Gary Thomas wrote (loudly) :
>
> SO I DECIDED TO PUT IT ON THE DINO FOR A HORSE POWER CHECK,
> NOT A GOOD IDEA -- IT READ 80 AT THE WHEEL, ON A HOT DAY
> I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BETTER ON A COOL DAY
> BUT NOT MUCH.....I THOUGHT THESE CARS HAD ABOUT 105 PONIES
> BRAND NEW ---- WITH THE ENGINE REBUIT 3 YEARS AGO AND IT'S
> RUNNING SO GOOD I'VE BEEN TOLD DON'T MESS WITH A GOOD THING..
>
> THAT COMMENT IS NOT ONE I CHOOSE TO EXCEPT....WITH ALL THE
> EXTRA GOODIES I'VE ADDED TO INCREASE PERFORMACE (HORSE POWER)
> WHY IS MY BABY ONLY PRODUCING STOCK HORSE POWER???????
Gary :
IMO the answer lies (as usual) in several places. The factory's horsepower
rating was optimistic (to say the least), and I believe in 1972 it was 'gross'
horsepower, which meant no power robbing accessories (like exhaust, water pump,
etc.), cool sea-level air, and anything else the factory could dream up to give
a high number. It was also at the flywheel, and as you know, every component
in the drivetrain takes a toll on power. It's not at all unusual for the net
horsepower measured at the rear wheels to be 1/2 the engine's rated gross
power, so I would say you've increased your real horsepower from 55 to 80, a
quite respectable 45% increase.
It's also a common misconception that just bolting on huge carbs and headers
will produce a large increase in power. The factory intake and exhaust systems
just weren't that bad, for the engine they were designed for. To really get
more power, you need higher compression, a bigger cam profile, and so on, in
combination with improvements in the intake and exhaust systems. I've heard
reports that just bolting on a set of triple DCOEs can actually hurt 1/4 mile
times on a otherwise stock engine.
Of course, YMMV
Randall
59 TR3A daily driver
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