K
Kit Sullivan
Guest
Many people make the misguided assumption that the factory designs, assembles and delivers a car in the most efficient, effective and durable state of tune that is mechanically possible. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The reality is that the manufacturers are severely hampered by many emissions, noise, and economy-related regulations that in many instances are contradictory to each other in the overall functionality of the vehicle. The engineers often have to come up with heroic and extraordinary engineering just to be able to get the thing legal to be sold.
Ulitimate driveability and performance are often severely compromised in the pursuit of meeting all the various regulations.
As the owner of the vehicle, there is no regulation stating that you must keep your car in a 100% OEM state of tune.
There are many individual items about the engine that can be altered or fine-tuned towards a very specific set of goals. Performance, longevity and economy can all be increased with a careful and coordinated series of adjustments, alterations and parts replacement.
The engines in our cars ( and all engines of the 70s) were dramatic underachievers in reaching even a reasonably decent level of performance and economy due to the stifling demands made by the government to meet the then-new strict emissions regulations.
There is a tremendous amount of untapped potential in our engines, and it is relatively cheap and easy to "unlock" a goodly portion of that potential by anyone with fair mechanical ability.
The real beauty is that most of the mods are actually quite beneficial to the engine in terms of longevity also.
The reality is that the manufacturers are severely hampered by many emissions, noise, and economy-related regulations that in many instances are contradictory to each other in the overall functionality of the vehicle. The engineers often have to come up with heroic and extraordinary engineering just to be able to get the thing legal to be sold.
Ulitimate driveability and performance are often severely compromised in the pursuit of meeting all the various regulations.
As the owner of the vehicle, there is no regulation stating that you must keep your car in a 100% OEM state of tune.
There are many individual items about the engine that can be altered or fine-tuned towards a very specific set of goals. Performance, longevity and economy can all be increased with a careful and coordinated series of adjustments, alterations and parts replacement.
The engines in our cars ( and all engines of the 70s) were dramatic underachievers in reaching even a reasonably decent level of performance and economy due to the stifling demands made by the government to meet the then-new strict emissions regulations.
There is a tremendous amount of untapped potential in our engines, and it is relatively cheap and easy to "unlock" a goodly portion of that potential by anyone with fair mechanical ability.
The real beauty is that most of the mods are actually quite beneficial to the engine in terms of longevity also.
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