[DavidBoren]

I am far from building this, I'm really trying to get as much information as I can before I commit to any one thing or another. I figure with the proper amount of research and preparation, I should be able to minimize scope creep during the building phase.

But I don't have any power goals. I'm not chasing numbers. I am studying the different designs of engine architecture and I want to test something out.

The LS motors are the obvious starting point, given that parts interchange so easily and just about any combination of square, oversquare, or undersquare can be achieved using basically stock parts.

My general rule of thumb is that a vehicle should have at least one ft/lb of torque for every ten pounds of race weight. That's all vehicles. For spirited driving/hooning, a daily driven weekend track car should have at least one ft/lb of torque for every 7.5 pounds of race weight. And a track only car should have at least one ft/lb of torque for every five pounds of race weight. Peak horsepower means absolutely nothing to me, as long as it's high enough to get me the torque I want.

Those are arbitrary ratios that I made up some time ago. To me, it makes sense, and it keeps the power goals in proportion to the vehicle. The 4500#, 10 second Hellcat is a 1ft/lb of torque to 7.5# of race weight vehicle, just for reference.

I don't really have power goals outside of making sure my truck can scoot. If the engine I build, by the design I choose, doesn't perform how I want it to, I will do what everyone who fails at building an N/A motor does... boost it.