Super Charged Slant Six
why use a slant six with force induction when i can beat you with a small block v8 for a lot less time and a heck of a lot less money?
I have been around drag racing for longer than I care to admit. It was a revelation to me when I realized, finally, how fast you could go with slant six/turbo setup for very little money. Tom Wolfe's BONE STOCK shortblock /6 (had a 4bb carb a Buick turbo and a Buick turbo welded to a stock /6 exhaust manifold, went 12.95 in a 3300-pound DART at 102 mph...
He spent VERY little money doing this, though I dunno how much.
A stock 340 at that weight won't run anywhere near that e.t. I have a '72 Valiant with a 360 Magnum engine (also stock) which I had a mild roller cam in, with a 4bbl and dual exhaust (early 340 exhaust manifolds) and the best I could get out of it on 8" drag radials at sea level was 13.35 @ 102. And, it was geared 3.90.
He (Tom) has changed a few things ($$$) like added forged pistons and rods, and a cam. Big valves and ported the head. Built headers.
Now, it goes 11.0's @ 122 into a 15 mph headwind, with a 2.76 gear.
We could argue forever abut this, but until you closely analyze the costs of building a turbo /6 and a small block that will equal its performance, you really don't know that the V8 is cheaper.
I don't believe it is.
There is a lot to consider; the basic engine cost (they give away slant sixes,) The final drive ratio (slant 6's LOVE ratios in the 2's on the drag strip,) while that V8 needs something above 4.56:1 to really get the job done in the quarter, which ruins it as a highway car, and the slant six is about 100 pounds lighter. (and, costs more)
The /6 can make 500+ horsepower at 5500 rpm, while the 340/360 needs to wind up like an 8-day clock to really put out.... engine life.
Ryan Peterson's turbocharged 2700-pound /'66 Valiant, /6 car runs 127 mph in the quarter with a 727 transmission! Might go 130 with 904, who knows??
He might tell us how much he has in it to get it to go that fast, but I'll bet you can't build a small block V8 for that amount of money.
A 127 mph Duster with a small block is a chunk 'o change....
Just my 2-cents...
