Max Power on a rocket chassis

[turbo2015]

Hi Guys 

whats the max power rating for the rocket chassis...would 400bhp kill the chassis.

Cheers 

[turbo2015]

also what the highest powered Mev....who has tried and tested the chassis for higher power outputs.

I see the excoet seems to be sitting at 400 with no reported issues.

[carlyd]

There are more issues with power than just the chassis.
I know when I had my drive shafts custom made by the guys who makes them for Spire, I had the choice of two types of steel which the guy rated for BHP. I could have up to 250bhp or up to 600bhp. I chose the latter, better safe than sorry.

I would imagine standard focus driveshafts (which are hollow) would not be good for 400bhp? 

My Rocket had approx 220 - 230bhp, that's enough... trust me, any more than that and the limiting factor is the size of your balls and skill, not the strength of the chassis. 

[Stiggy]

Torque is the twisting power and BHP is the speed at which it can pull a given load, torque is therefore the limiting factor.
The Rocket chassis and suspension components were designed, developed and tested for use with the Zetec Sigma 1.6 100 ft lb engine.

[kiwicanfly]

Out of interest what is your intention for all that power your are looking to find?

Sometimes it's not about power

drivermod.ca/2016/07/06/you-dont-smash-a-lap-record-by-25-seconds-while-its-snowing-unless-youre-this-guy/

[R2S]

Jul 24, 2018 6:30:52 GMT kiwicanfly said:

Sometimes it's not about power

The Chapman philosophy, it worked rather well.

[turbo2015]

Thanks for the replies guys

400bhp is a bit optimistic. Car probably won’t behave at these power levels, im just aiming high.

id rather the extra power on tap for the odd mad drag race then not have it at all, im looking to controller the power through a boost controller, to give granular power when required. Stepping up and down as i get to know the car and road conditions.

[kiwicanfly]

Don't get me wrong I'm all for more power but not power just for the numbers or for "mines got more than yours"

I am looking at adding more to mine at some point however I will limit myself to the max I can get out of a 2.0NA, probably Honda.

Easier to put on a turbo or supercharger but that will change my class in the events I enter and put me into an unlimited power class.

Oh and to answer your initial question -

This MEV Rocket kit car has been designed to utilise the mechanical components of a Ford Focus MK1. The engine mounts have been designed to accept a 1.8 or 2.0 16v Zetec engine.
The chassis and suspension mounts have been torsionally tested to provide a figure of 2300nm/degree of deflection. The chassis has been designed for an engine producing no more than 400bhp and 350nm of torque.

At least that is what RTR put on a certificate using their letterhead and presented by me in good faith to the NZ LVVTA (similar to IVA). Consider that they made no significant structural changes to Stiggy original design and compare this to his statement given earlier in the thread.

And they wonder why their was so much angst towards them.