Max HP for a DD?
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Lenoir NC
Max HP for a DD?
Hello all
I have a 1977 corvette. I'm in the planing stages ATM going to to a frame off build soon. I would like to know what is the max HP I could get and still have a good DD? I would like to get around 25 mpg the cam not be so load I can't hear the radio or shake the car. My plan ATM is to start with a LS3 bare block and L92 heads. The engine will be n/a.
Thanks in advance for the info and help
I have a 1977 corvette. I'm in the planing stages ATM going to to a frame off build soon. I would like to know what is the max HP I could get and still have a good DD? I would like to get around 25 mpg the cam not be so load I can't hear the radio or shake the car. My plan ATM is to start with a LS3 bare block and L92 heads. The engine will be n/a.
Thanks in advance for the info and help
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,039
Likes: 670
From: FL
With the LS3/L92 you can easily be at 550-600 hp NA. Of course, my idea of a daily driver may not equal your idea of a daily driver. Suggest you head over to www.ls1tech.com to talk to some of the experts over there.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I've already gone through it from a 350ci to 427ci small block. When I build a motor for myself I want to be able to cruise around at low rpm and low speed, be able to sit in traffic etc etc. You can build a 500hp 350ci and some might like to drive that around but I wouldn't.
I came up with perfectly good street / strip HP goal set and achieved however no documentation yet for the 427ci but it is coming. These are my own opinions of what the max HP for each engine would be to be an easy everyday driver. I could have build a 700+HP 427ci for about the same price but I believe I would start running into problems. I like to start it up whenever I want and go for a cruise.
Remember he said DD and 25mpg but you need an OD tranny
350ci - 400hp
383ci - 450-500hp
406ci - 500-550hp
427ci - 600-650hp
I don't want to argue about it, and I am not saying I am right ( except for the fact they met my goals ). I picked the parts and built them all and they all ran great on the street, even my 600+HP 427ci I have in it now, anyone that can drive a standard car could drive it through the fast food drive thru
I came up with perfectly good street / strip HP goal set and achieved however no documentation yet for the 427ci but it is coming. These are my own opinions of what the max HP for each engine would be to be an easy everyday driver. I could have build a 700+HP 427ci for about the same price but I believe I would start running into problems. I like to start it up whenever I want and go for a cruise.
Remember he said DD and 25mpg but you need an OD tranny
350ci - 400hp
383ci - 450-500hp
406ci - 500-550hp
427ci - 600-650hp
I don't want to argue about it, and I am not saying I am right ( except for the fact they met my goals ). I picked the parts and built them all and they all ran great on the street, even my 600+HP 427ci I have in it now, anyone that can drive a standard car could drive it through the fast food drive thru
Last edited by MotorHead; Jan 15, 2011 at 01:35 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,625
Likes: 4
From: Miami FL
Keep in mind that you will also need to upgrade your trailing arm outer axles to Tom's 31 splines which will run you around $2,000 shipped. Also depending on your use you might want to consider a 10 bolt or 12 bolt differential.
Honestly your setup as it is should be plenty of fun and respectable to say the least on the streets. I went with about a 650hp 427 LSX setup to take advantage of 18x12 rear wheels and here in South Florida there is a Lambo, Ferrari, TT Porsche, GT3, etc on almost every corner so i went for max.
Enjoy your swap and build.
Honestly your setup as it is should be plenty of fun and respectable to say the least on the streets. I went with about a 650hp 427 LSX setup to take advantage of 18x12 rear wheels and here in South Florida there is a Lambo, Ferrari, TT Porsche, GT3, etc on almost every corner so i went for max.
Enjoy your swap and build.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
How much HP do you think the engine would need to make to put 650HP to the rear wheels in our C3's ?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 1
From: Winston-Salem NC
I've already gone through it from a 350ci to 427ci small block. When I build a motor for myself I want to be able to cruise around at low rpm and low speed, be able to sit in traffic etc etc. You can build a 500hp 350ci and some might like to drive that around but I wouldn't.
I came up with perfectly good street / strip HP goal set and achieved however no documentation yet for the 427ci but it is coming. These are my own opinions of what the max HP for each engine would be to be an easy everyday driver. I could have build a 700+HP 427ci for about the same price but I believe I would start running into problems. I like to start it up whenever I want and go for a cruise.
Remember he said DD and 25mpg but you need an OD tranny
350ci - 400hp
383ci - 450-500hp
406ci - 500-550hp
427ci - 600-650hp
I don't want to argue about it, and I am not saying I am right ( except for the fact they met my goals ). I picked the parts and built them all and they all ran great on the street, even my 600+HP 427ci I have in it now, anyone that can drive a standard car could drive it through the fast food drive thru
I came up with perfectly good street / strip HP goal set and achieved however no documentation yet for the 427ci but it is coming. These are my own opinions of what the max HP for each engine would be to be an easy everyday driver. I could have build a 700+HP 427ci for about the same price but I believe I would start running into problems. I like to start it up whenever I want and go for a cruise.
Remember he said DD and 25mpg but you need an OD tranny
350ci - 400hp
383ci - 450-500hp
406ci - 500-550hp
427ci - 600-650hp
I don't want to argue about it, and I am not saying I am right ( except for the fact they met my goals ). I picked the parts and built them all and they all ran great on the street, even my 600+HP 427ci I have in it now, anyone that can drive a standard car could drive it through the fast food drive thru
Not trying to hijack, but Thanks for that insight, Motorhead. That's my target goal with a 427sbc. I have the VBP Hi-Performance Kit 1963-79 Part#: 42003
, Steeroids, and the VBP off-set trailing arms, and hydra-boost. Rear-end was rebuilt to stock - may need to upgrade there and replace stock u-joints. How about driveshaft and axle-shafts?
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 840
Likes: 4
From: Syracuse IN
I would suggest a 300 to 350 hp current GM rotating assy. Easy install, no reason for custom fabrications, install a OD tranny. I like driving my Corvette and not really just looking at it. I don't really Daily drive it, but I could, I have taken on many long distance drives, 500 mile + My Hp numbers are much lower than most will say, but with these numbers other items in the drive train will not need to be altered also. Thus keeping with a Daily driver and not a race car. Al
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 435
Likes: 18
From: Florida
You must have some deep pockets for all the upgrades you want to do. Do you have an actual budget to follow? A LS takeout swap can be done for cheap and upgraded quickly to make great power, but to do a bare block buildup with quality parts and swap parts is going to be very costly as their are many odds and ends you are paying for that come as a "package" in a takeout. It seems from your post you have very high ambitions, do you have any experience with the kind of power levels being talked about? I would suggest a cheap 383/396/400 crate and swap over parts from current engine, and as was mentioned swap in an O/D trans.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I got 24mpg CND highway with my 550HP 406ci. I am expecting to get over 20mpg with the 600+HP 427ci, I have .64 OD transmission and 3.08 rear gears and get the good mileage the same way the new Vettes do.
Put a Muncie 4 speed with a 4.10 rear gear in a new Z06 and see how good the mileage is. FI helps but not as much as you might think, it's the low RPM's the motor is turning at highway speeds. Mine turns about 1800RPM @ 80mph.
If I had done my highway test at the speed limit of 60mph like the General does you can add a few more miles to the gallon so it would be over 25mpg no problem, I did my test at 80mph
Put a Muncie 4 speed with a 4.10 rear gear in a new Z06 and see how good the mileage is. FI helps but not as much as you might think, it's the low RPM's the motor is turning at highway speeds. Mine turns about 1800RPM @ 80mph.
If I had done my highway test at the speed limit of 60mph like the General does you can add a few more miles to the gallon so it would be over 25mpg no problem, I did my test at 80mph
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Yeah that's about what he needs, 800 or so HP for a DD, might not get the 25mpg but shouldn't have any problems driving it to work and such
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 1
From: Winston-Salem NC
Keep in mind that you will also need to upgrade your trailing arm outer axles to Tom's 31 splines which will run you around $2,000 shipped. Also depending on your use you might want to consider a 10 bolt or 12 bolt differential.
Honestly your setup as it is should be plenty of fun and respectable to say the least on the streets. I went with about a 650hp 427 LSX setup to take advantage of 18x12 rear wheels and here in South Florida there is a Lambo, Ferrari, TT Porsche, GT3, etc on almost every corner so i went for max.
Enjoy your swap and build.
Honestly your setup as it is should be plenty of fun and respectable to say the least on the streets. I went with about a 650hp 427 LSX setup to take advantage of 18x12 rear wheels and here in South Florida there is a Lambo, Ferrari, TT Porsche, GT3, etc on almost every corner so i went for max.
Enjoy your swap and build.
Guess if I had read closer, I woulda seem my question answered. LOL!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
Since you're going with a C6 engine, maybe a good idea to poke around the C6 forum a bit for more info. My current car is a C6 LS-7 stock 505 hp. Constant 70 mph highway cruising in top .50 o.d. w/3.42 axle is 25 mpg and no more. LS-3 car's fare a few more mpg(some because of the narrower body work), but keep in mind the steep o.d. ratio's are a very key factor in this equation.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 7
From: Longwood Florida
With the LS3/L92 you can easily be at 550-600 hp NA. Of course, my idea of a daily driver may not equal your idea of a daily driver. Suggest you head over to www.ls1tech.com to talk to some of the experts over there.
My cam is not Huge very moderate (246 112LSA 610/617) great idle and decent mileage.
I drive all over... no issues.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,625
Likes: 4
From: Miami FL
Mike - forum name "tracdogg2" = Texas
Gary - forum name "Gtr1999" = Conneticut
Mike just recently setup my trailing arms for me with the Tom's 31 spline axles. Total costs including shipping for everything was about $2,000. Send him your old trailing arms and they come back better than new. The outer axes are generally considered the "weakest" part of the rear drivetrain that will snap first. I snapped one on my other 69 vette powershifting from 1st to 2nd gear which was putting down 320ft lbs to the rear wheels. The dragvette halfshaft saftey loop saved me big time from any significant damage having a trailing arm flopping around tearing up the rest of the vette.
Last edited by Hadez; Jan 17, 2011 at 09:52 AM.