Need some opinons, Project Prodigy?
 

OK, I need opinions. Long story short, the motor we were going to run in Prodigy was an old motor I had. It never really ran right, so we tore it down. Upon tear down we found some bad news in the block, cylinder wall taper. The rotating assembly is perfect and new, so we are getting a new block. A Bill Mitchell Aluminum block!

So now we have a 11th hour decision. We can build the motor NA, no ProCharger, and save 225lbs off the nose and a lot of fabrication issues. I could build it 700HP easy and put some laughing gas on it and easily see 1000HP, or ProCharger it and see the same 1000HP.

Either way it will be fuel injected and all aluminum. My dilemma is it really seems to be a high end PT car, it really needs to be Forced induction. But I hate the bad weight of the intercooler hanging in front of the radiator, that's horrible weight, and the ProCharger hangs off the front of the head, more bad weight. So losing the 225 off the nose will go a LONG ways towards better weight balance. The ProCharger is about 80LBS.

Realistically, 700HP would be PLENTY, but in a world full of 1000HP cars, it needs to have it. Nitrous is no problem for us, very familiar with it, I can get a fogger for it easy. But does it belong on a PT Car?
It really was not even a consideration until we ran into the aluminum block deal, and the chance to ditch the extra weight. It will weigh less then an iron / aluminum head small block. Plus Nitrous puts 30LBS in the trunk to help even more balancing things.

So please vote, and I would really appreciate it if I got some comments from everyone, especially some of you that play with higher end PT cars, you know who you are. I do not want to kill the wow appeal, or value, even though it is not for sale. It still matters.

Just so you remember. Prodigy is full framed 67 RS / SS Convertible, C4 suspension, Double adjustable QA1s, 14" 6 piston Wilwoods all around, 12" wide 295 / 30 / 19s up front, 14" wide 345 / 25 / 20s out back, TKO 600, 500" all aluminum big block, four C5 buckets, Leather, custom one off dash, full console, power everything, video, navigation, etc. It is really a everything car. So I do not want to cheat it. Also, we do plan to enter it is exhibition of speed events, so it needs to work.

I voted "pro-charge" it :)

As you said "wow appeal" is big on a supercharger, and many people think of nitrous as "cheating". Superchargers look damn impressive, and you'll never have to fill a bottle.

Why not both??? :willy:

I also vote supercharger, but ideally for the "wow" factor and to be current it'd be a turbo. Of course a custom turbo install and "11th hour" do not play well together! :D


Jody

Yeah, I already mocked up for the ProCharger. Turbos are out of the question for this one.

Going the Procharged route would be similar to the Yellow Camaro that Jody built. I made 828rwhp with it but it was not a car for Power Tour with that kind of hp. You would have had to really pay attention to your gas pedal foot because that Procharger is making power and noise all the time. Turbo's make nothing unless you put your foot into it. Both add tons of weight to the front end. If it were my car I would build it NA to 700 hp and have a awsome car that would be very drivable and do everything you wanted it to do. The Mule is really neat but it is also really crowded and complicated under the hood now. I am redoing the Red Witch and it will remain NA, simple and more than enough fun. I see no need for you to add Nitrous unless you want to enter some event and really make some hp.

frank
 

i am going with clill, build it n/a to 700 hp and have a kick ass car, i really don't think you need to worry as the car has killer appeal, and twins are about as usefull as used tp.
listen to the man who has about one of each car, and he says over and over how the the n/a red witch is his most drivable and fun car.
700hp, n/a and be done

no procharger
 

my opinion...
i would build the motor & spray it if youd like .....if you want everyone to be blown away with the underhood appearance , i would spend the time and make it ultra smooth and hide most everything and detailed ...
700 hp is nothing to laugh at.....
so i say use the time in the engine compartment being simple but creative and make the quality of the car stand out in the engine compartment..NOT SOME PART HANGING OFF THE MOTOR..
TROY DOES IT ALL THE TIME !!!! EVERYONE LOVES WHAT COMES OUT OF HIS SHOP.!! I DO ANYWAY!!

THATS MY 2 CENTS
RADRAMBLER

i personally cant see "needing" more than 700hp in a street car unless its all about braggin rights. simple and clean NA would also be my choice, afterall a 700hp all alum bigblock is exotic enough for the "wow" factor.

superchargers are great, but with all the factory installed blower cars out there, the wow appeal of a blower is kinda gone.

NO2 really doesnt have the wow appeal either in my book, its use is more geared towards drag racing. with the prodogy camaro, i would think the NA700hp alone would make the car faster than safety rules will allow the car to go(full cage), so it seem pointless to add juice to it.

i really wish the "trends" would move towards function over "wow" factor, 1000-1200hp pro-touring cars are deffinatly cool, but its seems the only reason for the big power numbers is braggin rights...cuz the cars arent capable of using ALL of the big power on a track. if you could get the car to handle all of the 700NA hp... i would bet it would blow away alot of the more powerfull cars both drag racing, road racing, and money spent on tires in a year.

this is all just my worthless opinion.... do what YOU wanna do... thats what this hobby is all about.

I am with Charley on this one too.

Mike