More on "Less is More".......

We all read magazines featuring mega-buck, mega horsepower cars and for a moment fantasize about having the "Meanest Mother in the Valley".  But in reality, 95% of us don't really want that. I remember the '90's when "Pro Street" was all the rage-cars built to look and run like a Pro Stock drag car. A friend wanted to build a Camaro in this fashion and I tried to talk him out of it because he was going to use the car as daily transportation. I told him-"Clambering around an 8-point roll cage every time you get in or out of the car is going to get old real quick." "As for the engine-if a Super Stock Firebird can run 11.30's with a Quadrajet-why do you need a Tunnel-Ram and dual 660 Holleys?" He eventually abandoned the project. The way this applies to musclecars is like I said in the last post-"Bigger isn't always Better." We may lust after a solid-roller 12:1 720 hp 572 inch Rat motor for a moment, but in reality a 9:1 motor that will run on pump gas with a cam that idles at 800 rpm makes a lot more sense. Here's a few more examples where it might behoove you to go with stock parts or with a little less than the "Ultimate".  # 1. Intakes. There are a lot of great aftermarket intakes out there. Probably the most prolific is the Edelbrock Performer and Performer RPM series. However, if you read the fine print-on Chevy and Pontiac applications for the "RPM" it says-"Does not fit under Corvette or Camaro hood without modification." "Does not fit under Trans-Am shaker hood without modification." By "modification" they mean cutting up the hood to clear the manifold, or bolting or welding the shaker scoop to the hood instead of mounting it on the carb the factory way. With proper heads, cam, exhaust, etc-the "RPM" is supposed to be worth 25 hp and 30 lbs ft of torque over the regular "Performer". Think about this-if you've built the engine properly-are you going to cut up the hood of your classic car because you "gotta" have 450 hp?  I mean 425 just isn't enough, right ?       # 2. Cams. "We shall Overcam" seems to be the hot rodder's mantra, and it's wrong. Especially on a street engine, it's better to err on the side of caution. I read an article in Super Chevy about how they built this "Budget" 350 that made 400+hp for only $2,600. Great. Except the "Circle-Track" style cam they put in it had only 9.5 inches of vacuum at idle. That's ok in a race car that doesn't have any power accessories and will never be below 3,000 rpm anywhere on the track. On a street car-this cam wouldn't idle below about 1,500 rpm, which would mean you'd need a stick or a high-stall converter if you had an automatic trans, and you'd need a vacuum reservoir to operate the power brakes. The Edelbrock "Perfromer RPM" series of cams-and their pretty radical-guarantee that they have 10-12 inches of vacuum at idle-enough to operate power brakes, cruise control and other vacuum accessories. I would look for cams that have at least 14 inches of vacuum at idle for most street driven cars. Follow the cam manufacturer's recommendations for axle ratio, converter stall speed, etc and you won't go wrong. But just because a certain cam made the most peak power on a dyno, doesn't mean it's best for your particular car. # 3. Exhaust. A set of headers sounds great, and on almost any engine will add 25-30 hp,or more on the big blocks. The downside is ( unless you get a "shorty" design ) they greatly reduce ground clearance-you have to be extra-careful when negotiating a speed bump or a driveway or you'll smash them up. They usually make changing the spark plugs a nightmare, sometimes interfere with the oil filter, and need constant re-torquing to avoid having an exhaust leak. It might be worth 25 hp to you to drive around worry-free with the stock exhaust manifolds in place. Now on the other hand, many cars, especially Camaros, Firebirds, and Mustangs, had very restrictive exhaust systems from the factory. I hate the "crossflow" single muffler used on '70's GM "F" bodies. If you read old tests of a GTO and a Trans-Am with an RAIII 400 or with a 455HO, the GTO is always faster. That's because the GTO had a full-dual exhaust system, and the T/A's had that damnded "Crossflow" single muffler that cost them about 50 hp in bone-stock trim. If your not competing in concours shows, it would behoove you to invest in a quality dual exhaust system; even with stock manifolds you can pick up 30 or 40 hp and 2-3 mpg. # 4. Suspension. Don't go overoard on teflon sway bar bushings, and steel frame and leaf spring bushings in search of Indy-car like handling. A friend went with "Ultimate" Herb Adams setup for his Camaro. It did corner like a go-kart and it would cut faster lap times around the Reno-Fernley Raceway than a Porsche 911, or a late-model Corvette. However, on anything but glass-smooth pavement, it would rattle your brains out. It was SO STIFF, that the slightest ripple or bump in the road was transmitted through the steering wheel and the driver's seat with crushing force. He eventually sold it, because it was unpleasant to drive on city streets. Hope this advice helps people out. Mastermind