Another Can-am hits the road !!
Discussion
I got the car back today after it passed SVA last week, and feeling like a kid on Christmas day fired her up and went for a spin. Oh my god !
The first thing that hit me was the acceleration - it's just out of this world ! I've never been scared of a car before. I owned a Grif a few years back so I thought I had an idea of what a performance car can do (the Grif scared me too come to think of but for different reasons). This beast's in a completely different league. I've been a passenger in one a few times but it's nothing like driving it.
The second thing that very quickly became apparent was the attention it was getting. It started off as a novelty when a gourgeos blonde standing outside a pub waved to me (ok ok the car) but it soon became irritating as I came across a lout pretending to throw a brick at me in the town centre, followed by an idiot going up my arse out on a country lane, because he wanted to see the badge (memo to factory - make them bigger please !). I had visions of me suddenly having to brake hard and well - you can guess the rest.
Continued ...
The first thing that hit me was the acceleration - it's just out of this world ! I've never been scared of a car before. I owned a Grif a few years back so I thought I had an idea of what a performance car can do (the Grif scared me too come to think of but for different reasons). This beast's in a completely different league. I've been a passenger in one a few times but it's nothing like driving it.
The second thing that very quickly became apparent was the attention it was getting. It started off as a novelty when a gourgeos blonde standing outside a pub waved to me (ok ok the car) but it soon became irritating as I came across a lout pretending to throw a brick at me in the town centre, followed by an idiot going up my arse out on a country lane, because he wanted to see the badge (memo to factory - make them bigger please !). I had visions of me suddenly having to brake hard and well - you can guess the rest.
Continued ...
Out on the open road (well OK Saturday 3 miles outside Amersham is hardly that) I weaved my way past the traffic, overtaking with small gaps effortlessly in 4th, and finally found a dual carriageway. Some old boy wearing a cap was 'parked' in the outside lane and I think he had a heart attack when I came up behind him (judging by the way his car jerked into the inside lane). Foot down and let rip. It's the nearest I'm gonna get to warp factor 8 anyway, bl**dy unreal. Still smiling now.
First observations - 1) The engine performs what I can only desribe as minor kangaroos at around 2000-2500 revs (1st to third mainly), is that to be expected ? 2) I'm gonna have to read that thread again on getting in/out. I can't see how I'm going to do it with the hood on. 3) I stalled at a roundabout. It's only happened once mind, but is that something I've got to put up with with a carb ? 4) Does anyone else feel the pedals are maybe a bit too close together ?
First observations - 1) The engine performs what I can only desribe as minor kangaroos at around 2000-2500 revs (1st to third mainly), is that to be expected ? 2) I'm gonna have to read that thread again on getting in/out. I can't see how I'm going to do it with the hood on. 3) I stalled at a roundabout. It's only happened once mind, but is that something I've got to put up with with a carb ? 4) Does anyone else feel the pedals are maybe a bit too close together ?
I know exactly where you are coming from as I got to drive my GTW for the first time on 27.9.06, a truly surreal experience and one that I don't think I will ever forget.
The one thing that I can see me having a problem with is the attention grabbing side of ownership. I am certainly not the shy retiring type but I just want to bask in the involvement and enjoyment of driving my car and am not looking forward to being a moving (or stationary whilst parked for that matter) sideshow.
Can't help you with the bunny hopping etc. as I am running EFI and am having no problems (at the moment anyhow) in that department.
Looked at your profile and saw the picture of the CanAm and I must say it does look rather fetching in blue, I have not seen one in that colour before and it suits the model more than the GTR I feel.
The one thing that I can see me having a problem with is the attention grabbing side of ownership. I am certainly not the shy retiring type but I just want to bask in the involvement and enjoyment of driving my car and am not looking forward to being a moving (or stationary whilst parked for that matter) sideshow.
Can't help you with the bunny hopping etc. as I am running EFI and am having no problems (at the moment anyhow) in that department.
Looked at your profile and saw the picture of the CanAm and I must say it does look rather fetching in blue, I have not seen one in that colour before and it suits the model more than the GTR I feel.
ultimad said:
.....First observations - 1) The engine performs what I can only desribe as minor kangaroos at around 2000-2500 revs (1st to third mainly), is that to be expected ? 2) I'm gonna have to read that thread again on getting in/out. I can't see how I'm going to do it with the hood on. 3) I stalled at a roundabout. It's only happened once mind, but is that something I've got to put up with with a carb ? 4) Does anyone else feel the pedals are maybe a bit too close together ?
1) Mine is a bit jumpy down at 1000-2000 but not that high.
2) Can't help. GTR.
3) You will get used to toe&heel to keep it alive unless you get lucky with carb mods like raised jet tubes etc.
4) Have no trouble with the pedals. (Drive to work in size 11 steel toecap work shoes).
You will get used to the looks but I have encountered the same problem a number of times. You arrive at a roundabout in a spirited fashion having timed it so that you enter neatly behind the car coming around in front of you. The muppet then slows down to see what the hell that is coming towards him. That's when you really need the toe&heel.
Steve
First time is always the best! Took a chum out in mine last week, he has a new 911 s 4 turbo nutter bastard thing. Said the midrange of the ultima is sooooooo much quicker than the 911.
My hunts a bit on slow town type driving, (750 holley) - Suggest you fit the jet extension kit if you have the same, will stop any stalling on hard stops.
Note your comment about an Ultima BADGE - is there an official factory badge? or just a sticker?
Car looks great.... any new canam owners ever thought about using the smaller windscreen? Much more fun in the summer....
My hunts a bit on slow town type driving, (750 holley) - Suggest you fit the jet extension kit if you have the same, will stop any stalling on hard stops.
Note your comment about an Ultima BADGE - is there an official factory badge? or just a sticker?
Car looks great.... any new canam owners ever thought about using the smaller windscreen? Much more fun in the summer....
Thanks for reminding me, I'll take a look at that carb fix thread again. I wasn't sure what the colour was going to look like on a Can-am and couldn't see any other examples at the time I ordered it, but IMO Chris's blue GTR looked the dogs, so I decided to go for the same colour for the Can-am. Paul, it's not actually a proper badge but an ali look sticker. Looks OK for a sticker in actual fact, but maybe a tad small. The factory added it when the car was with them for pre-SVA. I do have the small screen and from my memory of going round the Nurburgring in a Spyder some years back its great fun. I hope in reality I'll make time to use it despite its impracticality. Gotta get cracking on that soft top now with winter breathing down our necks (take the hint Chris ?) 
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.GTWayne said:
Looked at your profile and saw the picture of the CanAm and I must say it does look rather fetching in blue, I have not seen one in that colour before and it suits the model more than the GTR I feel.
Either way blue ones always look better than black. Especially after they have both been driven round the block once... GTWashesitalot
On topic... The car looks great. Really like the non-black seats.
I used to see quite a bit of kangarooing as well when running my carb. I'd definitely recommend finding someone with a rolling road and a knowledge of holley carbs to sort out the tune (or get a wideband O2 sensor and a book and learn yourself). As AS ship things it isn't particularly well set up for road use (great for power runs on the dyno though...).
I used to see quite a bit of kangarooing as well when running my carb. I'd definitely recommend finding someone with a rolling road and a knowledge of holley carbs to sort out the tune (or get a wideband O2 sensor and a book and learn yourself). As AS ship things it isn't particularly well set up for road use (great for power runs on the dyno though...).
davefiddes said:
On topic... The car looks great. Really like the non-black seats.
I used to see quite a bit of kangarooing as well when running my carb. I'd definitely recommend finding someone with a rolling road and a knowledge of holley carbs to sort out the tune (or get a wideband O2 sensor and a book and learn yourself). As AS ship things it isn't particularly well set up for road use (great for power runs on the dyno though...).
I used to see quite a bit of kangarooing as well when running my carb. I'd definitely recommend finding someone with a rolling road and a knowledge of holley carbs to sort out the tune (or get a wideband O2 sensor and a book and learn yourself). As AS ship things it isn't particularly well set up for road use (great for power runs on the dyno though...).
Hehe the seats are a really practical colour, expecially if I find the only way I can climb into it with the hood up is to step on the seat first
. So what kind of symptoms should I expect to see when on the road in this state of tune ? Does it mean that if I get it retuned it will be less powerful ? I'm up for looking into this myself, does anyone recommend any particular books/stuff online etc. ? And does anyone recommend a good tuner within reasonable distance of South Bucks ?
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