The path of most resistance.....again....

I don't know why certain people-usually people with limited mechanical ability-a professional mechanic or bodyman never comes up with such hare-brained schemes-come up with ideas that are not feasible and then get obsessed with making it work?  I talked to a guy recently who had read about Bonneville Salts Flat racers in the '50's and thought the Cadillac V8 stuffed into the aerodynamic ( for then ) Studebaker Coupe was a great idea and wanted to do a modern equivalent. I suggested a third-gen ( 1982-92 ) Camaro / Firebird with a LS motor topped by a Magnussen Supercharger. Sort of a build yourself Z06 engine to stuff in the light car. He showed a little common sense and said- "I'm not good with the modern Electronics, I was thinking something a little more Old School."  "Ok." I said and suggested he stay with the '80's F-Body-preferably the Firebird / Trans-Am models because they were the most aerodynamic having a drag coefficient of .028-.032 depending on model year.  I then suggested buying or building a 454 Chevy V8.  Like it or not-nothing makes more power for less money than a Rat Motor.  Sure, a Boss-Nine Ford or Chrysler Hemi can make as much or more power-but at 2 or 3 times the cost. In "Bang for the Buck" the Rat is king.  This guys says he wants to do a '70's Camaro / Firebird with a 500 inch Cadillac V8.  Bad Idea I say. First off-part of attaining very high speed-200 mph+ is aerodynamics plays as much a part as power to weight ratio. I explained that a '70's Camaro / Firebird weighs about 3,700 lbs and has a drag coefficient of .048. That's not bad for a 50+ year old design-( the 1970-81 F-bodies were designed in the late '60's ). But it's nowhere near the slippery .028-032 of the later models. Some of the '84-'90 models with the "Aero" pack got down to .024-that's really slippery. And the later models weigh about 3,200 lbs-about 500 lbs lighter.  Further-I said to get the 600+ hp he'd need to get that speed level even in a very aerodynamic body-the Big Block Chevy is still the way to go. I explained that the 472 and 500 inch Cad engines, while having copious amounts of low-end torque-they were designed to move the 5-6,000 lb land barges that were '60's and '70's Caddys that may have been towing a trailer.  They don't make any real power above 4,000 rpm, and their is very little speed equipment for them.  Then he asks about putting a blower on a 500 Cad engine. Ugh! "That's the point I'm making." "NO ONE makes hot rod parts for Cadillac engines!!" "I think Edelbrock makes a Performer intake, but that's it."  "The Cad motors don't have the heads or bottom end to make anywhere near the power level you need."  Then he asks about a 455 Pontiac. "The Pontiacs have way more potential than the Cad's " "Edelbrock and Kauffman make high-performance aluminum heads for them that breathe really well." "You can put a custom crank in a 400 block to get 461 inches."  "It's possible to build a 600+hp Pontiac". "But it will cost more than the big-block Chevy and may not hold together at high rpm." "Pontiac bottom ends don't hold up well over 6,000 rpm. " "The Rat is still the best choice, whatever body you put it in."  Then he asks about putting a 460 in a Fox Mustang!! What is it with this guy?  "Yeah, it's possible to put a 460 into a Fox Mustang, but it isn't cheap or easy." "If you want to run a Mustang I'd get an '87-93 GT with the Aero Pack ." Stripped down, it should weigh about 2,900 lbs." "I'd use a 302 with a stroker crank to get 347 inches and a Ford Racing or Magnussen Suppercharger." "The blower should give you well over 550 hp which will make you competitive." "A 460 conversion would cost more than double that, and may not have any more power, unless you invest 30 grand in a Jon Kaase 514. " "That's 30 grand just for the motor."  "What about a Dodge Charger?"  "An old one or a new one?"  "A new Hellcat has 797 hp and a 200 mph top speed." "But do you want to spend 75 grand on a new car and then gut it for a roll cage and make it a race car?"  "A 60's or '70's model ?" "Your dreaming". "Their a brick." "Even if you built or bought an 800 hp Hemi, they don't have the aerodynamics, and their handling over 150 mph described as scary is an understatement."  "Stick with the '80's Firebird and the Big-Block Chevy." "That's the easiest and cheapest, and most reliable way."  "What about a slope-nosed, fastback '77 Cutlass like Richard Petty drove after they outlawed his Charger?"  "With a stompin' big-block Chevy?" "Might fly." "With a 455 Olds."  Aaaauuuugggghhhhh!!!!!    Mastermind