17 and in need for power!!

If you went w/ a turbo & inter-cooler, you would no longer desire a V-8. However, that is a roll-your-own solution. You would likely be out of high school, even college, before you finished that, with your car down the whole time, plus a wife & kids by then, no time to touch the car, ... driving a cheap minivan in the interim, i.e. life. Choose your battles carefully.