For the last several years, the V6 Camrys and Nissan Altimas have had 100mph quarter-mile capabilities and the Honda Accords are just a tick slower... These are just soccer mom grocery getters, bone stock front wheel drive economy cars.
Well, yeah. You're comparing a 45yr old economy car with a 55yr old engine design to a brand new economy car with brand new engine technology as well (and you happened to pick the V6 model, which are geared a little bit more towards performance) That's pretty much the same as comparing an old Hemi Challenger to the new Hellcat. No, we won't be as fast or get as good as fuel economy. So what? We have more fun, can say we built it ourselves, and look/sound cooler. That's part of owning an old car.
Ten pounds of boost can be tolerated indefinitely, in a stock slant six motor, I think, without removing the cylinder head, using a chemical intercooler like a "Snowperformance BoostCooler." I think just ten pounds of boost on an otherwise stock slant six will put a 3,000 pound A body into the 13's on pump gas. That is an appealing prospect for someone who is facing the possibility of a swap to a 318 or 360 V8, with all the expense and detail work it entails.
I'm going to go against you on this one. A stock 225 slant six may make 145@crank. This is what the factory rated them at, and I haven't seen a stock 225 dynoed to say otherwise. However, I will say, the factory also rated them at 8.4:1 static compression, and we all know that is an overstatement at best. Then add 30+ years and however many miles of abuse to the engine, and the actual power is anyones guess. We'll use 145 though, since that's the number we have, and for giggles add another 5 horse for the carb upgrade to a Holley 350. Now we've got a nice round number (albiet, optimistic) of 150hp.
I think it's somewhat common knowledge that throwing 14.7# of boost (virtually 1 more atmosphere) at any internal combustion motor theoretically doubles its power. So, we will use the formula
10(150/14.7)+150.
10(~10.2) +150
102+150
252
So, 10lbs of boost on a stock slant would theoretically be around 250hp, that is, if you can tune a blow through carb PERFECTLY. The chance of an average joe pulling a 13 second 1/4 with a 250 horse motor in a 3000lb chassis (btw, I'm assuming you meant 3000lb with the driver in it, which as you stated earlier, most street cars weigh in around 3400) ain't real likely.
Oh, I'd also be curious to know how much it actually cost to convert from a slant to a small block. I'd put my money on it wouldn't be much more than what Serj22 spent on his turbo setup ($1500?) not to mention it would be WAY easier to tune, and most people prefer their muscle cars to sound like, well, muscle cars. Not bread trucks (unless turbo sounds are you thing, which is sometimes the case)
The fact is, though, the performance capabiiities of a forced induction slant six is a too-well-kept secret... Hardly anybody knows about it...
More people know about it than you think, and its not some "secret" just forced induction. People have been using it to go fast since the before slant was even designed.
Can anyone on this board reading this tell me when, if EVER (excluding the piece(s) on Steve Nitti's excellent supercharged Duster,) they saw any article anywhere, at any time, conveying the details about what a turbo can do for a slant six???
Eh, there has been small articles here and there (Hemmings, Hot Rod's tech tips, etc.) People just don't have interest in a slant, PERIOD. Blown, gassed, n/a, whatever. It is viewed as an economy motor, and why feature a slant six and have sales drop when you could feature a plethora of V8's that put out more than the most powerful slant ever has? (Thats 630 horse btw last time I checked)
I have NEVER seen such an article, and I read a lot...
It's ridiculous...
This POWER NATION show should do a slant six build using a mostly stock slant six, a 2bbl Holley carb (with Hangar 18 mods) on a super six manifold, and a PISHTA J-pipe, and not much else, and show what it can do installed in a 3,000-pound A body.
Uh, 200 some odd horsepower. We've seen what it will do, and unless you're into that sort of thing, not many others would be impressed.
That should wake some folks up...
Or put them to sleep, because it ain't a Chevy/Ford, or even a V8. It's the standard for us Mopar guys, especially for the slants. You think we'd be used to it by now.
So, the boosted slant six will remain one of hot rodding's best kept secrets...:oops:
Once again, not really a secret if lots of people know about it and just don't care. A poor n/a motor won't make a good f/i motor. That's why the LS series of motor are so popular. Their small, light, make great power, and are bulletproof even when you throw pressure to 'em. Why don't we be happy that they are even featuring a Mopar, much less a slant, and hope prices don't rise on everything because the motor is gaining popularity!
