Musing about older cars vs new cars got me thinking about engine volumetric efficiency. For decades the small block Chevy was performance per dollar king. 327/327 ci/hp was good stock #. If you wanted 450 hp, change all the intenals, valves, cam, carb, manifolds, headers, exhaust, etc. Might cost $10K, could cost lot more.
Our car comes with 197 hp, or 2 hp/ci, twice as much as a high performance small block. I doubt any amount of money could make 654 hp from a 327 ci small block.
The latest Gibson (Zytec) racing engine for LMP 2 makes 2.54 hp/ci. It is naturally aspirated. I could not find a price online, more than $50K likely.
Want to make the same volumetric efficiency as the 2017 Gibsons that will be at all the endurance races? You need 246 hp. We have members' reports of reaching that with a tune.
At most a hybrid turbo, I/C and some tuning, keep same intake, maifolds, exhaust, probably cost less than $3K and you already have the brakes, suspension, chassis and tires to handle the extra hp.
I know, we are turbo-charged and they are not. I know racing turbos make a lot more hp/volume. I am speaking more to what real folks can afford and drive daily. Of course, there is real joy in big torque early, turbos offer it and N/A does not.
No wonder we are loving these cars. Amazing facts for fun and tell, but only among ourselves. One of the best things about it is no one else knows.
Our car comes with 197 hp, or 2 hp/ci, twice as much as a high performance small block. I doubt any amount of money could make 654 hp from a 327 ci small block.
The latest Gibson (Zytec) racing engine for LMP 2 makes 2.54 hp/ci. It is naturally aspirated. I could not find a price online, more than $50K likely.
Want to make the same volumetric efficiency as the 2017 Gibsons that will be at all the endurance races? You need 246 hp. We have members' reports of reaching that with a tune.
At most a hybrid turbo, I/C and some tuning, keep same intake, maifolds, exhaust, probably cost less than $3K and you already have the brakes, suspension, chassis and tires to handle the extra hp.
I know, we are turbo-charged and they are not. I know racing turbos make a lot more hp/volume. I am speaking more to what real folks can afford and drive daily. Of course, there is real joy in big torque early, turbos offer it and N/A does not.
No wonder we are loving these cars. Amazing facts for fun and tell, but only among ourselves. One of the best things about it is no one else knows.