Horsepower and Torque Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Terre Haute Indiana
Horsepower and Torque Question
Never really cared about actual horsepower and torque in my cars, until i purchased my vette. Being an 85, it only has something like 220 horse and 330 torque. To me, it is 2011 almost and most sedans are pushing 300 horse. What is the cheapest and easiest ways to add some horsepower to a stock engine without doing items such as rebuilding motor, 1500 exhuast or something like that. Looking for any and all ideas... Thanks in advance
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Best bang for the buck, most everything else will cost some real money to make a difference youll really like. There are some freemods and small stuff that may help some, or combined. Otherwise dig into the motor, gears converter etc. Basically rebuild the whole car
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Terre Haute Indiana
Best bang for the buck, most everything else will cost some real money to make a difference youll really like. There are some freemods and small stuff that may help some, or combined. Otherwise dig into the motor, gears converter etc. Basically rebuild the whole car
Freemods? Such as?
Last edited by 85VetteTerreHaute; Nov 6, 2010 at 11:21 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,783
Likes: 15
From: Northern California
No, free mod, chip or gimmick will add any significant amount of horsepower.
Horsepower costs money. Sorry... Most sedans pushing 300hp do not have 330 lb. ft. of torque like your Vette has!
The best thing you can do is a COMPLETE and Thorough Tune up.
Horsepower costs money. Sorry... Most sedans pushing 300hp do not have 330 lb. ft. of torque like your Vette has!
The best thing you can do is a COMPLETE and Thorough Tune up.
Last edited by GKK; Nov 6, 2010 at 11:47 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 5
Thats a good radar detector too.
I wont leave home without my Passport Escort Radar Detector.
Its like leaving home without my wallet, leave either behind, I am S.O.L.
Lol.
Not many are going to make you look stupid on the roads in your 85 Vette in stock form.
Has to pack something really Hot under the hood to get past you easily, around 400 + Horsepower. And they must get the power to the ground and Hookup from a launch quickly also.
You will find that out yourself too.
I wont leave home without my Passport Escort Radar Detector.
Its like leaving home without my wallet, leave either behind, I am S.O.L.
Lol.
Not many are going to make you look stupid on the roads in your 85 Vette in stock form.
Has to pack something really Hot under the hood to get past you easily, around 400 + Horsepower. And they must get the power to the ground and Hookup from a launch quickly also.
You will find that out yourself too.
MONARTOR
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 250,238
Likes: 146
From: What I know, is dwarfed by what I pretend to know
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
With the 85, there are no "CHEAP FIXES". The 85 responds well to exhaust modifications...if there is no smog check in your state....drop the cat and use a muffler that has two working outlets. Then Cut out the louvers on your air cleaner box. After that you have to start spending larger dollars. Review VADER86's web site.
IF you really want the power increase then heads, cam, intake, runners and a new tune.
A "performance chip" for a stock 85 will do nothing for you other than lighten your wallet.
IF you really want the power increase then heads, cam, intake, runners and a new tune.
A "performance chip" for a stock 85 will do nothing for you other than lighten your wallet.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 190
From: Indiana PA
First off, most sedans do NOT have 300HP, if they have a V6 mid 250 range is common.
Second you have 230 rated HP. I would run your car at your local 1/4 mile track, you might be surprised by how quick it is.
Keep in mind it is a 25 year old car than even by today's standards is a sports car. Can out brake, handle, accelerate, top speed just about any average car you will see or meet on the street. Performance models, other sports cars, muscle cars, excluded...still faster than some of those.
Second you have 230 rated HP. I would run your car at your local 1/4 mile track, you might be surprised by how quick it is.
Keep in mind it is a 25 year old car than even by today's standards is a sports car. Can out brake, handle, accelerate, top speed just about any average car you will see or meet on the street. Performance models, other sports cars, muscle cars, excluded...still faster than some of those.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
TPI cars were designed to build torque not hp. If you work on torque you might be happier, if youre strictly looking at hp you bought the wrong car..or will chase the dragon while dumping thousands into your car no way around it.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,963
Likes: 709
From: WI
Some ideas: later year 113 heads, port stock base and plenum, get bigger runners, UD pulleys, higher ratio rockers, free mods/less weight, new exhaust. There have been lots of topics on this over a decade, so there are other ideas to check out. Have fun!
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Lake Junaluska North Carolina
The wife has a LS460 with like 380 hp.... that is a sedan isn't it? I think my F250 has 300 hp with like 400+ tq...
Just picking...
Yea, remember the car is lighter think power to weight.
Just picking...
Yea, remember the car is lighter think power to weight.
Pro
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 679
Likes: 18
From: Vernon Hills Ill
First off, most sedans do NOT have 300HP, if they have a V6 mid 250 range is common.
Second you have 230 rated HP. I would run your car at your local 1/4 mile track, you might be surprised by how quick it is.
Keep in mind it is a 25 year old car than even by today's standards is a sports car. Can out brake, handle, accelerate, top speed just about any average car you will see or meet on the street. Performance models, other sports cars, muscle cars, excluded...still faster than some of those.
Second you have 230 rated HP. I would run your car at your local 1/4 mile track, you might be surprised by how quick it is.
Keep in mind it is a 25 year old car than even by today's standards is a sports car. Can out brake, handle, accelerate, top speed just about any average car you will see or meet on the street. Performance models, other sports cars, muscle cars, excluded...still faster than some of those.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/ca...rolet-corvette
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,615
Likes: 3
From: Tampa Fl
power/torque to weight,your car is still in the top percent of most cars out there.
follow this link and click on chevrolet at the bottom of the page your car 0-60 time is 5.7 ,1/4 mile 14.1
this is great info
http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html
follow this link and click on chevrolet at the bottom of the page your car 0-60 time is 5.7 ,1/4 mile 14.1
this is great info
http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Terre Haute Indiana
power/torque to weight,your car is still in the top percent of most cars out there.
follow this link and click on chevrolet at the bottom of the page your car 0-60 time is 5.7 ,1/4 mile 14.1
this is great info
http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html
follow this link and click on chevrolet at the bottom of the page your car 0-60 time is 5.7 ,1/4 mile 14.1
this is great info
http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Car mags...
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,221
Likes: 446
From: Overland Park Kansas
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
First off, most sedans do NOT have 300HP, if they have a V6 mid 250 range is common.
Second you have 230 rated HP. I would run your car at your local 1/4 mile track, you might be surprised by how quick it is.
Keep in mind it is a 25 year old car than even by today's standards is a sports car. Can out brake, handle, accelerate, top speed just about any average car you will see or meet on the street. Performance models, other sports cars, muscle cars, excluded...still faster than some of those.
Second you have 230 rated HP. I would run your car at your local 1/4 mile track, you might be surprised by how quick it is.
Keep in mind it is a 25 year old car than even by today's standards is a sports car. Can out brake, handle, accelerate, top speed just about any average car you will see or meet on the street. Performance models, other sports cars, muscle cars, excluded...still faster than some of those.
L98 Vette's are only faster at lower speeds. That's the 330+ TQ talkin.
When I went to a 383 when better breathing heads, runner tubes, and headers (with appropriate cam), I significantly increased that low-end torque while adding the extra punch for hwy speeds.
But a 383 with ANY intake is gonna put you back in the lead against anything short of a V8 or SC V6. Even then, you could end up ahead.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,723
Likes: 11
From: Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Terre Haute Indiana
