? If all things are equal, and we put a slight load on each vehical by raceing up a hill, wouldn't the outcome be the same as a flat race?

Is it because I am geared better for it?, or that I have a better torque to weight ratio?

facn8me · March 3, 2005

Hey mark. Good kill Yeah the v-8 torque helped you up the hill. His 145hp was not enough to overcome GRAVITY

black&grayHD · March 4, 2005

I think his hamster was tired

R Dogg 56 · March 4, 2005

Is it because I am geared better for it?, or that I have a better torque to weight ratio?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That would be my guess, but I don't know anything about vehicles. Someone else will come and tell you why you beat him so easily.

BTW: Good kill.

fastdrvr23 · March 4, 2005

Good race! Poor little feller...

Yeah, it would really depend on a lot of things. Was his car an automatic?

Usually, they're geared pretty low since the engines have all their output in the higher band of the RPM range.

At best, if it were a newer model civic like an EX, it would only have 127 hp @ 6300 RPMs @ 4800 RPMS. If you hadn't had the wheel spin at the start, I would have expected that you'd pull away pretty good from the beginning and keep on until the end. There is a faster version of the civic called the Si, which would be more of a match for your truck, but it still only has 160 hp @ 6500 rpm and 132 ft/lbs. @ 5000 rpm. Like the weaker version though, it still lacks enough torque to really pull the car around under load, it's mainly a high RPM, top-end highway setup.

Since you were going up hill, he needed more torque down low to make up for the time it took him to get the RPM's up into the powerband. This would be expecially hard on his car if he had an automatic, as he wouldn't have the benefit of holding it in a lower gear longer if it were a stick.

Anyways, my soon to be brother and law is 16 years old, and offers all sorts of insight about how kids think about those type cars. He thinks it is fast stock, and worries about parts like the spoilers, wheels, underbody lights and such. He has a 01' civic EX automatic that was my fiance's old car, and he says the "Cold Air Intake" he added (just a round filter on the MAF) was good for about 50hp. lol. Anyways, I'll let him think that way until he's old enough to take to the drag strip. ;)

SnakeEyeSS · March 11, 2005

nice kill.......and yeahI know that hill, I drive that road every day to work and back.....you should try going up it in a BMW with an aftermarket sport suspension.....I'm going to have to get better dental coverage

in fact next time your driving that same direction and road, watch the 1 inch gaps in the concrete every 10 feet, in your rearview mirror

Mark_in_Tulsa · March 11, 2005

nice kill.......and yeahI know that hill, I drive that road every day to work and back.....you should try going up it in a BMW with an aftermarket sport suspension.....I'm going to have to get better dental coverage

in fact next time your driving that same direction and road, watch the 1 inch gaps in the concrete every 10 feet, in your rearview mirror

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah I know what your talking about, with those inch gaps in the road.

I live on top of that hill, so I drive it at least 4 or 6 times a day. Its killer in the ice.

But I am sure I have seen your 69, and your BMW around town.

eda6 · November 4, 2005

Now my question is, I gained and passed him a lot easier when we were going up this huge hill, but why? If all things are equal, and we put a slight load on each vehical by raceing up a hill, wouldn't the outcome be the same as a flat race?
Is it because I am geared better for it?, or that I have a better torque to weight ratio?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you passed him easily going uphill because you had more torque.

sohc honda uphill= his rpms drop, he falls out of his powerband, acceleartes slowly and gets passed.

If he had a dual cam it would have came down to driving skills.

If he was boosted he would have disappeared on you.