Wheel to WheelSince the only people who race dynos are magazine writers, we decided to plug all three power curves into the Racing Systems Analysis (RSA) Quarter Pro dragstrip simulation program. We have over a dozen years of experience using this program to evaluate quarter-mile potential with various power combinations.
The beauty of a computer simulation is that we can "bolt" all three engines into the same theoretical car. We chose a car that shifted at 6,500 rpm and spec'd out at 3,400 pounds using a 2,500-stall converter with 5 percent slippage, a three-speed automatic trans turning a 3.73 rear gear, and 26-inch-tall sticky rear tires. To no one's surprise, the simulations followed the power curves, but the interesting thing was the subtle performance difference between the Chevy and the Mopar. Despite the Chevy's obvious power advantage, the simulation showed a quarter-mile e.t. difference of only 0.03 second and 0.60 mph (11.74/117 for the Chevy and 11.78/116.4 for the Mopar). The e.t. difference could easily be the differential in reaction time, making it a true heads-up contest. The Ford cranked out a respectable 12.19/111.9 mph pass. All runs were simulated at sea level on a 72 degree F day with a barometer of 29.92.
| Engine | e.t. | Speed | 60-ft. |
| Chevy | 11.74 | 117.00 | 1.70 |
| Mopar | 11.78 | 116.40 | 1.71 |
| Ford | 12.19 | 111.90 | 1.72 |
With a Little Help From Our FriendsA project like this is not only very time-consuming but also downright expensive. First of all, we'd like to acknowledge JMS Racing Engines for the time, consideration, and effort that went into a battle of this scope.
Of equal importance are the several layers of help that came directly from Crane Cams and the crew from Daytona Beach, Florida. Several other companies also contributed to this exercise and we also want to note their involvement.
ChevroletAt first blush, most onlookers would immediately assume that the clear advantage in our competition would be had by the Chevy. It seemed obvious given the two primary constraints of the shootout-use a factory iron head and don't spend more than $2,500-since the best parts at the best prices are available for the Chevy. But the times, they are a changin', and cheap, effective hardware is no longer the sole property of the small-block Chev. As a result, Team Chevrolet (in this case, me) soon found that victory would not be had without a fight.
The SpecsDisplacement: 355 ciCompression: 10.4:1Cam type/specs: Crane PowerMax hydraulic flat-tappet, 244/252-degrees duration @ 0.050-inch valve lift, 0.516/0.525-inch liftCylinder heads: Scoggin-Dickey-prepared cast-iron GM Vortec, 64cc chambers, 1.94/1.50-inch valves, Z28-style valvesprings, LT4 retainersInduction: Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap, dual-plane intake, 750-cfm Speed Demon carbHeaders: Hooker Super Competition, 151/48 inchesCost: $2,188.84
Dyno DayAfter we filled the crankcase with 10W30 oil, JMS dyno guy Robert Hendrix fired the engine and ran it around 1,500-2,000 rpm to break in the cam for the better part of a half-hour. Later, the break-in lube was drained and replaced with Mobil 1 synthetic 5W30. The first pulls were partial runs to make sure everything was copacetic, though as we took the engine higher and higher in its rpm range, things were looking increasingly promising. Our stated goal had been 430 hp, and while some had scoffed, we knew we had to come at least close to that figure to best the Mopar, which we now knew had generated 418 hp.
By The Car Craft Staff
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