Tinker with a well designed car?

[tudor@tvo.org (Michael Helms)]

I have followed the thread about "should I modify a car that
engineers spent millions designing"?  Here's my $0.02

It's true that your car is the product of millions of dollars worth
of engineering.  This, in itself, probably means that your car is a
great package, which can do many things fairly well.  The problem is
in the compramises.  People who buy cars (any type of ar, from Ford
to Porsche) want it to do everything well.  In addition to having a
peppy engine and a responsive suspension, it has to be smooth enough
to take trips with the kids, quiet enough to talk to stodgy
businessmen while driving to the country club, and clean enough to
meet all the anal pollution requirements.  There are all sorts of
"hidden" requirements that the public doesn't hear about as much -
one of which is the time it takes for the engine to heat up.  Key
word here - compramise.

So, I'm a guy who likes speed.  Most of us do.  I don't mind an
exhaust that drones out the sound of my grandmother, and a suspension
hard enough to knock her dentures out every time we go over a crack
in the road.  It's all about compramise again - only I'm willing to
compramise more (and get more) than most people.  So, you were asking
about opening up the airbox?  I have no idea what this does to
emissions (probably has some miniscule detrimental effect), but I
would think the restrictive airbox has more to do with noise control.
 It's generally accepted that opening up the air box makes the car a
bit noisier (sounds kinda cool, actually), but guys like us do that
for that extra 1 hp.  Compramise.

I spent the last two days porting and polishing my intake manifold,
because I don't like the manufacturing compramise that Volkswagen
made.  Obviously, they are not going to polish every intake manifold
(the cost per gain would be to prohibitive), so I choose to part with
those hours of my life, in order to squeeze yet another 2 or 3
horsepower from my engine.  Same with the Audi 5000 throttle body. 
Though the stock VW throttle body is quite adequate, I'm finding that
it doesn't do justice to the other modifications I have (and will)
make.  My cam upgrade will sacrifice low end drivability (and it will
probably turn my car into a pollution machine) in favour of high-RPM
horspower.  More compramises.

It's not about "making the car better" ... it's about adjusting the
car to suit whatever it is you want (and the compramise you are
willing to make).  There's no shame in this (and don't think that
auto manufacturers don't know the potential of their cars, either
...) and a well-executed modification should only serve to increase
the enjoyment you get from driving your car.  That's what it comes
down to ... there's no such thing as the "perfect" car for your
tastes ... so why not take an existing car and build it up to
whatever it is that you want?

In short, hack your airbox to bits, if that's what you want.  Don't
worry, be happy.

Cheers,
-- Michael Helms

'81 Scirocco - the fixer-upper
'86 Scirocco - the daily driver

Web Site:  http://www.continuum.org/helms

"If you don't believe your country should come before yourself, you
can better serve your country by living somewhere else."  - Dr.
Stompin' Tom Connors


--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send email to scirocco-L-request@scirocco.org,
with your request (subscribe, unsubscribe) in the BODY of the message.