HP claims
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 18,643
Likes: 14
From: Norman Oklahoma - The Only State in the Union with no Blue Counties!
My car has no where near the HP of some of the above. VRB2, 228,230, 580,581 113LSA cam, Dynatech LT headers and Cora catback and a dyno tune. She is pushing 400 rwhp and a tad more rwtq. With 3:42 gears and MN6 trans and stock clutch she drives just like she did stock until you mash the gas and then she will break loose in 1-4 easy on street tires.
I plan on adding better heads and intake manifold someday but I am in no hurry. The car recently got 30.2 mpg on a highway trip at 75 mph.
Heads and intake with another dyno tune should yield about 40-50 more at the wheels,,,,,I'm done at that point. Any more would just be bragging rights and there will always be faster cars.
I plan on adding better heads and intake manifold someday but I am in no hurry. The car recently got 30.2 mpg on a highway trip at 75 mph.
Heads and intake with another dyno tune should yield about 40-50 more at the wheels,,,,,I'm done at that point. Any more would just be bragging rights and there will always be faster cars.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 27,567
Likes: 99
From: San Diego
9.1:1 compression 402 stroker, Vortech T-Trim, and 3.90 gears is a hell of a lot of fun with around 800 crank horsepower. I just took her to Lake Havasu, AZ from San Diego the other weekend, got 21mpg on the freeway in complete comfort, scared the hell out of a couple passengers at one of the local car shows. then drove her back home with zero issues.
A little bit of a cam going, but very docile IMO, but as you can tell from the dyno graph, she makes over 500rwtq way before 3,000 rpms.
You simply can't compare cars of yesteryear to today's cars in terms of drivability, performance, reliability, fuel efficiency, etc.
As for putting power to the ground... Full drag radials would help, though I prefer canyon carving with her rather than drag racing. I don't really hook up until 80-100 at full boost.
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
I have a c6 vette. 400 or so horsepower. Went to my dads this last weekend and drove his modified T type turbocharged regal... Like a Grand National but hopped up a lot. I took a friend of mine with me. We jumped in the regal after driving the vette. Huge amound of hp difference. I would have to say in the neighborhood of 500 hp. Breaks the tires loose at 60 and leaps hard when you mash it down.. do it gently or you will be in the ditch. Its never been to the track but it is much faster than the vette. Probably around 10 seconds to my vettes time around 12 something. My vette has the Borla exhaust. If I had slicks on the T type regal it would probably get off the line better as well. The axle is also welded solid.. true posi trac rearend. Too many upgrades to mention but it had 10000 spent on just the engine. Huge turbo charger as well. My bro has a stock regal T and I can outrun him I think, maybe. lol. check out the T type turbo regal on youtube.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 505
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta GA
Eh.. I bought my basically stock c5 instead of a few high horse power ones for those concerns. Especially since one of the cars only came with slicks. 
And I didn't want to go too far past my current skill level. 
That is really encouraging to hear about how livable they can be.
And I didn't want to go too far past my current skill level. That is really encouraging to hear about how livable they can be.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
I have a c6 vette. 400 or so horsepower. Went to my dads this last weekend and drove his modified T type turbocharged regal... Like a Grand National but hopped up a lot. I took a friend of mine with me. We jumped in the regal after driving the vette. Huge amound of hp difference. I would have to say in the neighborhood of 500 hp. Breaks the tires loose at 60 and leaps hard when you mash it down.. do it gently or you will be in the ditch. Its never been to the track but it is much faster than the vette. Probably around 10 seconds to my vettes time around 12 something. My vette has the Borla exhaust. If I had slicks on the T type regal it would probably get off the line better as well. The axle is also welded solid.. true posi trac rearend. Too many upgrades to mention but it had 10000 spent on just the engine. Huge turbo charger as well. My bro has a stock regal T and I can outrun him I think, maybe. lol. check out the T type turbo regal on youtube.
I have had a lot of older muscle cars including an '86 Regal T-Type. The T-Type turbocharged motors can be very strong with just a few mods and still be streetable. Most of the other older cars seem to be like the OP stated.
With just bolt on mods to my '99 it is probably close to the same acceleration performance as many of the older modified muscle cars, but it can still cruise, get great mileage, and is an easy car to drive anywhere with all the comfort options and easily out handle and out brake the older cars.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 573
Likes: 7
From: Greensboro NC
626+ at the rear wheels here and amazed how driveable it is. You have to be sensible in the lower gears and need brakes and suspension that will allow the use of the extra zip. I had a 2009 Z06 prior to my current ride and don't feel I gave up much other than a few creature comforts.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
Mine is about 550HP at the motor (471/441 at the rear tires). Normally aspirated (no forced induction).
I can drive at 45mph at 1200 RPM in 6th gear, and it just cruises perfectly. No bucking, no surging.
Super nice to drive anywhere. Not bad for a mid sized cam.
I can drive at 45mph at 1200 RPM in 6th gear, and it just cruises perfectly. No bucking, no surging.
Super nice to drive anywhere. Not bad for a mid sized cam.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
My car has been built in every iteration with the whole effort to be an extremely well optimized build with the maximum HP but NEVER at the expense of drivability ergo the Gentleman's Cruiser in my sig. My car could definitely be a DD. Scaled for a 346 engine my cam would be in the 220-226 range. Pretty small. Every one who has driven my car or gone for a ride in it can't believe how mild it is just putting around. It's really schizophrenic and it's easy to forget what you have on tap until you hammer it. Rick at RKT56.com claims it's the only car that really scared him with the power.
The lesson is you don't have to have a fire breathing, shake the ***** off the dash, won't run below 2k RPM to make excellent average power. I've manyb times run it down to 600RPM in 6th gear and pulled away cleanly because I was too lazy to shift. A well designed TOTAL package and an excellent tuner makes sit work!
The lesson is you don't have to have a fire breathing, shake the ***** off the dash, won't run below 2k RPM to make excellent average power. I've manyb times run it down to 600RPM in 6th gear and pulled away cleanly because I was too lazy to shift. A well designed TOTAL package and an excellent tuner makes sit work!
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,506
Likes: 0
From: This is not a Song, It's an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues; Sixto Diaz Rodriguez
I'm pushing 409rwhp/398rwtq, NA, all work on top of a stock bottom, 3:15 gears, an RPM Level IV/A4 tranny, and I tell ya, because I like twisties/spirited runs, sometimes I think that's too much power.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,475
Likes: 10
From: Wake Forest NC
