Most Reliable Power per Dollar Spent!?

[Mysticle31]

These revver engines are $$. I'd like to have a good ole cast iron 2270 that could do it. I like the WIDE torque. But I also like the advantage of being able to sit in lower gears for longer then the other guy giving me the multiplication.


Jake, You've kinda been following along. What to do you sugest? (Dont' need anything WOOW! just 150, 160HP. 180 Max, or should I say. Max 10:1 HP per pound in a full mullholland 1302 superbeetle with 944 stuff.


I'm conserned that stock 1st gear in these VW's is going to be too short and useless.. (that's what jake uses in his trannys)?

[Massive Type IV]

The engine in my 914 is a standard 2316 Annihilator.. It makes 152 lb/ft of torque at just 2,000 RPM. Thats good enough to roast the tires any time.. This engine was the first of its kind and so far has been the weakest one I have built.

First is not rendered totally useless, its good for bad *** burnouts! I have an option of an aftermarket mainshaft, but it adds 600.00 to the cost of the tranny. Then we can run whatevcer gears deemed necessary by the dyno plots.

You tell me where you want the power and I combine the math with knowledge and past engines performance and make it exactly as you desire- thats the beauty of non standard combinations- and what you are paying me for..

Its all in the combo!

I'd say you need a 9.5:1 2316 with one broad *** power range and a flat torque curve- nuttin to it, just open the old wallet and slide the engine in!

[Mysticle31]

I'm not to interested in 'put the engine in your wallet' although I do recognice that you need to pay for the good stuff..

So what's the best way to make power good and get optimal use of the gearing? Mabey a slighly taller third. I'm not as much interested in the amount of power I have, as much as I want the ability to use what I have. (although willing to add more as long as it's useable)

[Mysticle31]

My train of thought is this: Making the most of the power you have (or finding a good range/power to get) for optimal take offs per your tirers grip.

That way if I had a really tall 1st gear to make use of the power then. Sure I could take it up to 50mph, but the top end would be useless becouse all the other gears would be adjusted accordingly. And I don't need a car with a top speed of 160.

I can generate more power perhaps, and optimise the gearing. Mabey see if I can wind the engine out to 7, 8 grand instead?

[TitoRay]

Originally Posted by Mysticle31

My train of thought is this: Making the most of the power you have (or finding a good range/power to get) for optimal take offs per your tirers grip.

That way if I had a really tall 1st gear to make use of the power then. Sure I could take it up to 50mph, but the top end would be useless becouse all the other gears would be adjusted accordingly. And I don't need a car with a top speed of 160.

I can generate more power perhaps, and optimise the gearing. Mabey see if I can wind the engine out to 7, 8 grand instead?

He can custom build your tranny any way you see fit. The engines have enough power to easily start in second gear but first gear is an extra "burn-out gear." Just say you want to get to 120 mph as fast as possible based on the power of the engine and the setup of the car. He can make the gears do that.
I'm not sure if you mentioned it and apologies if its a silly question, but have you driven a beetle yet??

[Mysticle31]

Now to throw another stick in the loop (mabey) its not about geting to 120mph as fast as posible. It has to be balanced with the ability to accelerate out of corners/danger just by mashing the gas in the gear that you are in. Unless you want to do it REALLY fast, you downshift (to get peak power). Does that mean close ratio? I don't mind at all if the 3rd to 4th gear shift is a little aqward as long as I can go fast enough in 3rd. (so essencially when I shift to 4th I'm not in the peak powerband but I'm already going way to fast (street) and for the track peak power band aproches rapidly. (Say I was in the middle of noware (AZ, death valley.) I'd like to be able to cruse at a good 90-100.

Of corce..there are sacrafices to be made when I realise how much power I will have vs. how much money to spend will make me a little more realistic about something I will never (or extremely rare) that I do (ie..cruising all day at 100)



Someone onece said autocrosers prefer a 14:1 total 1st gear. And I've seen drag racers use this SUPER short ones. How is that gearing good for them? And their generating all this power on top of it! It seems to render my little "efficency of power delivory and takoff" theory inaccurate.

No I've never driven a super beetle but I have driven many underpowered way high geard cars.

[NO_H2O]

The perfomance type 4 has a W I D E torque band that should do what you want.