how many people tell the truth about horsepower? do you?

[cold85]

Every where i go people ask how much horsepower i have in my charger 440 with intake headers msd box and distributor and cam i tell them i think around 390to 400hp. i had a 87 gn that dynoed at 439 rwhp and that is what i would tell people. But i have had a ton of people tell me about their 350 60 some model impala that has factory heads and a small cam have 600 horsepower and was built for 87 octane gas? and last night i was watching speedvision and a guy with a street acura said he had 500 hp at the front wheels and i know that from what he said he had there is no way he had that much at the wheels. I think this is the biggest lie people tell about their cars. i for onw tell to the best of my knowledge what my car has and if i dyno it i tell exactly what it did. What are some stories you have heard.

[SirNik73]

i agree, totally. i have friends who think they have all this horse power in their cars... and i know they don't. I've got a 400 in my charger and when people ask how much horse power i have and i tell them around 275, they flip pout and tell me that i have to be wrong. i think people are gauging their HP via the feeling they get in their @$$. what people don't get is that is Torque not HP. my mercedes kicks had and jerks the tires when it shifts... and its got like 130 HP in a 6000 pound car... it jerks because its a Diesel and probably has 200Ft/LB of torque.

[Blown70]

Every where i go people ask how much horsepower i have in my charger 440 with intake headers msd box and distributor and cam i tell them i think around 390to 400hp. i had a 87 gn that dynoed at 439 rwhp and that is what i would tell people. But i have had a ton of people tell me about their 350 60 some model impala that has factory heads and a small cam have 600 horsepower and was built for 87 octane gas? and last night i was watching speedvision and a guy with a street acura said he had 500 hp at the front wheels and i know that from what he said he had there is no way he had that much at the wheels. I think this is the biggest lie people tell about their cars. i for onw tell to the best of my knowledge what my car has and if i dyno it i tell exactly what it did. What are some stories you have heard.

I love the HP estimates.   Put her on a DYNO.   If someone tells me I have X amout of horse I ask for the dyno sheet.   Now most people do not have one and studder like a MOFO,  

The only issue I will have is the place that will build my engine the dyno max is 1,000hp....(I will have to talk tim into a bigger dyno) So I guess I cannot say I will have over that...

Tom

[firefighter3931]

Good topic Cold85. A lot of people guestimate their hp #'s based on data they read in magazines. Usually their power numbers are high based on the combination of parts in their motor. The magazines don't help because they create unrealistic expectations for their readers. The facility that dyno's engines for Mopar Muscle (Westech in Ca.) is notorious for having a "happy" dyno and they have so much as admitted that theirs is off 7-10% on the high side.

Unless the engine is dynoed, no one really knows how much power they're making. You can predict based on other engines that are running similar combinations, but it's a guess at best. Ultimately, the track will tell you how much power the engine is making...it is the true dyno. A 600hp motor that dips into the high 12's ain't no "real world" 600hp motor....and there are lots of those running around.   

As for me, mine has been dynoed so i know exactly how much power it made and where that power comes in and when it noses over. Makes picking a converter and gears so much easier when sorting out the car. The dyno experience is a great chance to learn and should be strongly considered for any performance build. Fine tuning can be performed while the engine is being tested to determine optimal timing and fuel curves....it is the ultimate tuning tool.

So, the answer to your question is yes, i tell the truth about power #'s if anyone wants to know and have the sheets to back up those results.

Ron

[bluesfool]

I don't need to impress anybody...I tell them what I have. Fortunately though, most people just say something like " I bet that thing is fast!", to which I reply 

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

we have not yet taken our car to the track but have had it rear wheeled dynoed at 610hp we will do an actual engine dynoe this summer b4 we take it 2 the track-MATT

[Smoke20]

So what's the bigger lie men tell..... Horsepower or inches! 

[ChargerSG]

That one was a good! Since i have a 318 in my Charger there is no need to lie....

[69bananabeast]

I might fudge it  a little bit but not like other people would . I've got a built 440 and have heard from a few people that it has about 490 Hp . I've told a couple people it's 500Hp just to have a more sound #. When i actually do Run it/Dyno it  i'll round it slightly say if it ends up being 493 Hp  I'd tus tell people its 495 hp . I dont think it would hurt too much.

[hotrod98]

I always answer the same way..."how the hell would I know?". 

[yellowcuda]

The other funny thing is when people don't quote rwhp and you do, then they act like yours is so low.  We keep a dyno sheet on the hemi blower car, but then we explain that it is underdriven and etc. etc.  Seems like every 80's something mustang we run across has over 500 hp...yeah right

[ChargerRT440]

  well since all thats going into my dart is a built 318(I say built as in I built it myself) with port polished heads, a valve job, purple shaft with something like .500" lift, a eddy 4bbl manifold and a 4bbl carb. With stock flat top pistons and stock bottom end. Really I'm only expecting at the most 250 hp if I go with better pistons to reduce cc's I might get more like 300. I'm hoping to find a cheap way to make like 350-400 hp, but that seems a little hard to do in a 318. If anybody could suggest anything I'd really appreciate it.

Anyways how would I test the hp of this engine since the cars not close to ready to have the engine put in?

[Blown70]

::)well since all thats going into my dart is a built 318(I say built as in I built it myself) with port polished heads, a valve job, purple shaft with something like .500" lift, a eddy 4bbl manifold and a 4bbl carb. With stock flat top pistons and stock bottom end. Really I'm only expecting at the most 250 hp if I go with better pistons to reduce cc's I might get more like 300. I'm hoping to find a cheap way to make like 350-400 hp, but that seems a little hard to do in a 318. If anybody could suggest anything I'd really appreciate it.

Anyways how would I test the hp of this engine since the cars not close to ready to have the engine put in?

Engine shops around my have a DYNO,  Otherwise once in the car you would need a Chassis dyno,  Those are harder to find, at least by me.

[ChargerRT440]

Can anybody guess what my hp would be? the number isn't really important to me it's just a running motor in the car

[hemihead]

A lot of these people don't even know what a dyno is! LOL And they don't even use all that HP anyway just driving at 35mph to the local Spit and Shine Show.

[Troy]

we have not yet taken our car to the track but have had it rear wheeled dynoed at 610hp we will do an actual engine dynoe this summer b4 we take it 2 the track-MATT

Hmmmmmmmmm:

510hp to the rear wheels-MATT

i dont i just know it could waste the tires off the car in 3 blocks

the engine was originally dynoed by the last owner at 560hp we took off the 850 holley double pumper and swapped it with a 750 edelbrock and tweaked it a little and small changes to the engine .the guy who helped us with the engine is a charger fanatic/mechanic who told us that thse changes would increase our horsepower by 50.im not sure if it is all that but the car is alot faster then after we made the changes-MATT

Troy

[hemigeno]

I tell people that it has enough power to pass anything but a gas pump...

[426wedge]

I like to keep most things like that secret. They can find out when they see   my tail lights.   Actuallly I've only had one of my cars on a chassis dyno. It was a 440 in my 70 Cuda.   I had $400 invested in that motor and a lot of tuning.   With a 4spd and 4:10's it was sideways at almost any speed. FUN... It had 288 hp and 317 torque with a very flat curve. The funny part of the story was right after me was a 70 chevelle with a 454 4spd 4:11s. He had MEGA dollars in this car. He turned 244 hp (can't remeber the torque). He was MAD. He said that the dyno was broke. His car will go sideways in all 4 gears. More whining and crying. It was funny to watch.   I love it how most people think they have 500+ horse. Ya just gotta laugh.

[69charger2002]

so troy, would that be 510, 560 or 610??? 
lol
trav

[Ghoste]

I haven't a clue nor could I care.  Even if I did know, no one would ever find out.

Only my dyno operator knows for sure.

[RD]

my charger has 0 hp (no motor in it)

my duster has 0 hp (motor is in the machine shop, ahhh to wish to have money to complete it)

my ramcharger, well, I dont know, but it roasts the rear tires and well that is good enuff to me!

[Charger500]

the people that don't know much about cars only hear your horsepower and then immediatley judge your car.

[Smoke20]

I tell people that it has enough power to pass anything but a gas pump...

Ha! No Doubt, especially the way gas prices change daily these days.

[bluesfool]

the people that don't know much about cars only hear your horsepower and then immediatley judge your car.

Say it again brother!

[TheGhost]

I don't lie, because I have very little hp in my Barracuda.  180 hp, 260 tq is the stock ratings for a 273 2v in 67, I believe, and since my engine has never been rebuilt, I gotta be making a bit less than that.