Quote:
Originally Posted by 4.0i OHC
Exactly. But check out the GM Alloytec, now considered a joke in the aftermarket and even amongst those looking for a reliable cheap car. Timing chains anyone?
I’ve never technically had a Barra, but I’ve loved all my SOHC powered cars. I love the lazy way they drive, and how if you even breathe on the accelerator pedal there is such a rush of torque. Even the fuel consumption ain’t that bad on the highway (which is where I rack up the K’s).
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I've never driven a turbo barra, which is what most of the fuss is about, but I have a stock BA and also had an alloytec and other high rpm i6s like BMWs.
I'll start of with the good to calm everyone, there's a facebook group called 'barra the world' I've been looking at for a long time. I don't have a fb account but after the nag screen I can still check on projects linked there. Older falcons and commodore of course, but often the odd merc, bmw, nissan ford model t
https://www.facebook.com/BarraTheWorldOfficial/
The commo alloytec I bought for a cheap family hack (had air bags all around and I felt safer than my current EL at the time), was an older VZ, had the thicker chain so no stretch and served me well for 300,000kms. Interior fell apart just as quick as my BA ute though. Probably had less rust too than a falcon gets. But feels like a tin can and doesn't have an as easy to use cruise or instant fuel economy read out.
So when new -so rust doesn't matter
- I have no idea why au motoring journos rated the commo better than a falcon. Sure it could use 1l/100km less than a barra if trying but you'd need to rev it up to match the torque from a barra to keep up with one. The barra just has torque and you can go places without trying, the alloytec you have to burn fuel to keep up - so only more economical if you were happy going slow in a tin can.
That said there's a lot of fun to be had in smaller 6s where you keep the revs up compared to the barra. End of the day though if you're trying to equal performance/speed the fuel economy is going to be the same.
Some like the lazy big ford for torque, others like a screaming 6 and keeping momentum and speed up. I like them all and that's why I owned so many sixes vn, eb, el, vz, ba, bmw etc.
One day I'm going to barra swap something. Could be a BMW, a jag, or even my recent crazy idea of an import granada