this is something you either get or you don't. i think until people experience it they don't really get it, at least many don't

a race car and a street car have a vastly different setup and making a street car a race car gets expensive when you consider what entry into a formula ford costs and how it in the long run they would actually be cheaper to race

lots of threads about high hp street cars on here. builds, power, been there, done that over ten years ago

now i'm in a virtually stock c5z that's designed for the street with a great street tire that doesn't have to warm up. since i don't have the funds to track often anymore i couldn't be happier and have no interest in more power....except perhaps another 20-30 at 3500+rpm

 

Ill let you know when I get to that point.

 

Kinda late to this story, but I wish I'd quit @ 483/432 NA. Instead, in a fit of stupidity, and a huge sale at A&A, I've got way more now than I need/want. I don't have room/budget for two sets of tires on a car that I now drive about 250 miles a year. After 12 years of ownership, I've never been in a race, or done a burnout. It's just crazy easy to get big power, and my own greed for same contributed to my present predicament. Look at my sig.

 

Germany started the HP wars and it has bled over here to the U.S, and it's only getting worse.

Fact is, unless you are a professional and know what you are doing, even 450hp is more than enough to get you into plenty of trouble. I am sure lots of people will deny this, but it's the truth.

As to other vehicles having issues. Some do. I believe some of the early build 5.7 MOPAR engines had timing chain issues. Some Coyotes develop a tick, although for some the tick is "normal" and for others it requires a short/long block replacement. (no tick here on my coyote).

By no means have I ever raced professionally, or even driven proffessionaly, but I probably have more experience than most people do with defensive driving courses and how to handle skids, hydroplaning, ice, and such. (My uncle was an instructor at the police academy when I was growing up, and my cousin and I spent a summer going through the entire routine. The driving course was awesome. We spent a lot of time on that.).

You'll hear people who come back from driving courses say that the first rule is, no mods until you can handle what you have in hand, and most will admit that it will be a while before they are at that point. It's the truth.

Although I will admit that the twin blue flames jetting out of the Porsche 918 Spyder's mid-engined exhaust is quite intoxicating at night, there really is no need for 1,000HP combined combuistion and electric motor power unless you are racing professionally.

 

*************************************

I hear you, and each must decide what is 'too much'. Street, or track. But most agree, that when it 'goes into boost', there are few feelings greater than that, at least that you can admit to....

But I started this thread, and find all these comments interesting. Hope it continues. I'd like to steer this discussion back a little, to my original intent.

I want to hear, what you all think about the power, ever increasing power, released by GM (Corvette) in new cars. With the histroy of C5 thru C7 (so far), I wondered if we crossed a line somewhere, that is no longer sustainable without a valid warranty to 'fix the things' which simply will not hold up to what the car was advertized for?

Will anyone want to buy a Z06, of any year, without a warranty? The LS7's in C6 Z06 all throw rods and valves unless some aftermarket shop 'fixes' the heads. The new C7 Z06 can't seem to run (on a track) for more than 20 minutes without overheating. And now, it seems more engines arre blowing up. Too soon to be sure if that is a 'pattern' beginning yet, or not.

So, I'm not wanting you to discuss your own car, develloped in the aftermarket, but what the manufactureer is expecting us to buy. Again, I don't want to talk about hand built $250,000 or $350,000 Ferrari's. I"m talking about 75 to $100,000 Corvettes, coming off an assembly line.

Frankly, I feel sorry (uhmmm, kind of) for the guy who 'bought' all the pre-marketing garbage about the new Z, and spent $95,000 for it, and now has to go spend another 10 or 20 grand to Calloway or someone to make the car run hard without overheating.....

I will no longer consider a new Z (I was thinking about it), until they admit there is a problem, and fix it! So, again; is all this a failure of engineering and testing? Is it a failure of GM just 'holding on' to the car another year or two, for more testing, before releasing it? Or, have they gone too far, too much power?

And next, they (rumors) talk of a C8 mid engine supercar? Can they make a car, and an engine package; that will deliver what they promise? Can they make it, still affordable, to middle class guys?

What say you, to all this, to GM? What would you say, or ask GM/Corvette engineers if you had the opportunity?

Don

 

The line has definitely been crossed when manufacturers start adding line-locks to their cars but then suggest if you use it, it could void your warranty..... Ford crossed that line with the 2015 Mustang and I'm sure at some point it will be challenged and fought in court with the argument being that if Ford added it, Ford should warranty the outcome of using it.

A C8 Mid-engined vette nicely optioned will probably run around 200k (which is right around what the 2005 Ford GT ran, and it had problems with the electrical systems, even so, those cars sell for much more these days) It will be out of the price range for even upper-middle class folk. The new Ford GT is earmarked for a close to 400k price tag. That Carbon Fiber tub is expensive I guess.

I still think GM should spin off the Corvette brand into its own division. Especially if it wants to introduce a mid-engined C8 alongside the traditional front-engined C8's. If that happens. They need to shake off the Chevrolet stigma if they plan on catering to the upper-class folk. Yes, they can make it, but GM needs to start up some serious talks with the Germans. They've been doing it longer and are better at it. The Italian made cars are pretty and all, but they aren't reliable.

One of my favorite car reviewers gave a thumbs up to a nicely optioned C7 and a thumbs down to the C7 Z06. Apparently it was over price. He said the C7 was value for the money, and the Z06 version just wasn't.

 

550 hp is about all I would want to deal with.

 

mine's pretty stock..I don't know exactly how much hp I got, but the other day at 55 just past the onramp (clear hwy) I let 'er rip and roasted the tires sideways for a second..

..that's enough for me..

 

I romp on mine @ 55 in the wrong gear, and I'd swap ends of the car. 325 wide Invos suck.

 

everyone has a different measuring stick. i tend to focus on overall performance and absolute track times mixed with streetability, always the entire car/package, never just the engine. some guys focus on drag racing and some focus on how big the dyno number is. on top of that some want a certain feel

 

why do so many of you guys make these overpowered cars?

like i totally mean this in a lighthearted respectful way

you're just not alone. SO many cars wind up with more power than the rest of the car/tire/suspension/brake can really deal with

even more peculiar to myself is how many get made and never raced/driven?

most often the best lap time or even street performance improvements for the $$ can be made with tires, brake pads and dialed suspension set to the drivers preference.

yet

9/10 threads are on HP creation

i noticed this while c5 shopping

brakes = stock
suspension = stock
tires = old and low performance
drivetrain = stock, clutch upgrade if you are lucky
aero = none
HP = 100+ over stock

 

I like to get most I can out of anything with wheels, but I am still trying to "master"
345 HP!

 

last I checked we are all grown men and want to carry a "big stick". I am guilty of your statement myself. Im addicted to how the power feels. Honestly, even though I could have made monstrous power going FI, I am happy went stroker instead. 486rwtq is just fun to play with. I don't drive like a jack *** and of course I don't go around stomping on it. Rolling into most of that power is intoxicating and I don't want or need more than that. The only other reason im doing one last modification is to make it look good on paper. I have a blast with it.

 

donald4972, in Gm's eye's probably not!

85% of the buyers never push the limits of the car, they may get a little spirited here and there but that about it, the 15% that does track, auto x or street race is who they here all the BS about the car so you think they really car about them?

most corvette owners have no idea what there cars are capable of any NEVER will

 

Add me to the "been there and done that" category. As much fun as 800+ hp can be. The problem with "more" is that exact definition of the word; more money, more breakage, more down time, more temperamental. Also, with every yin there is a yang. "Less." as in less enchanted with the performance, less willing to drive it hard, less enjoyable all around. Add to that the fact that you get used to the power and it no longer feels "fast" anymore. Those who have been there will know exactly what I mean here.

 

I have a Corvette because I love how they look,handle,the speed,you get the picture. I am aggressive driver by nature,I will push the speed limit to the speed I think I can get away with. I don't know how much power I have (it's enough) Vararam,headers, tune,LS 6 intake, I wanted to supercharge it the day I bought it but after reading several posts (better clutch,tires,drive train parts) I decided that no matter how much you have someone has more. I push it on almost every on ramp,sometimes in third,mostly in fourth,I love the sound and the pull. I can get in plenty of trouble with what I have, the C 6 Z06 and the rest of the newer vettes I don't think I would have enough self control. Again I just love driving one no matter which one it is !!!!!!!

 

Since you used my post to make your point, (light hearted and respectfully) I'll give you the short answer, not that it should be of any concern to you; I could finally afford to. If you require details, just PM me. I'll be glad to explain.

 

fixed it for ya... long story short it's fun as hell man!... I enjoy working on it as well as driving it so it's about the journey you take to build the car and not just the hp # afterwards... fast cars have always been in my blood and finally I am at a point in my life where I am actually able to afford to do this stuff and if I don't do it now I may never get the chance to again

 

In regards to the OP's statements about GM and the HP passing the reliability threshold on the newer Corvettes, I'm of the opinion that GM should cover their mistakes with a warranty and not release the cars to the public until the bugs are worked out. Back in the '60's and early '70's, Chrysler Corp. severely shortened to removed warranty coverage from is highest performance cars, such as the Hemi and Super Stock cars because they knew that the driveline and typical driver could not handle the power and that more than likely the car would be abused. GM needs to wake up and realize that a 600+ horsepower vehicle is going to get abused occasionally and that their vehicles can't reliably handle that beyond a point without adding some more very expensive driveline parts to the mix.

 

Manufacturers have been producing cars that have weak points since they invented the car. Is is unethical?; sure, but nothing will change because they need to make a profit, and breakage is part of planned obsolescence. Right now, the world is in a horsepower war, and like the death of the muscle car, (back in the early 70s) some liberals will eventually pass enough laws to kill the current generation. I hope they forget to include the electric muscle cars, because they will only be getting better.