Notices
Forced Induction Turbochargers and Superchargers..Got Boost?

usable street horsepower

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-14-2008, 11:51 AM
  #1  
perrogrande007
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
perrogrande007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default usable street horsepower

Let's suppose someone wanted to build a fun street car and had no intentions to take it to the drag. At what point do you have too much horsepower for the street? These 500+ beasts are great, and I'm sure are awesome highway monsters, but what is the best compromise for 0-120MPH, keeping the car in control, etc? Would you want high horsepower with lower torque? Shorter gears?....High horsepower, high torque, long gears?

Please discuss.
Old 02-14-2008, 11:53 AM
  #2  
Zridder19
New Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Zridder19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Panama City Beach, FL
Posts: 5,041
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I think that 450 whp on streets is about the limit before its unuseful
Old 02-14-2008, 11:56 AM
  #3  
N0 F34R 1488
Registered User
 
N0 F34R 1488's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Better yet, don't street race.

Keep it on the track.
Old 02-14-2008, 12:00 PM
  #4  
Audible Mayhem
My350z
iTrader: (48)
 
Audible Mayhem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 5,165
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

i like pedaling 650 actually...
Old 02-14-2008, 12:07 PM
  #5  
perrogrande007
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
perrogrande007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by N0 F34R 1488
Better yet, don't street race.

Keep it on the track.

I don't believe I ever posted that I was going to street race.
Old 02-14-2008, 12:09 PM
  #6  
perrogrande007
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
perrogrande007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Audible Mayhem
i like pedaling 650 actually...

J, how do you keep it in control? I was speaking with a guy in Dallas who has a Greddy set up at about 450whp and he said it was a futile effort to keep it in control.
Old 02-14-2008, 12:13 PM
  #7  
rcdash
New Member
iTrader: (18)
 
rcdash's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 6,474
Received 65 Likes on 56 Posts
Default

Well the issue is that while 400 whp in 3rd gear is awesome, it becomes less impressive in each higher gear. To make the overdrive gear feel like a 2nd or 3rd gear pull requires a lot of power! So I don't think a 600 whp dynojet is unreasonable. To make it more easily usable, the power level can be matched to gears or speed (taper boost in lower gears).
Old 02-14-2008, 12:15 PM
  #8  
Zridder19
New Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Zridder19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Panama City Beach, FL
Posts: 5,041
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Audible Mayhem
i like pedaling 650 actually...


Ha you would say that!! If i only knew what it was like....
Old 02-14-2008, 12:27 PM
  #9  
BoostCrzy
Registered User
 
BoostCrzy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wellington, FL
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

traction anyone??.....works like a charm....sticky tires + 550whp = yum.
Old 02-14-2008, 12:29 PM
  #10  
r0mey
350Z-holic
iTrader: (35)
 
r0mey's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Morristown, NJ
Posts: 17,785
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I have 567 that i drive with and after third gear i have no traction issues well none that i cant handle
Old 02-14-2008, 12:36 PM
  #11  
thom000001
Registered User
 
thom000001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,891
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

I'll know in around a month...woohoo

Originally Posted by Audible Mayhem
i like pedaling 650 actually...
Old 02-14-2008, 12:47 PM
  #12  
Alberto
Cranky FI Owner
iTrader: (14)
 
Alberto's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: DMV
Posts: 34,716
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Default

500whp is perfect, you can hook in 2nd in the summer. 600+whp and stock gearing cars are basically useless in 2nd, early 3rd, I can peddle 2nd gear but I have LONG gears and TALL tires. Now if you like racing from highway speeds, 80mph in 4th can put down tons of power. All up to you/your tastes.
Old 02-14-2008, 12:54 PM
  #13  
sentry65
the burninator
iTrader: (11)
 
sentry65's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: phoenix, AZ
Posts: 9,722
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

I have a vortech and 3.9 FD.

I get full traction in 2nd gear with my 455whp map when it's at least around 75 degrees outside and the tires are warmed up
With my 477whp map, I don't get 100% traction in 2nd gear.

When it's 50 degrees outside, I sometimes don't get traction even in 4th gear with my 477whp map.
It depends on how warmed up the tires are which I can tell when they go from 30 psi to 34-35psi on the rears
Old 02-14-2008, 01:27 PM
  #14  
perrogrande007
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
perrogrande007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks for the posts gentlemen, gives me something to think about.

Also, in your opinions, what is the best tire setup? What tire gives the best traction for street driving? What sizes?
Old 02-14-2008, 01:34 PM
  #15  
sentry65
the burninator
iTrader: (11)
 
sentry65's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: phoenix, AZ
Posts: 9,722
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

the best tire setup?

that's like asking what is the best car


pick a type of tire that has the compromises you're willing to deal with
get as wide as you can get and get as sticky as you're willing to spend the money on as far as frequency of replacement
Old 02-14-2008, 01:54 PM
  #16  
N0 F34R 1488
Registered User
 
N0 F34R 1488's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

"Let's suppose someone wanted to build a fun street car and had no intentions to take it to the drag. At what point do you have too much horsepower for the street?"

That's why I said that.
Old 02-14-2008, 02:43 PM
  #17  
doug
New Member
iTrader: (5)
 
doug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Apex, NC
Posts: 16,838
Received 35 Likes on 30 Posts
Default

580whp is perfect for me
Old 02-14-2008, 02:52 PM
  #18  
JETPILOT
New Member
iTrader: (51)
 
JETPILOT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Vero Beach, FL
Posts: 6,319
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

I have 565 whp @ 6700 RPM and with 295 tires and stiff suspension it is useless until I shift to 4th.

I am putting on some 295 R compound Toyo R888 tires and they are sticky as sh*t. If I can overpower those then I am going to drop the powa like it's hot to approx 520whp.

With 295 standard street compund tires I would say 450whp is the sweet spot.

JET
Old 02-14-2008, 04:12 PM
  #19  
Jay'Z
Banned
iTrader: (118)
 
Jay'Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Carbon Fiber, TX
Posts: 10,944
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

I love having over 400whp..
Old 02-14-2008, 04:42 PM
  #20  
JAM3Z
Phenom
iTrader: (17)
 
JAM3Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Greenville SC
Posts: 8,639
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by JETPILOT
I have 565 whp @ 6700 RPM and with 295 tires and stiff suspension it is useless until I shift to 4th.

I am putting on some 295 R compound Toyo R888 tires and they are sticky as sh*t. If I can overpower those then I am going to drop the powa like it's hot to approx 520whp.

With 295 standard street compund tires I would say 450whp is the sweet spot.

JET
I thought you were getting rid of your car


Quick Reply: usable street horsepower



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:15 AM.