Yeah guys, I understand all that.
BUT as stated,
we're not talkin about running a sec under the index. We're talkin about building a car that will just barely run under it's index. Think about it. It does not even have to run into the high tens. Real low 11's will work & give the car a chance to win every round that is not heads-up.
For those who have $100k to put into a car, building a sec under car is great. But, there are LOTS of cars running SS that did not cost near that much.
I've read here about quite a few guys who have their street cars running well into the 10's, with less than 470 cubes. And those cars don't have cams, gears, & converters that will run quickest at the track. And most don't have a trans brake, and 14x32 slicks, along with SS grade suspension front & rear.
With the rest of the parts correct, I don't know how much horsepower would be needed to run 11.00, with a 3900 lbs car. I'm guessing around 500. I know that some of you guys have all sort of formulas & programs designed to figure all this sorta stuff. How bouts some of you guys who have the know how, do some figuring on this & see what you come up with.
As mentioned, several guys have run under the SS index with their legal Stocker. quite a few legal Stockers are running high to mid 10's, with both 400 & 455 engines. So, if a 455 can't make enuff power to run 11-teens, without nearly $10, 000 worth of head work, it will really surprise me.
Greg mentioned the '74 400 engine. Lindy Lindholm is one of the guys who ran under the SS index with his legal '74 Formy.
This calculator says a 480hp engine will propel a 3900lb car to an 11.22 ET. I understand that calculators are approximations, & may not take into account converter stall/efficiency, trans brake, body areodynamics, etc.
https://www.motivegear.com/wp-conten...alculator.html
So, do you guys think this '73 455 engine can be built to make 480hp, without $5000 + of head work ? This is with light pistons, 760gr Eagle rods, & any cam.
I often think of Adam Strang running well into the 10's with his TRW piston 400 Stocker.
So, anybody wanna calculate about how much power can be made with this engine, without super high dollar head work. ?