500 hp on the cheap,possible?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 809
Likes: 7
From: greer/upstate sc
500 hp on the cheap,possible?
just bought a 99 convertible and want to up the hp..is it possible to get close to 500hp on a budget?if so,where to start?i know for a fact i want to do an agressive cam..thanks for any help..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
you can do it for about a grand.
150hp nitrous shot.
if it is stock you will be at around 450rwhp and 550rwtq
All of the bolt ons are very expensive, for example this is the cost for just a catback exhaust
150hp nitrous shot.
if it is stock you will be at around 450rwhp and 550rwtq
All of the bolt ons are very expensive, for example this is the cost for just a catback exhaust
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,467
Likes: 8
From: 972 and 405
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 5
From: San Antonio TX
best case you are talking about fwhp not rwhp and you are looking to make 155 hp for $1000.00 so about $6.45 per hp 
not going to happen
a 200 shot would get you there but you will soon be buying a new engine if you try to do it for $1000.00. just the tune will cost you $200.00 min.
doing all the work your self (assuming you have access to all the tools you need) and hunting for good used parts on the forum you can do H/C/LTs for around $2500.00 and be close to your goal.
of you can find good deals on SC kits and go to about 550 rwhp (around 600 fwhp) for around $4000.00 again doing all the work yourself and hunting down great deals on used parts.
by the way the numbers qouted above are IMO bottom line best case and could be higher.
bottom line is modding a car gets expensive quickly.
not going to happena 200 shot would get you there but you will soon be buying a new engine if you try to do it for $1000.00. just the tune will cost you $200.00 min.
doing all the work your self (assuming you have access to all the tools you need) and hunting for good used parts on the forum you can do H/C/LTs for around $2500.00 and be close to your goal.
of you can find good deals on SC kits and go to about 550 rwhp (around 600 fwhp) for around $4000.00 again doing all the work yourself and hunting down great deals on used parts.
by the way the numbers qouted above are IMO bottom line best case and could be higher.
bottom line is modding a car gets expensive quickly.
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 30
From: WENTZVILLE MO
Nitrous is the only way you can even come close for a grand. Really what you should do is start trolling the parts for sale section. Start with a good set of used headers, maybe the TI exhaust, highflow cats. Count your coins and go from there.
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Tech Contributor
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From: Oak Hill Virginia
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,866
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From: Tampa Bay, Go BUCS!!!Go Rays!!!Go Lightning!!!
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
Simple answer is there is no way to get from 350 to 500hp cheaply, on any car. Take some time to think over what you need. Really, your car is going to be a handfull as it is. Don't try to make it go 200mph or 10sec 1/4 unless you can handle it AND stop it.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Last edited by Allthrottleandsomebottle; Mar 3, 2010 at 07:25 PM. Reason: na
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,903
Likes: 1
From: You know your drunk when you swerve to miss the tree then you realize its your air freshener! Covington Ga
Sorry man cheap and power dont fit together. Its kinda like Honda and fast in the same sentence.....They just dont fit 
Last edited by 0331MARINE; Mar 3, 2010 at 05:54 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 580
Likes: 0
From: New York NY
I think everyone who is basically tearing this guy up needs to f***** relax. IF any of you actually read through this thread you would see that in no way or form did he even mention a "price". To him, being on a "budget" could be spending $8000 instead of $16000. So before you judge him on what type of person he is, or how he drives his vette, you need to back off.
Cant anyone ask a reasonable question without people jumping on your back anymore??
And as for you bigvx5, you're looking to spend anywhere between $3000 and $8000 on reasonable mods that will still allow you to drive on the street with ease...
Cant anyone ask a reasonable question without people jumping on your back anymore??
And as for you bigvx5, you're looking to spend anywhere between $3000 and $8000 on reasonable mods that will still allow you to drive on the street with ease...
Last edited by casisthefirst; Mar 3, 2010 at 04:51 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
From: Jeffersonville Indiana
Hmmm, I just bought mine with that... All expenses paid in advance! Good luck with your build though.
And I agree with the above post from casisthefirst. Some people have a different idea of "budget" than other people do.
And I agree with the above post from casisthefirst. Some people have a different idea of "budget" than other people do.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
Bigvx5:
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your car. Looks like you got some nice responses so far from all of the experts here on the forum.
If you'd really like some advice on the setup, PM me and I'd be glad to help you out. If your car isn't already equipped, you should look into a set of long tube headers, possibly in addition to a cat-back and intake. These make great sense as a "base" for added horsepower down the road.
Sounds to me like your looking at a heads/cam setup or a supercharger. If you're handy, you can do most of the work yourself and do it fairly reasonably, even with new parts.
There's a lot of good people here on the forum that can help you out. (Regardless of what you may have seen to date).
By the way...To everyone who hammered this guy, I don't see "Cheap" mentioned anywhere in his post. "Cheap" and "Budget" are two totally different things. I love this forum sometimes. And sometimes I wonder why I ever visit.
Rossi
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your car. Looks like you got some nice responses so far from all of the experts here on the forum.
If you'd really like some advice on the setup, PM me and I'd be glad to help you out. If your car isn't already equipped, you should look into a set of long tube headers, possibly in addition to a cat-back and intake. These make great sense as a "base" for added horsepower down the road.
Sounds to me like your looking at a heads/cam setup or a supercharger. If you're handy, you can do most of the work yourself and do it fairly reasonably, even with new parts.
There's a lot of good people here on the forum that can help you out. (Regardless of what you may have seen to date).
By the way...To everyone who hammered this guy, I don't see "Cheap" mentioned anywhere in his post. "Cheap" and "Budget" are two totally different things. I love this forum sometimes. And sometimes I wonder why I ever visit.
Rossi
Last edited by Rossi396; Mar 3, 2010 at 08:54 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 25
From: If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. South West Florida / Livin' The Dream
St. Jude Donor '12
Wow! interesting how things can spin out of control in 25 posts. Here's a prescription some may want to take. And since I have a bottle full for myself I'll give you one.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 25
From: If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. South West Florida / Livin' The Dream
St. Jude Donor '12
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
A better topic line would have been
I have X amount( <--- you have to put in an amount of money to spend here,) can I get to 500 HP.
A very simple, tell us what you want to spend and then many of us could steer you in the right direction.. offer you options, and spend the time to help you.. with a topic so vague how could anyone expect to get a good answer..
A very simple, tell us what you want to spend and then many of us could steer you in the right direction.. offer you options, and spend the time to help you.. with a topic so vague how could anyone expect to get a good answer..