It's probably not what you asked for, but I think you need to step back and look at pricing the bare minimum system.
There are other options if you study, and a custom "build down to a price for the info you are looking for" system should only cost a few hundred bucks. Remember, your looking for the bare minimum cost to get the bare minimum info.
I'd personally follow the 1960's Chevy Corvair Monza/Olds JetFire Turbo method via Hugh McInnes Turbocharging book. In there, there's a method of VDR, visual data recognition. I use this for some of my Road Warrior Dyno System.
Ie filming via portable camera a vitual dash board using conventional cheap instruments, and do 1/8 th mile (660 ft) data runs at 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500, 5000 change up points. HP can then be determined by the idealised 1/8th mile calculations. If you have space and can do so without doing 100 mph at the end of the standing 1320 feet, then that will be even better. I use the Moroso or David Vizard 1/4 mile to HP derivation.
These days, a cell phone or digital camera on video mod will work.
Other options are:For the price of a junked EEC5 from a 1996 on Cash for Scrap Explorer V6, you can hook up Alex Peppers Car Code system for 120 bucks. You basically hook up the 103 pin ODB2 computer, and leave the 60 sensors intact, locked in place so they don't trigger a check engine light code. The EDIS-6 runs your ignition, and the
I've delt with a lot of 8 and 16 bit digital and analogue data systems since 1996. Dollar spent for information, a US 1000 or 2000 dollar Campbell Scientific will do the job.
Once you price out the totals on timing, vacuum, temp fuel ratio it’s comparable to Innovates systems, or buying a trailer and an inverter and running an old Sun engine analyser.
If you get greedy, air fuel, exhaust gas temp, MAP, tps, or 103 other parameters can be resolved from the 60 sensors Ford uses for most OBD2 EEC 5's
The truth is that dedicated, separate digital and analogue systems are cheaper. So electricians separate multi meter and oscilloscope with good sensors and data logging facility will do the job if the sensors are calibrated.
Best system for the buck was the 1986-1996 Cygnus-1 computer system, used to stunning success by Peter and John Sammut from Sammut Performance Products, Melbourne Australia.
http://www.prosportengineering.com/cygnus.php.
I'm a civil engineering technican, Peter Sammut is a civil engineer, and his system is one of the best for the money there is.
In 1990, their 182 cubic inch Nissan RB30e powered Holden Torana Turbo did 620 hp with just a couple of turbos (9.2 sec 1/4s at 148 mph), and by 2004, their 182 cid inline RB30E powered 300ZX was doing 7 second quarter miles.
http://www.calaisturbo.com.au/archive/i ... 85399.html
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=20537
See the following from a 1990 Australian Street Machine Tough 6's magazine





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Today, for noisy environments where electronic ignition or magnetos are used, the DataStar DAS-1 is probably the best, which is the latest version of the earlier system the Sammut Brothers used. See
http://www.prosportengineering.com/products.php
Pro Sport Engineering
1090 La Londe Ln.
Napa, CA 94558 Ph 707-226-1556 Fax: 707-226-1433 E-mail:
info@prosportengineering.com