how to add horsepower

what is the cheapest way to add horsepower

The cheapest way is to take weight away-- won't cost you anything but can add "effective" HP.

Horsepower isn't cheap.

what is the cheapest way to add horsepower


A calculator.

Do some research.
Find out what other people have done to your make and model of car for more power. Different cars have different approaches to make more power.

For example, owners of EFI Mustangs with the 302 V8 found that removing a baffle from the air filter box would give some hp for free. However, most other cars would not respond to airbox mods in this way, simply because their air filter set ups are different.

So, some knowledge goes a long way.

buy a higher HP car

More rpm, more tork.

A little of both at the same time does wonders.

A substantial addition of both at same time does great wonders.

Horsepower is applied in many different forms. An earth moving machine may have huge horsepower but it still moves slowly. A fuel dragster may make collossal power but in an entirely different realm.

If you are to get an informed answer to your question you will need to tell us what the function of your ride is to be. Are you a drifter, a dragster, an off roader, a circle tracker, road racer, a stop light grand prix affiianado or what ? Recommendations are different for each. Probably the least expensive route for street hoodlums is nitrous. After that, a puffer of some sort. Internals are at the end of the line for improvement but are frequently the most dramatic. In any case the double barreled question is: how fast do you want to go+ how much money will you spend.