[Hal Copple]

i posted this morning, then could not find this thread until now. There are enough variables in drag racing that i can' t compare the difference in octane and performance in my car. I do jet up one size in the winter, just on theory, i guess.

The Hot Rodding article was done on an engine dyno, pretty stout 340, it put out about 400 hp or so. They ran octane boosters, too. All i know is that i used to believe rather naively that race gas burned slower, or some such thing. Performance improvements can certainly depend on complex things like combustion chamber characteristics, and so on. I am well aware that comparing the Mopar to my Windsor based motor could be a far streatch, too.

But i did decide that i would not advance my timing just because i put in some "race gas." In this Mopar, power fell off abit as they added more advance.

I can tell a difference in drivability, not necessarily power, (because i think you have to increase power by about 10% to tell by the seat of one's pants), when the weather conditions are different, and in some brands of gas. Drivability i can tell easily, as i drive my car every day, in every weather. My car runs much better on "summer gas". Power, i can't say. I run race gas on all track and road course events, to reduce engine detonation risk. Not because i am good enough to use my car's power anyway. But at about 55 quarter mile runs in my car, i am indeed getting pretty consistent, proud to now run a very consistent RT of .65.

Perhaps a fuel's power and drivability might have a lot more to do with variables than just octane. Beats me.