Giving up on Power Race, and going SET?

Albert, Too cool! Let's see, a 9,000 rpm small block chevy in a 1650 lb. car. Hmmm, assuming it could keep the tires planted on the pavement, I would guess about a 10 second flat quarter mile at around 135 mph and top speed? Big time fast....180+? Anyway, it's rare and even though highly modified from factory configuration I can see the value rise you missed. If we would have kept all the cool cars we had when we were younger they would have paid for a modest retirement. Do you think our vinyl will do that?

9000rpm is a hell of alot of rpms out of a small block Chevy! I had a 1961 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite that had a highly modified 950cc(58 cid.) inline-4 cylinder pushrod engine, that I could coax 8600 rpm out of, before valve float. It made 104hp, which is about 1.8hp per cubic inch. It weighed 990 pounds. Had 4.22 rear gears. It did under 14 sec in the 1/4 mile, and I could beat Corvettes and E-type Jags in stop-light drags. That wasn't the purpose, it was built for H-Production SCCA road racing, and the real strength was in the corners. I used to eat Lotus Elans for lunch. Those were the good old days! Nobody ever expected much from a 1 liter Sprite. Boy, were they surprised.

Now *that* sounds like the automotive equivalent of Thomas' audio system! I just hope the system is a little more comfortable and doesn't leave spots on the carpet...(I used to own a stock Spitfire :-)

Those Brits never did learn how to make a proper oil seal. Everything British leaks oil. Even Rolls Royces need drip pans underneath.

Tom,

I have an acquaintence that runs a 69 Camaro Z28 that runs in one of the NHRA Stock classes. He pulls 12,500 rpm shift points. If you consider the favorable stroke/rod angle with a small displacement small block as compared to the huge stroke in my 406, you gain more respect for my motor when I buzz it to 7800. Pretty spooky stuff as that's where the rev limiter is set when I miss a gear. Geez, I gotta get out of this car madness. I could buy a lot of stereo gear for the cost of a broken motor.