HugeMotherFuckingInt

I'm trying to write a HugeMotherFuckingInt processing library in C.

My first try, I stored the numbers as a char[] and computed them using basic arithmetic.

My second try, I stored the numbers as unsigned long char[]. This proved to be a faster, easier and clearer approach.

Still though, it seems to be a bit too slow.

What other data structures might result in faster execution of basic arithmetic +/*-?

Also, are there any algorithms to speed up the arithmetic operations themselves?

...perhaps storing highest used base a la XRAY[50] for quick Greater-than eval / Saving a few loop Reps here and there /// was a bit too advanced / Unclear?

+I spy a memory / speed tradeoff or two? //More spare bits is equiv to larger max addition ops (Instead of just two // add 4 or even 8 bigvals at once [2-3bit tradeoff's]).....