how much is too much??

[SaleenGT2001]

i was set on getting 600 rwhp out of my car with the new bottom end and all the other stuff i have sitting around the house.....but i drove a GT yesterday that had over 600 at the wheels and it was NOT fun to drive on the road. the first 3 gears were USELESS (i think it had 4.10 gears in it also). it wouldnt hook until over 80 mph even if you kicked it from a roll. the car i drove had a full aeromotive fuel system. a vortech t trim at around 15 psi (couldnt keep my eye on the boost gauge) and a 100 shot of nitrous, which was not activated when i droive it. so now i'm thinking that 600 is too much for street use.

so what i want to know is what is a good HP level for mainly street driving? i know there are a lot of different factory to consider but over all with a 3.73 gear what power should be good for the street?

any high HP guys i especially want your opinion since you have actually riven your cars on the road and arent just guessing what may be good.

 

[squares98]

500hp-3600lbs(07' E63)
450 hp-3200lbs(04' 996tt x50, 02' Viper ACR)

And that is for cars w/0 touchy throttles unlike the mustang. I think 450hp is the most youll ever use on the highway, any more is making up for personal shortcomings.

Ive never driven a 500+ hp mustang, but with its crude suspension,I can see why it will suck as a DD.

 

[streetstang03]

I'd say somewhere between 450-500. I've driven a few 450rwhp+ Cobras and they werent too much at all (but then again, that was with a 6-speed tranny too). The one cobra I drove with slightly over 400rwhp didnt seem as fast as I thought it would . With the IRS on the Cobras, the car felt great even with that much power.

IMO, its too much money to throw into a GT as well. thats just my .02

 

[superstang01]

Id go with as much as i possiblly could until it was just to crazy and couldnt hook up at all.......Id say 525rwhp would be a good amount

 

[CatmanJJ]

Right now just 300 hp is pretty much useless for me until highway speeds. Still makes for a lot of fun slidin around turns and fish tailing all over from stop lights. Then again it is like planet Hoth temperature outside right now.

 

[SaleenGT2001]

IMO, its too much money to throw into a GT as well. thats just my .02

it's too late to stop spending now. i have already bought 80% of the parts i need.

i have a new ford racing block, manley billet i beam rods, canton oil pan. oil pump with a billet gear, cobra crank, 8 rib kit, arp bolts, and i just ordered a set of MPH blower cams and comp springs.
all i really need now is pistons, rings, bearings and gaskets. the expensive stuff is mostly done (except the fuel system)

 

[ADRENLN]

what blower are you going to run? if you dont jact the boost too high you will prob. end up around where i hope to end up.

that is right around 500-530 rwhp! i think that is a massive amount for a street car but right on the line of being fun when you want it and too much power for the street. of course im getting a centri blower so i think it will be easier to drove on the street that a roots. we'll see.

 

[04YELLOWGT]

My friend has a 525-550 rwhp 03 Cobra and its more than enough for the street. The car kinda scares me even though Im on my way to that power level. I want high 400 - low 500 rwhp for my car. Whith that much power there really isnt any thing on the street you have to worry about, at least not around here.

 

[mustang90]

The more the merrier! Take a look at this video.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1832767043

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

I drove my cousin's friend's 89 5.0 w/ single a single turbo putting down about 510hp at 16psi, it was rediculas - w/ any type of street tire you just plain cant hook at all. Your pretty much looking at the sky untill you shift and the whole weight of the car slams forwards then lifts off again when you put ur foot back into it. That thing kicked my ass, there's no way i want something like that as a DD.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

The more the merrier! Take a look at this video.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1832767043

at least that's a car that can handle it

 

[DropTopPony]

500rwhp is not needed for a street car, i was just having this conversation how everyone wants 500+hp but 95% of them have never even driven a car over 250... I personally think 350-400rwhp on a well setup car is plenty for the street. If you race at the track then a pulley swap and nitrous can be added to bump it up but having 500+ on your street driven car will just lead to trouble.

 

[mustang90]

Its all in the suspension!

 

[saleen556]

I would say 450rwhp is plenty for the street. I was running 404/428 with my KB 1.7 and couldn't use all that most of the time.

 

[COMPSYSTEMS]

Iv driven the 05/06 Ford GT aka GT 40. With 550 HP and rear engine to help put the weight where its needed that car was wicked fast! It was fun as hell but near impossiable to keep under 60 around town. I cant even imagine how scary it would be in the rain! Id say 400HP is enough to get the job done without getting yourself into too much trouble.

 

[mustang90]

That red ford gt in the movie is 1450 horse power. HP performance put the new motor and twin turbos on it. Disregard the date on the bottom cause it was recent not back in 02.

 

[LaserRed01GT]

i was set on getting 600 rwhp out of my car with the new bottom end and all the other stuff i have sitting around the house.....but i drove a GT yesterday that had over 600 at the wheels and it was NOT fun to drive on the road. the first 3 gears were USELESS (i think it had 4.10 gears in it also). it wouldnt hook until over 80 mph even if you kicked it from a roll. the car i drove had a full aeromotive fuel system. a vortech t trim at around 15 psi (couldnt keep my eye on the boost gauge) and a 100 shot of nitrous, which was not activated when i droive it. so now i'm thinking that 600 is too much for street use.

so what i want to know is what is a good HP level for mainly street driving? i know there are a lot of different factory to consider but over all with a 3.73 gear what power should be good for the street?

any high HP guys i especially want your opinion since you have actually riven your cars on the road and arent just guessing what may be good.

The 4.10 gears were why that car wouldn't hook on the street.

You can make 600 RWHP hook just fine on the street with the proper chassis/suspension work and the right tire on the back. I've driven plenty of 600+ RWHP F-body's and Mustangs that drove just perfect on the street. The people that complain and whine about 450+ being too much for the street have likely not ever drove or gone for a ride in a car that was making that power and had the proper chassis/suspension/tire combination.

You ask what would be a good RWHP level with 3.73 gear. Well it goes way beyond that. It all boils down to the extent of your chassis/suspension setup and which tire you will be running.

Don’t give up your goal of 600 RWHP just because you are worried about traction. With a little work to the suspension and chassis, you can get 600 to the tire to hook really well and have fun blowing the doors of most anything on the street

 

[SaleenGT2001]

i'm at 375 now. my buddys KB GT @445 feels fast but its mostly b/c of the instant boost.

i'm planning on keeping the Novi with a 2.9 blower pulley and a 10% OD crank pulley.

i think somewhere around 500 would be all i really want (for now)

 

[2K1GtfromSC]

No one needs 400, 500, or even 600 hp, But why have 400 if you can make 600. It's fun to drive as DD and most can't touch you.

 

[mustang90]

horsepower is an addiction, you always want more!