How much is enough (power)???

[Fuel]

Out of curiosity, I'd like to know how much power you'd consider enough for a weekend driver /occasional auto-X /pro touring car and most importantly why?

[andrewb70]

Five hundred horsepower is about what most people find satisfying, is reasonably affordable, and probably more than they can safely handle.

Andrew

[mytmouz]

No such thing as "enough"...

[icemanrd19]

with my crate 480hp hotcam ls3, stainless works headers, and exhaust i feel i have plenty of power in my 67. Honestly my goal is 500whp for my car all said and done.

[TheJDMan]

What Andrew said!

The problem with ultra high horsepower is that the vast majority of drivers aren't experienced enough to handle it. Just look at all the new muscle cars that people buy off the show room floors then promptly go out and wad them up into a ball.

[Schwartz Performance]

550hp autox and 650hp road racing. Why? Just experience and opinion
(Not rwhp)

-Dale

[Fuel]

What Andrew said!

The problem with ultra high horsepower is that the vast majority of drivers aren't experienced enough to handle it. Just look at all the new muscle cars that people buy off the show room floors then promptly go out and wad them up into a ball.

That's exactly what made me ask this question...

[ccmc]

I don't race, but my stock 350 ish or less) LS1, 1969 Camaro is plenty and i drive it every day! I average about 15,000 miles a year on it.

[Kenova]

When your wallet is empty, you have enough horsepower. LOL

Ken

[DualQuadDave]

550hp autox and 650hp road racing. Why? Just experience and opinion
(Not rwhp)

-Dale

That's well said, but I think you should have some idea of power to weight, not just a hp number. 500hp in 2500lbs vs 500hp in 5000lbs is two different animals. I work on mostly heavy daily driver street cars, so more is better and flat torque curve is better. This conversation could go on and on, but not knowing the vehicle makes it difficult to have a straight answer. For a generic Camaro/Chevelle-500-600hp is a good time.

[shmoov69]

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...uch+horsepower

[Bonehead]

Its a bit difficult to express an opinion without knowing what its in. The answer for a 2400lb car is a much different answer than a 5500lb car. What are you working on?

[sheck44]

Five hundred horsepower is about what most people find satisfying, is reasonably affordable, and probably more than they can safely handle.

Andrew

Even with money aside ... 500 WHP is perfect, when you get into the higher numbers these cars can and will bite you in the ass if you don't know what your doing.
I am near 700 rear wheel and would NEVER let anyone drive it, its just too ridiculous.

Cheers
Steve

[Fuel]

What are you working on?

I'm looking for a first gen camaro but I also like those little Chevy II nova...
At first, I thought I'd go for an easy 450hp but wondered what everyone else was thinking . Sure power to weight ratio is an important part of the equation...

[BMR Sales]

When your wallet is empty, you have enough horsepower. LOL

Ken

Sounds about right!

[Ben@SpeedTech]

My wagon weighs about 3500. I had a "mild" small block 400 in it, roughly 300-325 hp and 400+ ft lbs. At almost 3000 ft altitude it ran 13.90s at the drag strip with a stock converter and 3.42 gears. It was plenty fun to drive daily and at the autocross. I could floor it at autoX events and it stuck great but I feel it was lacking a bit compared to the other cars.

That motor was 17 hard years on the rebuild and it finally broke last season. I have another 400 small block that that is around 550 hp and 500 ft lbs. now going in the car. I had this in a 2800 lb Nova before with 4.56 gears and a 4500 stall and it ran 11.70's at sea level. Traction was a joke on the street if I laid into the throttle. As has been said they can get out of hand easy enough with an inexperienced driver. I am anxious to wrestle it on the autoX now.

[Mr Nick]

I don't race, but my stock 350 ish or less) LS1, 1969 Camaro is plenty and i drive it every day! I average about 15,000 miles a year on it.

Music to my ears. Drive them!

[kingcrunch]

"Only then is a car fast enough, when you are afraid to unlock it in the morning." (free translation of a Walther Roehrl quote).

In my opinion a car has to be setup to handle the amount of power given.
If a car with amount X of power just can't be driven with a feeling of "safety" (in quotemarks for a reason) and solidity it's too much power, no matter what the actual power number is.
It should be an implicitness that a vehicles chassis abilities should have been matched to the amount of horsepower the engine produces or the other way round.

[Fuel]

It's really interesting to read the different point of views... it's really clearly not just about power but also the weight and dynamic of the car, the suspension...
Keep it coming!

[shmoov69]

One thing that gets me is that so many people are "afraid" of the higher HP cars. Don't get me wrong, i'm not talking ludicrous speed..... just ridiculous speed here! LOL! But really unless you're spraying it, you can "adjust" your power level with your right foot! You DON'T have to totally mat it to the wood every time you come out of a corner! LOL! However it's nice to have the "big power" heading down a straight. Is 700rwhp too much for an auto-x, certainly! But it's pretty nice on a road course. Have "enough" from the start, then adjust your HP with your foot (brain), unless you're setting your car up to all out race, then it needs to be setup specifically for whatever racing you're doing.