Easy way to add HP?

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by Selo

Great info, thank you. My question is cost. A new motor is 6-10, right? But I could sell my current motor for 2-3. So what's a FI system cost? At some point it might be less complicated and more cost effective to put in a new motor.

This is another good alternative if you elect not to keep your current engine.

As a rule of thumb I want my Cobra driving experience to be a more responsive spirited sort of event than my daily driver so I look for things like throttle response and seat of the pants confirmations.

To get the necessary attitude adjustments when I drive, I found I needed somewhere north of about 400/450 hp. That number can and does move around (and usually moves higher) the longer you own the car.

Lets be conservative and say you loose 15% of your sea level power at altitude. If 400 is your power target then you need an engine that is rated for approximately 470 HP at sea level. If 450 is your target then you need an engine that is rated for ~530 HP (or so) at sea level.

Those are relatively easy to achieve goals.


Ed


p.s. I would be less focussed on the big block small block sort of criteria and pay the most attention to how much low speed torque my engine choice provides. 530 HP with 500 ft/lbs of torque at 3000 rpm is a very different driving experience than 530 HP with 390 ft/lbs of torque but at 7200 rpm — extreme examples but you get the gist.