Performance Questions 225 vs. 360
Bill, I think you are kinda making my point here for me as to the cost vs power of the boosted 6 vs 360 to get to 500HP when looking at the build here. I'm not saying it can't be done & I'm certainly not knocking anybody who wants to go the turbo 6 cyl route, but there is a lot of time & parts not all that common when compared to the V8 swap. You can easily build a 360 to make 500hp using cast pistons & a set of ported "J" heads & bolt on parts.
If it's purely based on economical factors I believe the advantage has to go to the V8 swap. Even in a build that goes for 300hp. Something does have to be said for a slant 6 & the wow factor.
Again, I think it's really cool that guys take the road less traveled & make a slant 6 run it *** off! Thnking outside the box is what makes it better for all.
Rock on my friend!
Thanks for your interest and comments.
My point with all this rambling has to do with money saved (that you will NOT have to spend) on the slant six car that is, if not absolutely NECESSARY for the V8 car, certainly money that will very likely to be spent to make the combination work well.
Such items as as an 8.75", drop-out center section rear end...
Those rear end housings are a lot more expensive for an A body than the 8.25" unit, a steup that will work well for the slant six car. Has nothing to do with strength; the 8.25" is probably plenty strong for either app, but the fact is, the turbo slant six seems to work well with gear ratios (final drive gearing) down in the "twos"... 2.76 or 2.93, both for drag racing and the hiway. The V8 car needs gearing that is use-specific' a 4.88 or 4.56 for drag racing and a 2.76 for the hiway. You really need two center sections for that motor, unless it's just a race car OR a hiway cruiser. The 8.25" housing makes changing ratios anything BUT quick and easy, so, you not only need an 8.75" housing (and an A-body one at that ($$$) but TWO "built" third members; one for the hiway and one for drag racing... IF you want the most out of your combination. Those two 500HP slant six cars' owners (in the videos) have told me emphartically, that their engines don't LIKE deep gearsets (like 4.10s, and such.) They run better at the drags with the numbers in the twos. Go figure...
The premise for my contention as regards cost, was based on the original car being Granny's slant six car that was inherited when she shuffled off this mortal coil, which happens a lot. So, my numbers included a scenario in which you already had an engine and didn't have to buy a motor and the stuff necessary to swap it in.
The stock converter will work okay with the turbo slant because they have gobs of low and medium-speed torque. I bought one becaause the transmission I used had a later-model input shaft and the stock converter wouldn't work with the later (larger) input shaft.
Valve train items that work well for the turbo slant include lifters, pushrods and rockers. The V8 is going to be a relatively high RPM motor and will likely get some heavier duty pushrods, and roller rockers (aluminum.)
The low RPM limit for the slant six doesn't even require anything other than steel retainers; at 5,500 rpm (the redline) exotic (read: "light") valvetrain pieces aren't going to be necessary.
In the comparison of the actual "build" (excluding anyrthing else,) you may be right, because with the V8, no aftermarket alcohol injector will be necessary ($330.00) and the headers may be cheaper that fabbing a slant six turbo unit that will work to make 500 HP. You won't have to buy a waste gate, nor an intercooler, either.
But, the rear end issue, along with valvetrain components for a high-rpm V8 may push the cost over the /6 figure. All things concidered, it may be close...
The driveability issue should be a consideration, though, don't you think?
Turbocharged engines don't work well with long-duration cams. That means the slant six turbo motor is going to get a cam that acts a lot like a stock one, just with more area under the curve and more lift.
That gives it low and medium rpm torque characteristics much like a stock motor... no rumpity-rump, (sounding like it's about to die,) idle and greater gas mileage around town.
That may be worth something; I dunno...
At any rate, it's an interesting comparison, I think, and one worth considering when Granny's Duster falls into our hands... :blob:
Thanks again for listening!!!:cheers:
