how much power, is too much ?
Pro
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 666
Likes: 30
From: Milwaukee WI
Meh relative to stock cars. I don't see that the c7z has proven to have any more issues than a c5z. Its just got a good enough computer that it wont let you run oil over 300F. You only need to have an idea of what you are doing to run a c5z to 300 degrees oil. Hell I am admitedley slow and on street tires and have done it when it was in the 70's outside. c7z has more or less rcomp sport cups stock and can do it. Whats new?
No production car is built to run a 2 hour race off the lot. It would be dumb to even consider it. You can sneak some cars at 9/10th for 25 minute sessions. The best part is that people think the cars will last for seasons of track work without breaking. If you run 7/10ths, its possible. If you run 9 or 10ths, race cars break on the race track, much less street cars.
If this discussion was about too much power for reliability take a note from honda. Keep it under 150ftlbs and it will last a LONG time, any more is pushing your luck with standard aluminium and steel alloys.
No production car is built to run a 2 hour race off the lot. It would be dumb to even consider it. You can sneak some cars at 9/10th for 25 minute sessions. The best part is that people think the cars will last for seasons of track work without breaking. If you run 7/10ths, its possible. If you run 9 or 10ths, race cars break on the race track, much less street cars.
If this discussion was about too much power for reliability take a note from honda. Keep it under 150ftlbs and it will last a LONG time, any more is pushing your luck with standard aluminium and steel alloys.
Last edited by Socko; May 21, 2015 at 02:47 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
you're one of "those" guys
Last edited by racebum; May 21, 2015 at 09:20 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
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
... 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 againi just didn't encounter many of those when i was shopping. usually just old people who want to make hp to say they have it.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,060
Likes: 291
From: Pasco WA
Man, you're touchy. (this may not help) I may have said it better thusly; It's a very long winded story to tell you the evolution of my Corvette ownership, and I don't want to bore everybody else. You might understand, if you'd be a little nicer to people, and not leap on the sarcasm train.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
Man, you're touchy. (this may not help) I may have said it better thusly; It's a very long winded story to tell you the evolution of my Corvette ownership, and I don't want to bore everybody else. You might understand, if you'd be a little nicer to people, and not leap on the sarcasm train.
long winded stories are alright, they are usually some of the more interesting on how cars get built and their history. usually a lot of life in them
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,060
Likes: 291
From: Pasco WA
i just know what i read. if you didn't mean it that way, no big deal, i understand. BUT, it did come across that way, at least how i read it
long winded stories are alright, they are usually some of the more interesting on how cars get built and their history. usually a lot of life in them
long winded stories are alright, they are usually some of the more interesting on how cars get built and their history. usually a lot of life in them
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,883
Likes: 518
From: Bergen County NJ
This. I learned it the hard way. 500/521 to the tires and the GY Eagle F1 GSD3's on the rear (295/35-18) were USELESS. Upgraded to Nitto NT555R Drag Radials (one of the BEST all around DR's for street use IMO) and no more traction issues, though they were beginning to talk a bit when I bumped it up to 761/760 at the tires. Car now has MT E.T. Street Radials and another bump in power and so far it's been fine.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,466
Likes: 886
From: Fort Wayne IN
2025 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C5 of the Year Finalist
2016 C5 of the Year Finalist
2015 C5 of the Year Finalist
FWIW, when I had the Nitto DR's, I drove in all kinds of WX and they were fine. Once heated they're good, cold, they're a little dicey. I got caught in an absolute deluge once on the highway and it got hairy at about 45 mph. But we're talking a can't see 10 feet downpour. Any other time it was fine.
Dangerous is relative. Don't drive past the capabilities of the tire you're on in those situations and you'll be fine.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 470
Likes: 58
To the OP's point, this is a true horsepower war, the second golden era of high performance, the first ended in 1970. The beauty of competition is that as it intensifies, the best boil to the top. How much horsepower is too much to be reliable? Let the manufacturers slug it out and be willing to change marques if another emerges as more reliable--assuming one is affordable. Back in the 1960's, the debate raged that the Corvette was not a true sports car because it weighed too much. Look now--an almost TWO TON Corvette? HUH? Making the car lighter would increase reliability in motor, brakes, suspension, etc, and quicker, but the manufacturers are producing almost two ton "sports cars" and then compensating by making stupid high horsepower, thereby sacrificing reliability. Some years ago, after a 2 hour vintage enduro at Watkins Glen, the winning driver of a mid-60's Corvette was climbing out laughing, said "I just won a 2 hour enduro on stock Corvette brakes"! Those days are gone. To some, the C7 resembles a rwd Tahoe with a low body--I'm keeping my relatively light and nimble C5z. Frankly, if someone gave me a C7, I'd sell it and do a few mods to the C5, and have more fun. -+
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,441
Likes: 2,186
From: Buffalo Texas
To the OP's point, this is a true horsepower war, the second golden era of high performance, the first ended in 1970. The beauty of competition is that as it intensifies, the best boil to the top. How much horsepower is too much to be reliable? Let the manufacturers slug it out and be willing to change marques if another emerges as more reliable--assuming one is affordable. Back in the 1960's, the debate raged that the Corvette was not a true sports car because it weighed too much. Look now--an almost TWO TON Corvette? HUH? Making the car lighter would increase reliability in motor, brakes, suspension, etc, and quicker, but the manufacturers are producing almost two ton "sports cars" and then compensating by making stupid high horsepower, thereby sacrificing reliability. Some years ago, after a 2 hour vintage enduro at Watkins Glen, the winning driver of a mid-60's Corvette was climbing out laughing, said "I just won a 2 hour enduro on stock Corvette brakes"! Those days are gone. To some, the C7 resembles a rwd Tahoe with a low body--I'm keeping my relatively light and nimble C5z. Frankly, if someone gave me a C7, I'd sell it and do a few mods to the C5, and have more fun. -+
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,883
Likes: 518
From: Bergen County NJ
