How much HP is enough??????

[fiorano]

Actually lets think this harder

not total power but Power to Wieght ratio
a 1000 lb car can really smack around a 3500 car if both have 450 HP
so at 3400lb and 500 hp (less than A NASCAR craftsman truck) a 350 hp car at 1500 lbs would demolish it.

[jaybee]

I agree with those who have said it's about power to weight ratio. Light cars have been kicking around heavier cars with more power for a long time...as long as the power to weight ratio and rubber on the road are there.

[got_hp?]

Actually lets think this harder

not total power but Power to Wieght ratio
a 1000 lb car can really smack around a 3500 car if both have 450 HP
so at 3400lb and 500 hp (less than A NASCAR craftsman truck) a 350 hp car at 1500 lbs would demolish it.

yeah, that was going to be my comment.............there is no magical hp number..........just a power-to-weight number (and even that number would be adjustable based on the drivers skill/comfort)

350 hp might feel great in a 3200lb vette........but in a 4400lb bigger car, thats barely enough to get it moving decently.

we really should be looking at power-to-weight.


just for example.....the Caparo T1 has 1000hp-per-tonne (freaking insane, basically a street legal F1 car)......with only a 575hp engine. 575 might seem fine in a muscle car, but in this thing it is downright deadly.
0-100 = 5 seconds (traction limited im sure) and corners at 3g's!!
http://www.supercars.net/cars/3376.html

the top gear video of them testing the T1 is entertaining.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?...=en&sitesearch=
obviously it needs a bit more fine-tuning before us mere mortals can handle it

[megaladon6]

ok so what's a good power to weight ratio that we can actually attain with our american steel cars?

[RSX302]

This woman had to much hp...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNLpZ...eature=related

(sure lots of you have seen it... some wife in a Cobra)

By the looks of it at the start, I would have told her to get the F$%K out of the car. Simply Amazing! More money then brains I guess....

[RSX302]

ok so what's a good power to weight ratio that we can actually attain with our american steel cars?

I agree...that would be a better ratio to go by.....I'm thinking around 6 to 7:1 hp/weight. (with driver)

[steemin]

Another factor imho is what kind of power are you used to...
I have gradually climbed the ladder of power over the years.
I used to think that 300RWHP was a lot.
Then you get comfortable with that and want more.
Scott

[6'9"Witha69]

I will say that hp is more streetable now than it was a decade ago. When I built my 383 10 years ago with a retrofit Hyd roller poeple said 500+ HP and almost 550 ft/lbs was too much. Now cars come from the factory getting better MPG than I do and running similar or better HP figures. So part of the answer is what type of engine are you running? An SBC will get unstreetable real quick but an LSx can still be docile at the same levels.

Just something else to consider in conjunction with power-to-weight.

[bobbaganoosh]

It's kinda like money or hot chicks...you can never have too much.

[RSX302]

I will say that hp is more streetable now than it was a decade ago. When I built my 383 10 years ago with a retrofit Hyd roller poeple said 500+ HP and almost 550 ft/lbs was too much. Now cars come from the factory getting better MPG than I do and running similar or better HP figures. So part of the answer is what type of engine are you running? An SBC will get unstreetable real quick but an LSx can still be docile at the same levels.

Just something else to consider in conjunction with power-to-weight.

I think there are two different thoughts about streetability. One is engine performance and the other is car to road/city streets. I talk mostly about the car to road more so engine performance. I agree....with today's technology, serious horsepower is being made that drive like production cars with killer fuel mileage.

[Damn True]

I think there are two different thoughts about streetability. One is engine performance and the other is car to road/city streets. I talk mostly about the car to road more so engine performance. I agree....with today's technology, serious horsepower is being made that drive like production cars with killer fuel mileage.

To that point, I drove a friends M5 last weekend.

500hp and under normal driving it's as docile as my Subaru.

[6'9"Witha69]

^^Exactly

[dcozzi]

Here's my take, for what it's worth:

As much power as you can hook up to the ground reasonably on street tires.
A number your chassis and powertrain can easily handle.
Get numbers you are comfortable with for acceleration. Choose a car you do not want to get smoked by, let's say, 90% of the other cars out there.
Have a broad torque curve for tractibility.
Run pump gas.
Not overheat.
Get reliable service without repair or replacement of major parts such as engine trans etc..
Get mileage you require.


Kind of like: 450 crank TQ=Normally aspirated
750 crank TQ=Forced air

Like others said, it is a number that can be enjoyed in your particular car and make it more fun (as opposed to a chore) to drive.

[trapin]

The real answer is, whatever the tires can handle. 300 hp tire, 300 hp engine. Get the idea?

DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

That right there is all the answer you need. No sense sportin' 500rwhp when all you got are 26" tall Nitto radials. The thread could have ended right there.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

id like to stay at 500 at the most..

[Smock67]

I agree with as much as your tires can handle. Because like has already been said in this thread you'll always going to want more its part of life. There is never going to be a good number that will work for everyone. But if your tires can't hold the power then maybe you have too much.....and that was a maybe some people like being able to smoke there tires in any gear that they are in.

[68sixspeed]

never enough hp.... bad addiction! Most 11-12 second rides scare normal people. (those of us here don't qualify as 'normal') 9-10 second rides on the street usually make normal people soil themselves... it's fun other than the cleanup.

[monza]

never enough hp.... bad addiction! Most 11-12 second rides scare normal people. (those of us here don't qualify as 'normal') 9-10 second rides on the street usually make normal people soil themselves... it's fun other than the cleanup.

So funny and so true.

[rocketman]

never enough hp.... bad addiction! Most 11-12 second rides scare normal people. (those of us here don't qualify as 'normal') 9-10 second rides on the street usually make normal people soil themselves... it's fun other than the cleanup.

Drove a 8 second street car on the street, then it went 7's still on the street. wasn't friendly and about 75/100 miles on a tank was all it was good for, but well worth it for all those aw's.

[Norwoodx55]

DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

That right there is all the answer you need. No sense sportin' 500rwhp when all you got are 26" tall Nitto radials. The thread could have ended right there.

Good reference point, but I want about 20% more power than that. I want to be able to haze the tires at speed if I feel like it. I would rather let my foot modulate that threshold than wish I had more power.