With our new eco-friendly President being sworn in, many in the industry have felt the squeeze-most of all, the General. For those of you holding your breath for the G8 ST, my condolences. Some of you may be wondering what this will mean for our performance vehicles. So far, GM assures us that our beloved Camaro, Corvette and G8 are safe. But over the long haul, many of you may be curious, or should I say nervous.
Thankfully several projects I have heard of seem to validate the ability of modified performance vehicles to survive the modern emissions-conscious era. The first is E85-based builds, mostly in the Midwest where the fuel is more common, which not only cut down on the use of fossil fuels, but also takes advantage of the ethanol-enriched fuel's high octane rating. I have also heard of one Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) build, which is one of the most ambitious yet. But I am most anxious to see other electric-powered tire burners besides the Tesla roadster, and even some turbo biodiesels, start tearing up the strip. If in fact California emissions standards become nation-wide, we'll soon be reevaluating what we call a streetcar.
Over the years it seems streetcars have become more and more radical. Seven hundred and even one thousand rear wheel horsepower has replaced the old standard of what was conceivable in street trim. Methanol injection, intercoolers, high quality unleaded race fuels, and now E85 have made high boost and high compression street-viable. PCM/ECM technology, too, has come a long way, which has helped the aftermarket. Though with every new generation, software makers have had to scramble to crack the new code, the increased power and capabilities have eliminated the need for aftermarket EFI on most builds.
High boost and big cams used to be considered completely incompatible with our PROM, OBD I, and early OBD II-equipped F-, Y- and B-bodies, and nearly still are. Accel DFI was as common in late model shops as spark plugs, as a result. But now your average late model shop is all too happy to use HP Tuners or EFI Live on your stock computer, and looks at a TBI, TPI or LT1 like an antique. How can you blame them? The Gen III and IV SBC is perhaps the most efficient and easy to modify V-8 in the modern era. I've been pulling my hair out for weeks swapping motors in my '94 Formula, wondering when I'll finally wise up.
As our DOD-equipped ProCharged G8, turbocharged Cobalt SS, and CARB-legal '99 SS build (aka CT) show, modern technology and emissions controls are no longer the enemy of the aftermarket. If given a chance, hot rodders and the EPA's agenda can co-exist. Unfortunately my greatest doubts are on the fate of our beloved Gen I and II SBCs, as they are once again relegated to the red-headed step children role, not old enough to be considered a "classic," yet not new enough to have anywhere near the efficiency it will need to meet newer standards. Soon these dirt-cheap buys could become more expensive when a truck and trailer is required to get them to and from the track. Hopefully this will not discourage you from continuing to turn your late model GMs into some of the badest rides on the planet. For me personally, I don't know what will become of my LT1, but I certainly don't plan to make my Formula go any slower--quite the opposite in fact.