[427sharpe]

Again, too many hard runners in SVRA ARE running pump gas to good effect, and my BB has been alive and well for many years. If, during motor assembly, you pay attention to quench and flame travel you CAN tune a motor to run VERY well on straight gas. NASCAR would be a prime example that seems to be overlooked by most. While I would not suggest trying to get 750 hp out of 358 cubes for the street, the fact remains that with proper tuning and assembly ANY motor will deliver excellent power. Having said that, if you take the old approach and build a 60's motor, yes, you will need 60's fuel. Set up to modern engine building techniques, boys! Again, using the NASCAR example, remember that most engine builders in that arena run LESS than 11:1 compression to achieve the hp numbers they do in race motors. Food for thought. They idea was brought up about claimer engines, etc...Do you think EVERYBODY else was running doctored gas, or do some just have more modern engine building techniques to get more power and stay within the rules? Without going into a diatribe on motor building, remember that detonation is caused by HOT SPOTS in the combustion chamber. Usually caused by inadequate quench, burrs in the chamber or excessive carbon build up. If you clean the casting from sharp edges and excessive roughness (NOT THE SAME AS POLISHING!) and keep the combustion chamber CLEAN of carbon buildup you will be surprised at how much power you can make on 'pump' gas. I suggest a trip to a SAAC or SVRA National will open your horizons a bit. Also, remember that NEW CARS (Cobra, Corvette, Ferrari, etc..) ARE designed to run on 93 octane, and deliver power AND reliability...again, modern techniques yield modern results.