Where are the lower class cars?

Dwight Southerland · 06-24-2011, 06:33 PM

Here is another observation. When you consider the cost of building a full high tech car, there is little difference in the cost of building a 4-bbl V8 of any variety. What I mean is, if you are building a small block Chevy, for example, there is little difference to build a 305 smogger as it is to build a top of the line high performance version. The cost of the pistons, rods, valve train, heads, machine work, suspension, roll bar/cage, transmission, accessories, trick parts, etc. etc. is the same for the 305 that runs high elevens as it is for a ten second combination. The same for about any manufacturer. So why spend all that time and money on a mid to high eleven second car when you can go tens for the same $$? The are anomalies to those characteristics, but I would dare say that Wade Owens' 283 M/SA cost just as much as a competitive C or D car. It's not until you get away from some of the basic standard 4-bbl V8 costs that things change dramatically. Now I know that an FE Ford or a Hemi costs more than a small block Chevy, but as a rule you will have some basic core costs that are the same. That is a major reason why more faster cars are built.

06-24-2011, 06:33 PM	#11
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 2,001 Likes: 64 Liked 780 Times in 194 Posts	Re: Where are the lower class cars? Here is another observation. When you consider the cost of building a full high tech car, there is little difference in the cost of building a 4-bbl V8 of any variety. What I mean is, if you are building a small block Chevy, for example, there is little difference to build a 305 smogger as it is to build a top of the line high performance version. The cost of the pistons, rods, valve train, heads, machine work, suspension, roll bar/cage, transmission, accessories, trick parts, etc. etc. is the same for the 305 that runs high elevens as it is for a ten second combination. The same for about any manufacturer. So why spend all that time and money on a mid to high eleven second car when you can go tens for the same $$? The are anomalies to those characteristics, but I would dare say that Wade Owens' 283 M/SA cost just as much as a competitive C or D car. It's not until you get away from some of the basic standard 4-bbl V8 costs that things change dramatically. Now I know that an FE Ford or a Hemi costs more than a small block Chevy, but as a rule you will have some basic core costs that are the same. That is a major reason why more faster cars are built.