Speed Shop Studies Group: Engine Performance

Speed Shop Studies Group

Engine Performance Studies

Engine Specs on Testbed Chassis: 1970 ABX AMZ

Engine Class     Quarter Mile     Trap Speed             Top Speed          Car Weight
Inline 6             17.11 sec           @90 mph               135 mph            4138 lbs
Inline 6 (S)*      15.66 sec           @94 mph               140 mph             4138 lbs
(+8% increase in quarter mile performance from supercharging.)
Notes: Poor low end torque.

V-8                  15.22 sec           @95 mph                140 mph             4168 lbs
V-8 (S)            14.65 sec            @104 mph              145 mph             4168 lbs
(+4% increase in quarter mile performance from supercharging.)
Notes: Good high end power gains from the supercharged powerplant.
 

V-8 SHO          13.78 sec           @106 mph             145 mph              4213 lbs
V-8 SHO (S)     13.31 sec          @110 mph              150 mph              4213 lbs
(+4% increase in quarter mile performance from supercharging.)
Notes: Excellent low end torque, powerband sinks past 5000 RPM.

V-10                 12.81 sec          @120 mph              150 mph             4278 lbs
V-10 (S)            12.23 sec          @127 mph             155 mph              4278 lbs
(+5% increase in quarter mile performance from supercharging.)
Notes: Little benefit is realised from supercharging this engine,
excellent pull throughout powerband.
 
 

For Comparison:
 

-----RATTLER TEST

V-8                   13.56 sec             @114 mph             155 mph              2373 lbs
V-8 (S)              12.91 sec             @120 mph             155 mph              4168 lbs
(+5% increase in quarter mile performance from supercharging.)
Notes: Engine power remains constant in the light chassis.

-----END RATTLER

-----SCHOOL BUS TEST

V-8                    27.21 sec             @56 mph                  80 mph             21205 lbs
V-8 (S)              25.22 sec              @60 mph                 85 mph             21205 lbs
V-8 (N)**          16.11 sec             @95 mph                  95 mph             21205 lbs
(+7% increase in quarter mile performance from supercharging.)
(+41% increase in quarter mile performance from one boost of Nitrous Oxide.)
Notes: Amazingly low redline of 4000 RPM. Nitrous can allow for short jaunts past 85 mph.

-----END SCHOOL BUS
 
 
 
 

(S)* Denotes Supercharging
(N)** Denotes Nitrous Oxide

Conclusions: Instead of wasting tons of space on comment's, let get's down to it. I, like many others, naturally assumed that the Supercharger=big power gains, but in use, this simply is not true. Additionally, you will notice the massive performance of the Rattler equipped with only a simple V-8 engine, making it plainly obvious that a light chassis is just as helpful to realize quick quarter mile times as a massive engine.

So which engine is best? Well, in the ABX AMZ models we tested, the lethargic performance of the inline 6 cylinder engine became readily apparent when compared to it's larger cousins. In fact one of our test driver's remarked "This car is so slooowwwww". Supercharging the 6 pot powerplant improved things, but the larger engines were at a totally different level of performance. While the V-8 had better pickup, it too, was a bit lethargic. In the end, the V-8 SHO, with it's amazingly healthy low end performance and managable high end power made it the best choice of all, beating out the largely uncontrollable V-10 for practical, day to day, auto-vigilante usage.

This article property of SSS (speedshop@geocities.com)

Speed Shop
Studies Group
Engine Analysis:
ABX AMZ	Engine Type	Quarter Mile (sec)	Trap Speed (mph)	Top Speed (mph)
	inline 6	17.11	90	135
	inline 6 (S)*	15.66	94	140
	V-8	15.22	95	140
	V-8 (S)	14.65	104	145
	V-8 SHO	13.78	106	145
	V-8 SHO (S)	13.31	110	150
	V-10	12.81	120	150
	V-10 (S)	12.23	127	155

Test 1

For Comparison…
Vehicle Type	Engine Type	Quarter Mile (sec)	Trap Speed (mph)	Top Speed (mph)
Phadera Rattler	V-8	13.56	114	155
Phadera Rattler	V-8 (S)	12.91	120	155
ABX AMZ	V-8	15.22	95	140
ABX AMZ	V-8 (S)	14.65	104	145
Winston High Bus	V-8	27.21	56	80
Winston High Bus	V-8 (S)	25.22	60	85
Winston High Bus	V-8 (N)**	16.11	95	95

*(S)=Supercharged **(N)=Nitrous Oxide