How much power is enough?

[Back N Black]

I have a 440 with 485 hp and 550 flb torque and i would like to have more. Maybe 200 more hp?? can't image these boats with stock 375 hp. What are your thoughts on your charger's performance?

[Rolling_Thunder]

I would be happy with 500hp...            IMO the only reason to have close to 700hp is for dragstrip use or LDS

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

The car I drive most days has over 600 hp and is a lot of fun... That said, one of my favorite cars was my Trans Am w/ 440 hp and with its solid axle, was a treat in the rain or on cold asphalt  FUN!!!

How much power is enough? The maximum which is streetable, reliable, and drivable without beating you up 

[skip68]

I would say 500 to 600 HP is about as far as you need go and be streetable. 

[69bronzeT5]

I would say 500 to 600 HP is about as far as you need go and be streetable.  

All depends on the car though. I rode in an A/C Cobra replica this past summer that was a 650hp 427 5spd....it was nuts. REALLY fun though but nuts. I also had the chance to drive a 470hp 4spd '57 Belair last month and it was absolutley awesome too. I'd be happy with the 485hp in my Charger...

[Paul G]

More is better. Unconditionally.

[jb666]

I've been de-tuned to push 610RWHP... I can destroy my tires at 50MPH... Using drag radials... When I was running "regular" street tires I had absolutely NO traction...


But I want more.. A smaller blower pulley is in my future.

[RGA]

Stroker stroker stroker. I have a buddy with a 67 coronet with a 400 stroked to a 477 ( I think) . The thing is freaking sick fast. So much fun, burnouts that will smoke out a city block. The only problem is it keeps breaking motor mounts, so if you run a bunch of power make sure and use a limiting chain or solid mounts. Or a front plate if you want to look realy crazy.

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Oh, I dunno.  I think anything over 100 hp is overkill.  Prius FTW 

[jb666]

Stroker stroker stroker. I have a buddy with a 67 coronet with a 400 stroked to a 477 ( I think) . The thing is freaking sick fast. So much fun, burnouts that will smoke out a city block. The only problem is it keeps breaking motor mounts, so if you run a bunch of power make sure and use a limiting chain or solid mounts. Or a front plate if you want to look realy crazy.

You nailed that one... I went solid at the end of last year... Good advice.

[jb666]

Oh, I dunno.  I think anything over 100 hp is overkill.  Prius FTW 

Then in that case you'd love the sticker I just put on the back of my big smokey diesel...

[firefighter3931]

For a fun street ride i'd say a legitimate 500-550hp is plenty.   My old 440 made 535hp at the crank and pushed the 4100lb Pig into the mid 11's in the 1/4 mile. The new 572 makes a whole lot more power....too much for any realistic traction on the street. 

When you make big power a lot of things need upgrading so it gets complicated and expensive ; trans, converter, suspension, driveshaft,fuel system, exhaust, cooling etc.....


Ron

[Budnicks]

The question is really subjective, what are you using the vehicle for ? Do you need dependability ?  how heavy is your car ? have you done the proper improvements to handle the additional HP/TQ of a 500-600+hp engine ?, I have had 500+hp street cars for many years, they are "really fun to drive, on dry days", but not real practical for daily drivers or bad weather, anything beyond the 600hp range in my opinion, should really be a track vehicle, but I'm guilty of driving around in an over powered street beast, may times myself, if it's mostly a show car, cruiser type vehicle, 400hp should be enough to move a 4000lb beast so it feels like a real performance car... It's hard to say how much is enough, I guess it depends on the individual & the vehicle...

[tan top]

For a fun street ride i'd say a legitimate 500-550hp is plenty.   My old 440 made 535hp at the crank and pushed the 4100lb Pig into the mid 11's in the 1/4 mile. The new 572 makes a whole lot more power....too much for any realistic traction on the street.  

When you make big power a lot of things need upgrading so it gets complicated and expensive ; trans, converter, suspension, driveshaft,fuel system, exhaust, cooling etc.....


Ron

The question is really subjective, what are you using the vehicle for ? Do you need dependability ?  how heavy is your car ? have you done the proper improvements to handle the additional HP/TQ of a 500-600+hp engine ?, I have had 500+hp street cars for many years, they are "really fun to drive, on dry days", but not real practical for daily drivers or bad weather, anything beyond the 600hp range in my opinion, should really be a track vehicle, but I'm guilty of driving around in an over powered street beast, may times myself, if it's mostly a show car, cruiser type vehicle, 400hp should be enough to move a 4000lb beast so it feels like a real performance car... It's hard to say how much is enough, I guess it depends on the individual & the vehicle...

true stuff !!
 anywhere between a real 500 & 550 horse & 600 + ft-lbs   ,  but the key is to have a well balanced sorted package ,  & big torque  low down in a big  heavy ole charger , with high  gearing for the street !  course  modern over drives & 5 speeds do change that a little 

[Bob T]

More is good, but it comes down to what you're happy with or what your wallet will handle.

A mate of mine has a 72 RR with an Indy 605 Hemi, makes around 900 crank, stupid fast but well set up with appropriate drivetrain mods and show car finish, I've seen him drive it to work in the rain just cause he can. I think it has done an 11.3 at best so far
Also has a 65 Malibu with a 572 GM crate motor , makes around 620 and has a M22 and cage. That thing is an animal , very cool.
He picked me up in it to go to car club meeting night and I shot a shaky clip of it, lots of fun. He has done 172 mph in it and some roundy rounds and targa as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0NAT1kS6q8&feature=related

[Tilar]

Oh, I dunno.  I think anything over 100 hp is overkill.  Prius FTW 

Then in that case you'd love the sticker I just put on the back of my big smokey diesel...

Man, That's quite the hill you live on.   

[tan top]

More is good, but it comes down to what you're happy with or what your wallet will handle.

A mate of mine has a 72 RR with an Indy 605 Hemi, makes around 900 crank, stupid fast but well set up with appropriate drivetrain mods and show car finish, I've seen him drive it to work in the rain just cause he can. I think it has done an 11.3 at best so far
Also has a 65 Malibu with a 572 GM crate motor , makes around 620 and has a M22 and cage. That thing is an animal , very cool.
He picked me up in it to go to car club meeting night and I shot a shaky clip of it, lots of fun. He has done 172 mph in it and some roundy rounds and targa as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0NAT1kS6q8&feature=related

     sounds mean & nasty    got any pictures ! would love to see them

[gtx6970]

Having played with this one a good bit. And with 505 HP and 550 ftlbs of torque. I have to say,,, it's fun.
But to be brutally honest i don't think I personally would want anything more.
This car has serious traction issues on street tires. And once it's good and broken in, I would like to make a pass in it on slicks , just for giggles.

[Cooter]

The 505 C.I. stroker in my Dart is around 700 HP on Nitrous. Let's be real here fellas, there are 1000 PLUS HP cars on the street right now(Granted, most are boosted and have 2JZ's in 'em). Sure, you say 500 HP on the street is enough until your 500 HP car gets crushed on Sat. night, then that number becomes 700-1000 HP...I just think 700 HP is enough to hold off MOST musclecars from THIS ERA...Too easy to just buy 1000 HP these days..Nobody seems to try and build 1000 HP so they have an idea of just how hard it really is to get a car to hook/run/be streetable at that level...

[redmist]

There is a reason you see 1000 HP street Supras that only run a 12.3 in the 1/4...  

[SRT-440]

My GN with current tune and boost level is about 550-570hp to the wheels at full boost...the build "on paper" is capable of making over 600hp...but as it sits now on street tires a camry could beat me from stop light to stop light. ZERO traction at 26#'s of boost at almost any speed...fun yes...fast on the street..no. I could back the boost down to about 20-22#'s and be more effective on the street. But its fun lighting them up at 60mph. 

[Rolling_Thunder]

I guess it depends on someone's nature...    some people get lit up on saturday night and say they need more power.   I don't have that mentality.  I personally just want a fun car I can drive and go to shows in. I know there are faster cars - but do they have air conditioning? can they cruise to AZ? do they get 20 mpg? did the owner build it himself?           I know what my car is because i built it...     its not the fastest but its definitely not the slowest...      its just a question of priorities...             

[BY RSCO]

The fastest car I have ever owned made roughly 970HP to the rear tires - though it was a "street car" - its street manners were ugly. 520 ci stroker in a 1988 Mustang. Useless on the street, even on drag radials (as they only hook decent when a tad warm) - mainly built it for the track obviously, but a fun car. The most fun car was the 92 Mustang - made 575 to the tires - weighed 3250 with me in it - ran mid 10's on pump gas and was a blast - still useless on the street at least on takeoff - ran et streets on it all of the time - I will admit though, it was very satisfying to have an import beat you off the line due to having to feather it, and then go by him in 3rd gear hazing the tires like he is tied to a tree 
all that said, I am shooting for the 500 at the crank mark on the 69 charger.

[Tilar]

I knew I still had that old T-shirt, Just had to go hunt for it...

[jb666]

I knew I still had that old T-shirt, Just had to go hunt for it...

You're going to laugh... But I WAS JUST going through my closet looking for this!!!!!!!!!! 

[Tilar]

   I never figured there were any more of these even left in existance! I know it was back in the mid 80's when I bought mine.

And it doesn't look as bad as the pic came out, it was the lighting in the bedroom and a cell phone pic.

[Cooter]

There is a reason you see 1000 HP street Supras that only run a 12.3 in the 1/4...  

Hmmmm, well, the ones I've seen are running deep in the 8's @ well over 175 MPH 1/4 mile...Maybe the ones you've seen were traction limited?

[Bob T]

More is good, but it comes down to what you're happy with or what your wallet will handle.

A mate of mine has a 72 RR with an Indy 605 Hemi, makes around 900 crank, stupid fast but well set up with appropriate drivetrain mods and show car finish, I've seen him drive it to work in the rain just cause he can. I think it has done an 11.3 at best so far
Also has a 65 Malibu with a 572 GM crate motor , makes around 620 and has a M22 and cage. That thing is an animal , very cool.
He picked me up in it to go to car club meeting night and I shot a shaky clip of it, lots of fun. He has done 172 mph in it and some roundy rounds and targa as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0NAT1kS6q8&feature=related

     sounds mean & nasty    got any pictures ! would love to see them

Can only find RR pics at the mo, I dont seem to have any of the Malibu, and I've leaned over it enough times too
Link from a mag article on it a while back

http://www.v8.co.nz/articles/1965-chevrolet-chevelle-malibu-ss-malibu-madness-46

[tan top]

More is good, but it comes down to what you're happy with or what your wallet will handle.

A mate of mine has a 72 RR with an Indy 605 Hemi, makes around 900 crank, stupid fast but well set up with appropriate drivetrain mods and show car finish, I've seen him drive it to work in the rain just cause he can. I think it has done an 11.3 at best so far
Also has a 65 Malibu with a 572 GM crate motor , makes around 620 and has a M22 and cage. That thing is an animal , very cool.
He picked me up in it to go to car club meeting night and I shot a shaky clip of it, lots of fun. He has done 172 mph in it and some roundy rounds and targa as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0NAT1kS6q8&feature=related

     sounds mean & nasty    got any pictures ! would love to see them

Can only find RR pics at the mo, I dont seem to have any of the Malibu, and I've leaned over it enough times too
Link from a mag article on it a while back

http://www.v8.co.nz/articles/1965-chevrolet-chevelle-malibu-ss-malibu-madness-46

nice ! thanks for the link BT appreciated 

[JMF]

Does reliability become an issue with more power? Providing everything's been upgraded to match the power the engine's putting out? What things can go wrong?

[Cooter]

Yes, blocks can crack, I've seen main bearing webbing ripped right out of the block with bearing caps still torqued arounf crank laying on the ground (331 Ford).
Once a certain power level is acheived, an aftermarket block is needed.

[Magnumcharger]

I've got 376 hp in my 2010 Challenger R/T. It weighs approximately 4200 pounds with me in it and a full fuel load (I scaled it).
That's 10.63 lbs/hp. I consider it fast. (3.92 gears).

My 1968 Charger R/T will likely be 400 hp when it's done, with it's stock 440, a cam change and headers. It weighs 3900 lbs loaded.
That's 9.75 lbs/hp. I'm anticipating a quicker car. (4:10 gears).

My 1968 Barracuda with a 360 hp 5.7 Hemi weighs 3200 lbs, 3500 loaded.
That should be 9.72 lbs/hp. Should be as fast as the Charger by all rights.

[morepower]

always need more power! hence the name....

but thier is a certain # where you have too much power for the street, cant hook up, need slicks which arent street legal etc...but I do not condone street racing so i am fine with my 600 HP 496 stroker with some mickey t's bias ply's ohhh baby cant wait!