HP - How much is enough?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 819
Likes: 3
From: Flowery Branch Ga
HP - How much is enough?
After many, many cars through my life and being caught up in the more HP craze many times over I have reached a place where common sense has finally taken over. I have to ask how much is enough HP wise? Most of us use our cars to cruise on the streets and to enjoy on the weekends. Before this Vette I had an LS2 06 GTO that I dumped big bucks into to get big HP numbers. It reached a point of un-usuable
power on the street. The funny thing is I have done this many times over with several different cars. It became an addiction. If we are breaking tires loose at 70MPH or can't get traction off the line what's the point? If I wanted a fast 1/4 mile car I would just buy a beater and build the hell out of it. I'm not talking about adding a catback or cold air intake or headers for that matter. With the GTO 500 RWHP was really not usable on the street. And the Vette before this one I built it to the point of what? Bragging rights? Anyway just pondering. At what point is big HP enough for street use? 500? 400? Thoughts?
power on the street. The funny thing is I have done this many times over with several different cars. It became an addiction. If we are breaking tires loose at 70MPH or can't get traction off the line what's the point? If I wanted a fast 1/4 mile car I would just buy a beater and build the hell out of it. I'm not talking about adding a catback or cold air intake or headers for that matter. With the GTO 500 RWHP was really not usable on the street. And the Vette before this one I built it to the point of what? Bragging rights? Anyway just pondering. At what point is big HP enough for street use? 500? 400? Thoughts?
Resident moron
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,746
Likes: 20
From: Assachusetts
Too subjective of a question for a real answer in my opinion.
Personally I just try to factor in for bang for the buck, driveability and reliability.
With a C5 and the stock engine, you can do heads/decent cam/bolt-ons and retain good reliability, good driveability and still make decent power. We're talking 400-450rwhp typically. I find that to be a good number (my car makes 410rwhp coincidentally). If you want more power, it takes exponentially more and more money. If you want 500rwhp, you'd gonna need more cubes or FI. If you want 600rwhp you're gonna need a bunch of boost or boost+cubes. The money needed skyrockets and the reliability is generally going to drop (along with the rest of your drivetrain).
Now, if you started with a C6 Z06, 500rwhp is a very easy number to obtain with a stock engine and cam/bolt-ons. But if you wanted 600rwhp you're gonna need a pretty radical setup or some boost.
You get the idea. It's all in making a reasonable compromise. I think my car makes plenty of power, and has been reliable over the past 8 years or so that I've had this setup. Didn't break the bank either so overall I am quite pleased.
Like I said, subjective. Some people aren't happy unless they're DD'ing 600rwhp.
Dope
Personally I just try to factor in for bang for the buck, driveability and reliability.
With a C5 and the stock engine, you can do heads/decent cam/bolt-ons and retain good reliability, good driveability and still make decent power. We're talking 400-450rwhp typically. I find that to be a good number (my car makes 410rwhp coincidentally). If you want more power, it takes exponentially more and more money. If you want 500rwhp, you'd gonna need more cubes or FI. If you want 600rwhp you're gonna need a bunch of boost or boost+cubes. The money needed skyrockets and the reliability is generally going to drop (along with the rest of your drivetrain).
Now, if you started with a C6 Z06, 500rwhp is a very easy number to obtain with a stock engine and cam/bolt-ons. But if you wanted 600rwhp you're gonna need a pretty radical setup or some boost.
You get the idea. It's all in making a reasonable compromise. I think my car makes plenty of power, and has been reliable over the past 8 years or so that I've had this setup. Didn't break the bank either so overall I am quite pleased.
Like I said, subjective. Some people aren't happy unless they're DD'ing 600rwhp.
Dope
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,801
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Big HP really isn't any benefit on the street. You just can't use it. Just spending money to build something up for you to sit with your friends in a parking lot talking about how much power you have isn't a lot of fun when it gets right down to it. A lot of lowly cars can burn rubber with the high power machines so burn out contests really don't prove much.
Now going to a place where you can use and feel that power being used will raise the endorphin levels in your blood stream and definitely make the whole thing seem like a lot of fun. That is when you become addicted to the use of that power. Roaring out of a corner in a C6Z with the throttle wide open is a thrill that you just want to repeat over and over again. Then your phrase truly will be: Too much power is just enough.
The real choice isn't how much power you can buy or build but what you choose to do with it once you get it. There are a lot of posers and a much smaller number of doers who go out and have a ball with a high HP car. Which one do you want to be? Come over to the Dark Side and enjoy the addiction.
Bill
Now going to a place where you can use and feel that power being used will raise the endorphin levels in your blood stream and definitely make the whole thing seem like a lot of fun. That is when you become addicted to the use of that power. Roaring out of a corner in a C6Z with the throttle wide open is a thrill that you just want to repeat over and over again. Then your phrase truly will be: Too much power is just enough.
The real choice isn't how much power you can buy or build but what you choose to do with it once you get it. There are a lot of posers and a much smaller number of doers who go out and have a ball with a high HP car. Which one do you want to be? Come over to the Dark Side and enjoy the addiction.
Bill
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
While I was interested in the final number, it was the journey I enjoyed. I planned out the build and really took my time taking photos along the way. I enjoy driving the car on the street and never take it to the track. At the end of the day if I crank out a gear every LOE within a mile can hear it. So in my mind, it was the journey to get there more then the end product of rwhp. I also, in my planning, bought parts that I felt would maximize reliability as well.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 9
From: Dublin GA
As in an earlier post of mine where I am trying to find tires to hook on the street, there IS a point of too much to be practical for the street.
My 414rwhp (TC unlocked) NA car was quicker 0-60mph than the set up I have now with almost 300 more hp. But it is a WHOLE LOT quicker to 100+mph. The only problem, is that's ILLEGAL!
Another point I guess, is I am a wieght lifter and trained for years in martial arts, but I rarely ever fight... Guess you got it if you want it
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,326
Likes: 140
From: Weatherford, TX
I used to think I'd never have enough. When I reached the 9's and faced with the NHRA license to even play at the track, I actually said that's enough. I goto the brackets where I'm limited to 10.0@134 due to my safety gear. I have a special tune that slows the car down to stay in the racing rules.
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There is no right answer.
This is a very individual thing that each person would have to
answer for himself.
Let's face it horsepower is a HOBBY. Some never have enough
some find the right number. It is hard to be logical about power
on the street when it's a hobby.
This is a very individual thing that each person would have to
answer for himself.
Let's face it horsepower is a HOBBY. Some never have enough
some find the right number. It is hard to be logical about power
on the street when it's a hobby.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
I've built my car all along with the goal of making excellent average power with the major criteria that drivability and reliability cannot be affected. Great power doesn't have to have a huge downside.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 819
Likes: 3
From: Flowery Branch Ga
It is a hobby. An expensive one but still a hobby. In my case it was always a hole that was never filled. Once I would finish one mod stage I would start thinking about what's next. Everytime I cracked the engine open for a cam or heads it would effect reliabilty and drivability. With the money I spent over the years I could have built a fox body 9 second Mustang. I guess I'm lucky in that all my toys have been weekend cars and not DD's. At this point I get good feedback just driving a stock Vette less exhaust.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 3
From: somewhere shooting my assault rifles
My hp is very useable on the street. I do WOT runs frequently when some unsuspecting yahoo comes up next to me thinking hes gonna wax my butt...but for the most part I just cruise around being mellow listing to the loud whine...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,095
Likes: 5
From: Oldham County Louisville, KY
I'm at 468rwhp NA and 626rwhp with a 150 shot. I have to run drag radials all the time or it would be wasted.
In all honesty I had fun when it was at 383rwhp. I would say 400-500 is reliable and as much fun as you will ever need on the street. How many 500rwhp, 28mpg cars do you see on the way to work everyday?
In all honesty I had fun when it was at 383rwhp. I would say 400-500 is reliable and as much fun as you will ever need on the street. How many 500rwhp, 28mpg cars do you see on the way to work everyday?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
There is never too much HP, only too little traction. it just means you aren't finished with the build.
Tires, suspension, gearing, and even the ECU need to be addressed to provide yourself with traction.
If you want to reduce your power to hook then you will also have reduced power on the top end. If you maintain your power and set your car up to handle the power (reduce it off the line through timing/traction control/gearing/tires) then you have all you can handle to start, and that much more to pull the top end.
Tires, suspension, gearing, and even the ECU need to be addressed to provide yourself with traction.
If you want to reduce your power to hook then you will also have reduced power on the top end. If you maintain your power and set your car up to handle the power (reduce it off the line through timing/traction control/gearing/tires) then you have all you can handle to start, and that much more to pull the top end.